Commenting on a new report from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) about the state of hospital care, Director of Practice and Innovation at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Karin Orman, said:
‘The RCN report contains some horrific findings, but for anyone who’s worked in the NHS recently, there are few surprises in it. It reflects what our members have been telling us about working in occupational therapy in hospitals, where many occupational therapists are also considering leaving for other roles, and those who remain are pushed to the brink and constantly stressed.
‘The NHS is in desperate need of major reform, with budgets and staff reallocated to where they can make the most difference. It’s why we’ve been calling for more occupational therapists – and other allied health professionals – to be moved from hospitals into community settings, such as GP surgeries, schools, housing teams, social services, care homes and places of work.
‘If people are able to access the support they need sooner, there will be fewer people reaching crisis point. This means that the people who do end up in hospital will get the timely support they deserve and need, from the right people.
‘But we need the resourcing and funding to make this happen. The NHS needs to work for everyone, and getting the occupational therapy workforce right will actually help reduce the pressures on nurses, GPs and all other areas of the NHS, as well as helping people live well for longer.’