Occupational Therapy News OTnews January 2019 | Page 53

August 2018
This month we completed a 12-week study aimed to scope research-
related curricula within pre-registration occupational therapy
programmes in the UK, and put this into context with our pre-
registration educational standards (COT, 2014). The findings from this
study will help us review the RCOT Pre-registration Education Standard
review due to start soon to improve research confidence and capability
in occupational therapy graduates and to support more comparable
pre-registration research education experiences.
75%
MARKET SHARE OF STUDENTS
UNDERTAKING A N
O CC U PAT I O N A L T H E R A P Y
QUALIFICATION WHO ARE MEMBERS
We had several notable visits this month as a result of the publication of the Getting my life back report. Two
MLAs visited Northern Trust occupational therapy mental health services in Northern Ireland. Jackie Doyle Price,
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care) with responsibility for mental health,
visited the integrated community service provided by the North East London Mental Health Trust in Thurrock.
Luciana Berger, MP for Wavertree and President of the Labour Campaign for Mental Health visited the Walton
Centre on Merseyside to see the work of occupational therapists in pain management.
Facilitation
of Learning
Professional
Practice
Evidence, Research
and
Development
September 2018
One year since its publication, we undertook a review
of the Career Development Framework, with over 150
members getting involved. As a result of the review,
we know that members are finding it really helpful to
identify their learning and development needs especially
at the point of multiple transitions including applying
for jobs (including newly qualified and promotion),
appraisals, research grant applications, pay review
conversations and even for planning retirement.  There
are now seven supporting resources, developed in
collaboration with members and more in the pipeline
for 2019.
Also in September we completed a review to streamline the management of RCOT’s practice guideline processes
to maximise efficiency, and appraise the available resourcing options for the future production of new and
revised practice guidelines. Within the scope of the RCOT NICE accredited process, a revised development
programme will support the continued production of practice guidelines to support members to implement
evidence-based practice.
This month we launched a new tool for self-directed learning, which provides members with a range of set
templates to host learning events with a difference, such as a critical film night or a reciprocal learning network.
More templates will follow this year.
We published the fourth edition of our Keeping records guidance, which was updated to comply with GPDR
requirements.
We also attended both the Conservative and Labour Party conferences this month, to raise the profile of the
profession. We secured a meeting with the new Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock MP.
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