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Last year we shared with you our vision for improving member’s digital experiences over the coming years. Read more about our digital transformation. Exciting improvements coming this Spring This Spring, you’ll receive new member benefits and see improvements to our digital tools, giving you a...

A career that’s about creativity and empathy As well as core skills and traits like team working, creative problem solving, communication and empathy, you’ll need a qualification. There are over 45 education providers across the UK running a range of programmes including: Full time undergraduate...

We’ll support your journey every step of the way Although much of what you do will be carried out on a one-to-one basis, a lot of occupational therapy work is collaborative. Specialists often work together to support colleagues and share knowledge more broadly. And if you choose to work...

Diverse challenges, inspiring outcomes Sometimes illness, disability, getting older or even a change in personal living circumstances can make it difficult for people to carry out their normal routines and enjoy their favourite activities. By analysing these activities, drawing on their clinical...

What makes a great occupational therapist? Occupational therapists help people overcome challenges, so they can do the things they want and need to. That takes qualities like empathy, great team working, good communication skills, as well as creative problem-solving. An interest in areas like...

Becoming an occupational therapist Occupational therapy is a profession that attracts people from all walks of life. You might currently be at school or university and thinking about what you want to do next. You might have already decided that you want your future to be about helping others. Or...

A career that will fulfil you Occupational therapy helps you live your best life at home, at work – and everywhere else. It’s about being able to do the things you need, want and have to do. That could mean helping you overcome challenges playing sport, learning at school, going to work or simply...

Diverse skills, a united community We’re the professional body that represents the UK’s occupational therapy professionals, students and apprentices. We’ve championed the profession and the people behind it for over 90 years; and today, we are thriving with over 36,000 members. We’re here to help...

We’ll lift you up to be the best you can be throughout your career – you’ll join the best community, have the best resources and tools to help you succeed. You’ll be connected to our 36,000 members and be supported throughout your career. We’ll provide development opportunities, evidence-based...

In the narrative you’ll find text about occupational therapy in different formats that you can use to help people understand more about what it is, its value and where it needs to be positioned in the future. It’s available as a short script, as prompts to use in a conversation and versions that...

This is a reduced version of the Workforce Strategy action plan – England. Developing our action plan has been a team effort. We’d like to thank the member volunteers in our Workforce Strategy England Advisory Group who’ve helped to shape it.

You’re on your way to becoming an occupational therapist! We’re here to support you from the start. We’ll lift you up to be the best you can be while you study and throughout your career. We understand that being a student or apprentice isn’t easy! You’ve got a lot to learn. You’re taking in new...

Occupational therapy plays a vital role in health, social care and society. It enables people to manage their health and care needs and to do the occupations that they want, need and like to do. Occupational therapy is a solution to many of the UK's health and care needs. By helping people manage...

We want people everywhere to value the life-changing power of occupational therapy. That’s a big aim, but we can achieve it by working together. As part of the occupational therapy community, there are many ways you can raise the profile of occupational therapy. You’ll find guidance and tools here...

Join this one-day CPD opportunity full of rich learning, networking and development. Embrace your passion or interest in all areas of neurology, whether you’ve been registered for years or you’re a student at the start of your occupational therapy journey.

We’re developing a marketing strategy to inspire future generations of occupational therapists. The strategy will set out how we can take individuals from the early stages of awareness, through to converting interest into university applications. It will look at school students, graduates, career...

To deliver the change required and make our Workforce Strategy vision a reality, we need all our members to feel equipped to take on their role, talk confidently about occupation and the unique role of occupational therapy in health and care. This series of six member-only lectures will...

Background to our project Why are our Learning and development standards important? Confidence in the quality education of occupational therapists is essential to the future of the profession. As the professional body for occupational therapy in the United Kingdom (UK), we determine the current and...

