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She goes on : ‘ If I reflect on the changes in occupational therapy over the last 15 years , it ’ s wonderful to behold . The profession has come of age . One forgets the profession is still quite young . We ’ re still developing , but we are very much more established now then when I joined and we are in many more places .
‘ My personal test of that is when I meet people and say , “ I ’ m an occupational therapist ”, I ’ m astonished by how many people have heard of us , and that ’ s a delight .’ However , the fact that while more people might know about occupational therapy , many still don ’ t know what occupational therapists do , is not lost on her .
She says : ‘ Because occupational therapy is so broad in terms of settings , offers to different groups of people and how it can help , it ’ s very hard to package it into a lovely little box and promote it . But that ’ s our challenge , and I think we are doing a good job of working on it .’
When it comes to the professional body itself , Julia has overseen a huge amount of internal growth , not least with the form and function review , a review of council , the introduction of new technology and the achievement of more joined-up working , all of which has made RCOT ‘ leaner and more cohesive ’.
One of the key issues , she says , is our impact . ‘ I ’ m very focused on this ,’ she stresses . ‘ As a charity we do need to report on and measure the impact of what we ’ ve done .’
And what of the challenges of leading a professional body of this size ? The answer might not be what people would immediately expect . Recounting anecdotes of times she has bumped into members in unexpected places , she exclaims : ‘ I can ’ t know everybody , but a lot of people know me . That ’ s a funny challenge .’ On membership , Julia acknowledges that while numbers are strong , she would like to see us achieve more of the market share , ‘ so the challenge there is making sure what we offer is good value for money ’.
And importantly , while the membership is very diverse , she says ’ it ’ s not diverse enough ’, recognising that ‘ in terms of equality and diversity , we have got a long way to go on that and it involves welcoming a more diverse community into our wonderful profession , as well as doing more to support the development and engagement of those already within our ranks ’.
When it comes to lessons learned , she says that in the beginning , coming from local government , the biggest frustration was that things seemingly couldn ’ t happen very quickly . ‘ Some of this was about process . I had to ask , as a charity or a business , can we do that and what are the risks ? But also , there was the importance of engaging with members , and hearing their views and of course , that takes time .
‘ But now , with years of experience , I recognise that the process is very important and I ’ ve got used to making a realistic timeline for change - things can ’ t be done overnight . I ’ ve learned about active listening , and that it ’ s okay to ask questions .
When pushed to name the highlights , she says it ’ s all about the profile of the profession , which is in many ways now linked to achieving Royal status . ‘ Government agencies are more inclined to ask us to meetings , they listen to us , and we have the chance to influence ,’ she stresses .
‘ Our approach is to consider how we can help them to deliver their agenda . In essence it ’ s about the status of the organisation and the profession and being able to demonstrate our contribution to key agendas , whilst being able to state confidently that occupational therapy interventions are evidence based and our outcomes are quantifiable .
‘ There ’ s definitely a wider appreciation now that we must use our growing body of research to guide better quality practice . Being evidence informed puts the profession on a far more sustainable footing for the future .’
And finally , that the organisation is more connected to its members now than ever before . ‘ If you listen to any conversation RCOT staff have , the word you hear most is “ members ”,’ she says proudly .
Looking to future challenges for the profession , she points to the need for occupational therapists to address public health challenges , the social determinants of health and health inequalities in society , and to do more to shape how services are delivered .
She adds that she would like to see more occupational therapists working outside of health and social care – in the charity sector , in housing departments advising on the built environment and in community development , as well as the criminal justice system – and she would like to see an occupational therapist in every school , ‘ so that all of our children can gain maximum benefit from their time within the education system ’.
‘ I will always be an occupational therapist and will watch what happens to the profession with great interest ,’ she concludes . ‘ My abiding belief is in the power of occupation and there is no question that this is where our expertise lies . My passion for occupational therapy will never leave me and I will always be an ambassador for the profession .’
Following the announcement that she was to step down , social media was awash with messages from members , who described Julia as an inspirational leader who speaks passionately about her profession , and who has been a hugely influential advocate for occupational therapists and social care in particular .
But the final word of thanks from the organisation , for her many years of passion and dedication , go to chair of council Professor Diane Cox , who says : ‘ Julia has made an outstanding contribution to RCOT and , on behalf of council , I would like to thank her for her unwavering commitment , passion and enthusiasm . We are immensely grateful for her hard work in taking RCOT and the profession to its current position of strength .
‘ She will leave a long and impactful legacy , both at RCOT and the profession as a whole . Over her time as chief executive she has driven through a governance restructure and strengthened the leadership and structure of the organisation .
‘ She has personally developed strong relationships with other agencies and fellow professional bodies , used her background in social care to raise the profile of the profession in that area , and increased our influence with government-elected representatives and policy leads .’
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