As an existing Scottish board member, I was very interested in the work of RCOT and really enjoyed having the opportunity to hear about and influence planned RCOT developments. When I became the Scottish board chair and joined the RCOT Council I wasn’t sure what to expect.
I joined at a time of great change with a new CEO in post and recognition that as a profession we needed to take stock and make sure that we are well positioned for the 21st century. The RCOT rebrand and development of new strategic priorities as well as a more focused delivery, accountability and reporting plan are just some of the things I have been involved with.
I have always been passionate about my profession and have pushed hard locally for recognition of the flexibility of occupational therapy that should put us in a strong position in a landscape which is very focused on supported self-management, early intervention and prevention. We need to be brave and confident if we are to influence policy makers and ministers, as well as our multidisciplinary colleagues. It feels like my own aspirations are reflected in the RCOT plans for the future. It’s an exciting time to be part of the RCOT Council.
What’s involved in being a Council member
An occupational therapist who wants to sit on the Council must submit an election statement which has the support of two registered occupational therapists who are members of RCOT, this is an elected position and as such must go to a vote.
The RCOT/BAOT Council meets formally four times a year and also holds an AGM, there may be other more informal meetings to share information and seek comments. In the past Council meetings have been held in the RCOT headquarters in London but the COVID pandemic saw the move towards the use of teams and zoom. The Council meetings are held between 10.30 and 3.30pm. That probably sounds like a long day, but there are breaks and it does fly by. Attendance at these meetings is incredibly important, particularly the AGM where major changes to RCOT governance are discussed and voted on. Failure to attend two consecutive meetings may result in the loss of your seat.
The Council currently has members from the four nations, as well as the chairs from the Research and Development and the Learning and Development board and industrial relations and International Affairs members. Meetings are attended by RCOT paid staff which includes the Chief Executive Officer, Directors of Human Resources, Professional Operations, Finance and Corporate Affairs, Assistant Directors of Communications and Marketing, Education and Research, Professional Practice and the Senior Governance and Executive Support Officer. The Chair of Council is a voluntary position which is elected to annually, unlike the other Council members who have a three-year tenure.
The main role of a Council member is to provide scrutiny and assurance on any potential developments and changes that that are tabled by the RCOT officers which could impact on the financial stability of RCOT, the reputation of the profession, its members and the public. As such a Council member needs to be able to critically appraise and evaluate complex reports which are data rich and consider how this could affect the profession and the organisation. An awareness of national strategic priorities, as well as best occupational therapy practice is essential, as the Council member must be able to put any papers and reports received from RCOT into context.