If you remember nothing else...
Keep client data in as few systems as possible.
Choose compliance-first tools with encryption, audit trails, and breach-reporting capability.
Register with the ICO if you process personal data https:// ico. org. uk /
Write down your own simple rules for how you store, share, back up, and delete client information.
© JLco – Julia Amaral via Getty Images
Check RCOT’ s Professional Advisory Service if you are unsure how governance requirements apply to your situation www. rcot. co. uk / discover-membership / professional-advisory-service.
Start there and nothing more. If you are already up and running, what is creating friction right now? Double-booking? Chasing invoices? Losing track of emails? Fix that first.
A tool you do not yet need is not an investment. It is a distraction.
Think in layers, not apps
Rather than chasing an ideal tech stack, think in layers and add tools only when they will genuinely solve a problem you are already experiencing.
Starting with no clients yet? Begin with table one and start researching table two, which you will need as soon as clients come in.
Already have referral sources in place? Start with table two and move to table one when you are ready to attract clients on your own.
Regardless of where you are in your practice journey, ensure your device is fit for purpose before choosing any software.
Note: person-to-person referral pipelines tend to fill occupational therapy caseloads faster than online marketing. Connecting with professionals in adjacent fields, organising talks or workshops, and building local relationships are often more effective starting points than a polished website.
The goal is not a flawless tech stack. It is a set of tools and policies that are safe enough, simple enough and flexible enough to support the way you practise, while leaving you time and energy for the work, and the life, that really matters.
Written by CLAIRE ANDERSON, founder of andecreation. com and RCOT Communities Specialism Lead for Web Accessibility
For further guidance on data protection and governance in independent practice see the ICO guidance for small organisations at ico. org. uk / for-organisations / advice-for-small-organisations and find out more about the RCOT Professional Advisory Service at www. rcot. co. uk / discovermembership / professional-advisory-service.
A final note
It is worth normalising the anxiety that comes with technology decisions. Data protection feels like a minefield to many practitioners, and that is understandable. Working from a few clear principles, keeping data in as few places as possible, choosing compliant tools and writing down your own simple rules will take you further than any perfect system ever could.
20 Occupational Therapy in Independent Practice