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At the Placement Café, we’re bringing together people who support placements for pre-registration learners. It's an opportunity to network and discuss ways of creating quality, sustainable opportunities. The café will be held on Teams on a monthly basis, with a new theme each month. Our aim is to...

'The power of occupational therapy – transforming health and social care' is the title of the campaign that starts on 4 November, the first day of OT Week 2024, and will continue for the next 12 months. Connected to our Workforce Strategy , together we will create a better understanding of...

Our blog series, ' OT in action: real stories, real impact' highlights the personal journeys of OT students and practitioners, showcasing how occupational therapy transforms lives across social care and the justice system. These stories feature innovative, occupation-centred practices and highlight...

What is enhanced practice? Enhanced level practice apprenticeships will enable occupational therapists to grow their careers to suit their aspirations. It will also support with retaining the workforce – improving job satisfaction and enabling employers to upskill their workforce in line with...

Here you will find information on RCOT’s Accreditation Process, designed for current and potential education providers delivering occupational therapy pre-registration programmes. This information provides insight into the expectations and requirements of the Accreditation Process and demonstrates...

Our placement journey with RCOT Hear from two OT students on placement with RCOT: Miriam Smyth and Orla Irwin. Our placement journey with RCOT What’s it like to do an occupational therapy degree apprenticeship? We caught up with Helen Smith, a newly qualified occupational therapist who completed an...

The role of Practice Educator expands your CPD in numerous ways, such as developing your facilitation of learning skills, contributing to shaping the future of the profession and learning from students and apprentices with diverse backgrounds. Examine a wealth of resources for those: already...

We are here to support you through the big move from pre-registration to practice. The resources on this page are here to guide you. Career Development Framework This webinar on our Career Development Framework may be a good place to start if you’re trying to map out your route. You can then carry...

We want to use digital technology to enhance and improve your membership experience now and in the future. We'll do this by giving you better access to your benefits and services and to modernise and refresh the way we interact, communicate, connect and collaborate, empowering you to thrive at...

We know how valued communities and the networking opportunities they offer are to our members so we're reimagining our communities model and exploring how technology can help us connect and collaborate more effectively. Our vision for communities Our vision is to create inclusive communities where...

To meet our ambitions for occupational therapy we need to be bold in transforming our member offer to respond to growing needs and opportunities for the profession and its people.   This spring we'll take the first step towards improving your member benefits and digital experiences.

We are delighted to introduce our newly formed People and Nominations Committee and are seeking two passionate individuals to join us. As part of the People and Nominations Committee, you will have an important dual role to: • oversee our people strategy to ensure alignment with our organisational...

Continuing professional development (CPD) matters at every stage of your career. Whether you’re a pre-registration learner, a practising occupational therapist, a support worker or a senior leader, CPD is key to professional growth, job satisfaction and delivering high-quality services. The RCOT...

(This is a copy of the email sent to all Specialist Section members on Tuesday 16 July 2024 .) Dear Specialist Section member, We’re jointly writing to provide an update on our work to develop a new communities model for members that will affect your Specialist Section membership. Responding to...

We run a range of engaging and exciting events for RCOT members and non-members that you can book on directly from the site. You can search for an event that's relevant to you using the 'Keywords' box, or filter via the dropdown options to filter by event type, audience, category or region...

We're working with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Coventry University and the University of Salford to reimagine advancing practice for occupational therapists. This initiative aims to apply national frameworks consistently across all OT roles and settings. Thank you for...

Congratulations, Class of 2024 – you did it! We understand the hard work, dedication, and commitment that goes into achieving professional status and we are delighted to welcome you to the wonderful world of professional occupational therapy. You have a great career ahead of you, and we want to...

2024–2027 We will deliver our first-ever UK wide occupational therapy Workforce Strategy, using nation-specific action plans. This action plan for Wales details: The position of the occupational therapy (OT) workforce Actions to transform and modernise the OT workforce Examples of workforce...

