Editor ’ s note
Editor ’ s note
Welcome to OTnews
As we were about to go to press , we were all celebrating the power of occupational therapy and raising the profile of the profession during Occupational Therapy Week 2024 . But it doesn ’ t stop there !
Our year-long campaign , ‘ The power of occupational therapy – transforming health and social care ’, kicked off on 4 November .
Over the next 12 months , we ’ ll help you to tell the story of occupational therapy and support you to be spokespeople and changemakers locally , nationally and globally on social media . Turn to page 11 , to find out everything you need to know about the campaign and how to get involved .
Next , we look at the first in RCOT ’ s new blog series , which aims to share stories that attract , engage and retain talent within the profession , as part of the NHS England-funded RCOT workforce reform 2024 programme ( pages 12-13 ).
On pages 14-15 , we introduce you to members of our new Research and Innovation Advisory Group , which will support and act as a critical friend to steer our research and innovation workstream , including strategy development , implementation and related activities .
And , on pages 16-17 , RCOT ’ s Dr Nikki Daniels and Dr Christina Fuentes Tibbitt share details of the new approach to community leadership being introduced through the Reimagining Communities project .
They describe how this work has been developing in partnership with our members and existing volunteers and talk about the new volunteer strategy that we ’ ll launch with the RCOT Communities platform and networks next year .
Our cover feature this month focuses on setting up a community-based occupational therapy service for farmers in West Somerset ( pages 18-19 ), and we hear from Kirklees Council ’ s Moving and Handling Ergonomics Team , who are challenging the concept of single-handed care , stressing ‘ it ’ s just moving and handling at its optimum ’ ( pages 20-23 ).
While we also hear about maintaining professional identity in a modern health and social care workplace on pages 33-35 . I hope you enjoy this issue , and get in touch to share what you did this OT Week by the end of the month , so we can include your profile raising activities in the next issue .
I ’ d love to hear from you
Cover image : © PeopleImages via Getty Images
Tracey Samuels Editor
If you have any feedback about this issue of OTnews , or would like to contribute a short article or feature for a future publication , please email me at : editorial @ rcot . co . uk
November 2024 OTnews 3