The first national Principal and Strategic Occupational Therapy Leadership network in social care is driving exciting change and innovations . Violina Harpar and
Jumaimah Iqbal explain .
Driving innovation
The first national Principal and Strategic Occupational Therapy Leadership network in social care is driving exciting change and innovations . Violina Harpar and
Jumaimah Iqbal explain .
O
ccupational therapists within the domain of social care constitute a notably modest cohort , comprising a mere three to four per cent of the overall workforce . Despite their numerical modesty , occupational therapists shoulder a disproportionately significant workload , accounting for 35- 40 % of the total output of social care services ( The Kings Fund 2021 ).
Occupational therapists have a distinctive skill set and provide a substantive portion of statutory social care services , encompassing assessments under the Care Act , equipment provisions , as well as minor and major adaptations .
The pivotal role played by occupational therapists in social care provision notwithstanding , the absence of a national network to bolster occupational therapy leadership remained conspicuous . Although regional occupational therapy leadership groups existed , the lack of a cohesive national structure or network to foster connectivity among these regional entities persisted .
In 2020 , Carolyne Hague catalysed the inception of the ‘ OT Leaders in Social Care ’ project , subsequently paving the way for the establishment and evolution of a national structure and support network catering to senior and strategic occupational therapy leaders within local authorities .
A national support network
The Principal Occupational Therapy ( POT ) network is a national support consortium tailored for principal occupational therapists and strategic leads operating within the realm of social care . It serves as a nexus , interconnecting all regional cohorts while actively advocating for the representation of every UK local authority .
Functioning as a closed group , its membership is extended solely via invitation . The dearth of a national network rendered it difficult to facilitate dialogue and exchange of best practices , innovations and developmental initiatives within the realm of social care , thereby marginalising the voices of social care occupational therapists .
Moreover , the absence of a conduit for national stakeholders to harness the wealth of expertise by occupational therapy leaders in social care
40 OTnews May 2024
© SolStock via Getty Images