Paving the way for occupational therapy excellence NHS England has funded our workforce reform 2024 programme, as part of its ongoing education reform priorities for Allied Health Professions (AHPs). This investment from NHS England’s Workforce Training and Education Directorate supports our...

Local authorities Staffing and vacancies The data we gathered provides a comprehensive snapshot of occupational therapists across various local authorities (LAs) in Wales. Cardiff Council stands out with 26 occupational therapists, of which 16 are in senior care roles and seven are in team...

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Our Digital Library operates a member enquiry service and a limited service to non-members with an interest in occupational therapy. If you have an information request or need any help, please contact us: Email: library@rcot.co.uk Telephone: 020 3141 4727

The Digital Library uses OpenAthens authentication. This is a more flexible way for members to access the Library’s online books, journals and databases. You may already be familiar with OpenAthens if you have a university or NHS background. With OpenAthens if you find something interesting on the...

In the UK intellectual property, copyright, designs and patents are protected by the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All information, whether in print or electronic form, is the intellectual property and copyright of a person or an organisation. Copying should always take...

This policy sets out the parameters for managing and developing the RCOT Library collection. Introduction 1. Here we outline how RCOT's Digital Library acquires, maintains and makes accessible the collection. 2. We provide services and resources to facilitate members and colleagues to study, learn...

With so many opportunities to hear from the best and brightest in our profession – we have some stand out sessions to look out for on the platform.

NHS resources to inform practice and find evidence and research to support improved patient care.

The guidance below helps to develop your research skills and supports the use of the Digital Library’s resources. Literature searching: information guides

Is the Digital Library open? The Digital Library is open. RCOT members can use the online resources to support practice, learning, research and CPD. What services does the Digital Library provide? Databases: search for journal articles on the CINAHL and Medline databases and access full text...

If you have a marketing-related question, hopefully you’ll find your answer here. If not, please feel free to contact us directly via marketing@rcot.co.uk .

Whether you're a seasoned OT professional looking to stay ahead of the curve or a newcomer eager to explore the benefits of RCOT membership, our “maximise your membership” series caters to all levels of experience and expertise. Unlock the full potential of your RCOT membership with access to...

Has one of your students completed an outstanding research project? You can now nominate them for our Early Researcher Prize where they will receive: £50 worth of book tokens national recognition via RCOT platforms. Show your students how much you value their work – download the short nomination...

Being a learner can be tough! Not only are you taking in new ideas and building your network but there are also finances, finding placements and considering your direction of travel. Take the time to explore our website and look out for new resources and opportunities. Welcome to new learners In...

This section is to help you find learning resources and opportunities to support your studies. Our website is regularly updated with opportunities to get involved and amazing resources. Please take the time to explore. You may find it helpful to regularly check: news events Highlight (our monthly...

Occupational therapy is an inspirational area of work, with opportunities to develop new skills, specialise in interesting areas and solve complex problems every single day. There’s no single path to becoming an occupational therapist (OT) so we’ve brought together the resources that will support...

As an OT learner, student or apprentice, someone looking at joining our profession or someone who delivers OT education, you deserve the best experience possible, with access to resources that benefit you. To support you, we work alongside learners, educators, HEIs, employers and other stakeholders...

Have you checked your spam and junk folders? Sometimes password resets go there instead of your inbox.

The core principle of RCOT Communities is to facilitate connections and collaborations that support continuous learning, innovation and exchange of knowledge. By joining RCOT Communities, you agree to support, promote and uphold this core principle when you post, share, upload and comment on...

Being reported or self-reporting to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for a Fitness to Practice (FTP) issue can be a very stressful and anxiety-provoking experience. If this has happened to you, we want you to know that you’re not alone, and we’ll support you Support From RCOT The...

Over the coming years Council will consider how we can strengthen our governance by looking at: our legal structure compliance with charity, trade union and company law, regulation and good practice how Council can get the expertise it needs to govern all the key aspects of the organisation...

