The world we live and work in is a very changed place from when our Learning and development standards for pre-registration education were last published in 2019, and will continue to change.
It’s important our Standards reflect these changes and support future occupational therapists to be prepared for practice in 2030 and beyond.
Everyone – from current students, apprentices, employers of early career OTs, commissioners of OT services, people with lived experience of occupational therapy and all those supporting OT education both in university and practice-based learning – will have something to add to our Education Summits we are holding as we prepare to update our Standards.
Register to join one of our Education Summits at rcot.co.uk/learning-and-development-review
It's time to include early career OTs
New graduates, employers and mentors of newly registered OTs tell us that the transition into practice can be difficult. Statistics tell us that one in seven occupational therapy graduates do not immediately register with HCPC, and 6.3% of occupational therapists de-register with HCPC in their first four years of registration.
As the UK’s professional body for occupational therapy, we have a key role in changing both these statistics and the learner/newly registered OT’s experience. I’m delighted that as part of this review we will be expanding our Standards to include early careers.
While our Standards are a key document for RCOT and our members, historically it’s the university programme teams who know this document inside and out! All providers of pre-registration education in the UK have or are working towards our accreditation. We are very proud of this and believe our accreditation process provides a vital mark of quality OT education.
Carolyn Hay, Head of Education
We all have something to add – how can you get involved?
We all have a perspective on occupational therapy pre-registration education and experience it in different ways. That’s why we’re inviting current students, apprentices, employers of early career occupational therapists, commissioners of OT services, people with lived experience of occupational therapy and all those supporting OT education both in university and practice-based learning settings to join the discussion as we review our Standards.
Your perspective is important, and we want it to be heard. Talk to us by joining:
- one of our Education Summits
- our online discussion forum (RCOT members only).
If you'd like to take part in the online discussion space, please register your interest.
We'll also have a formal period of consultation when the draft Standards are prepared, providing another opportunity for feedback.
This project offers an incredible opportunity to collaborate with a diverse range of professionals across all career levels, ensuring representation from all four nations, to consider a wide array of viewpoints in relation to the evolving world of our profession.
Samantha Turner, Independent occupational therapist and educator (Workstream Lead)
Learners are our future workforce, so naturally during the development and launch of our Workforce Strategy, pre-registration education was a key topic of discussion. This project aims to revise the Standards and provide a framework for driving forward the profession, embracing its diversity and supporting learners and newly registered occupational therapists to launch their careers in occupational therapy.
Karin Orman, Director of Practice and Innovation
Education of occupational therapists impacts everyone. Please do join the conversation and share your perspective.