Occupational Therapy News OTnews February 2020 | Page 13

NEWS RCOT’s latest Improving Lives, Saving Money report focuses on work RCOT has focused its latest Improving Lives, Saving Money report on the importance of work. Good work for good health: the difference occupational therapy makes outlines the role of occupational therapy in helping people to stay in and return to work. The report calls for occupational therapists to be embedded in occupational health teams to provide staff, particularly in the NHS, with improved health and wellbeing services.  Occupational therapists’ diverse roles around work include offering advice and early intervention strategies to employers to help create an organisational culture that values their staff’s health and wellbeing, and providing vocational-focused interventions aimed at those already experiencing difficulties at work or getting into paid employment. They can also work within occupational health departments to support the health and wellbeing of their staff, and provide solutions to help people with disabilities and health conditions in employment. Featured examples include RCOT’s Health and Work Champions programme, which has trained over 100 occupational therapists to train their workforce colleagues to ask questions about work as part of their everyday interactions; and occupational therapists working in pioneering projects in sites including Fife, Swansea and Liverpool.   Julia Scott, RCOT chief executive, said: ‘Occupational therapy was founded upon principles related to the benefits of work and supporting people with health conditions to gain or return to paid employment. ‘As the only healthcare profession to work across physical and mental health, with a focus on occupation, RCOT is calling for people to be able to access occupational therapy at GP surgeries and for every NHS occupational health team to include an occupational therapist.’ Read the report at: www.rcot.co.uk/ilsm. Giving you something close to our heart! Our Clinician’s Pocket Book of Specialist Seating has been written for those involved in Specialist Seating, the Prescription of and its role in Pressure Care, Postural Management and Comfort. All in one handy size! We are giving away 50 FREE CareFlex Packs, including the Pocket Book and a CareFlex pen, tape measure and notebook. All you have to do is take part in our 5 minute survey, just copy the below into your web browser. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ FebRCOT www.careflex.co.uk | [email protected] | 0800 018 6440 N203 OTnews February 2020 13