Why did you create this Workforce Strategy? Many parts of our health and care systems are in crisis, with waiting times at their worst ever. The OT workforce is also in crisis with some systems naming us as an ‘at risk profession’ and many practitioners reporting a crisis in professional identity...

Here are some definitions of some of the common terms used when talking about governance. If there is a term you don’t know that’s not included here,  let us know . 

We’ve answered some questions here.  If you have a questions that isn’t covered here contact us at governance@rcot.co.uk

Alongside sharing information with members about the proposed changes being put forward to strengthen our governance this year, there will be opportunities where members can meet with Trustees to discuss the proposals and ask questions. We'll share details of these informal drop-in sessions here...

Governance is a framework for managing organisations. It guides operations and administration, ethics, risk management and compliance with relevant legislation and regulation. Find our more about different governance terms. Our governance structure today Our governance is more complex than some...

Our plan is to launch a new Research and Innovation Strategy in Spring 2025. We’re bringing together our previously separate strategies for both research and development, and data and innovation to demonstrate how these complement each other to drive our profession forward and build growth...

Academic workforce refers to occupational therapists teaching and/or engaged in research at a higher education institute. Community services refers to services offered in people’s home environment or within community facilities, clinics and schools. The services may be provided by the NHS, social...

We’re proud to share our Workforce Strategy 2024–2035. Through this strategy we’ll present and apply real-world and academic evidence to emphasise how extra investment in the occupational therapy workforce will help resolve the challenges that our systems are facing. This strategy is based on the...

BBC. BBC Briefing: Housing. [Internet]. 2020 [cited 2023 Aug 11] Bolt M, Ikking T, Baaijen R, Saenger S. Scoping review: occupational therapy interventions in primary care. Primary Health Care Research & Development. Cambridge University Press; 2019;20:e28 Bosche I, Isden R. Adult social care...

Our workforce vision Our vision is for an expanded occupational therapy workforce – positioned to have maximum impact in improving people's health and quality of life. By 2035 we will have an occupational therapy workforce that is: confident and skilled in championing inclusion and advocating for...

Where occupational therapy is today The occupational therapy profession is experiencing a crisis. Parts of the south east of England and London are reporting up to 40% vacancy rates and higher in specific services. This is down to a wide range of factors, including fewer recently registered...

An introduction from Odeth Richardson Occupational therapy is the solution to many of the UK’s health and care needs. Its unique focus empowers people to do what they want and need to do to live fulfilling lives, aligning perfectly with the public health shift towards personalisation and prevention...

Our strategy has been informed by the occupational therapy workforce across the UK, including our members, staff and stakeholders such as the Executive Director of World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), Chief Allied Health Professions Officers/Adviser, AHP national and regional leads...

We’ve developed a range of resources to help occupational therapists deliver best practice for children, young people and families. Whilst these were written for occupational therapists – commissioners, managers of children’s OT services and others may also find them useful.

We’ve developed a range of resources to support the design and delivery of high-quality occupational therapy services for children, young people and families. Key components A high-quality occupational therapy service for children and young people would be one in which: Occupation and participation...

What we know One in five young people aged 8 to 25 in England has a probable mental health condition . Nearly three quarters also have a physical health condition or a developmental problem . Research shows that the mental health needs of children and young people with additional learning or...

One in seven babies born in the UK are admitted to a neonatal unit each year because they were born early (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) or were unwell when born at full term. The number of occupational therapists working in neonatal services is small but growing –recognising our critical role in...

Children and young people with additional learning or special educational needs and disabilities are waiting too long to access help to fulfil their potential and take part in the activities – occupations – they want and need to do at school. In numbers Over 1.5 million pupils i n England have...

Good quality referrals are key to helping children and young people access the occupational therapy they need – when they need it. They also help us use resources efficiently by putting services and support where they are needed most. Good quality referrals mean: A young person’s needs can be...

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