Ask the OTs: How The OT Practice is supporting the new RCOT Strategy
In January, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) kickstarted 2022 with the announcement of their new strategy, values and brand. We are incredibly excited by this new direction and we look forward to welcoming RCOT’s Chief Executive, Steve Ford, to visit The OT Practice on 22nd March 2022 to learn more about ‘Stepping up for Occupational Therapy’.
RCOT’s vision is to promote the life-changing impact of Occupational Therapy to everyone, everywhere which will be key in creating a shared understanding of the power and value of OT in our society. It’s great to see RCOT raising the profile of the profession with an exciting new brand and increased presence on social media, celebrating incredible stories from Occupational therapists and regular updates on their strategy in action. Hear what Iva Ricko, our Head of Clinical Services had to say about this approach:
"The profile of the Occupational Therapy profession has to reach a wider audience which has been recognised by RCOT. To achieve this, it is critical to advocate for the the significant impact that therapy treatment has on people’s lives. According to the RCOT strategy that was launched at the beginning of this year, the vision will be based on exactly that. Therefore, I am hopeful that the new strategy will allow inclusivity by supporting therapists to join and consider progressing their career within the private sector. Ideally, the new strategy will allow new career opportunities by using already available resources and alliances."
RCOT wants to ‘drive a major campaign to raise awareness of Occupational Therapy as a valuable and rewarding career to choose’ which is vital to ensure the sustainability of the profession. By developing a workforce strategy, supporting innovative pre-registration entry routes and promoting career progression, this will contribute to a community of professionals who are inspired to #ChooseOT. We look forward to hearing more about RCOT’s focus on inclusivity to encourage more people into the profession and support the equity, diversity and belonging strategy that RCOT will be co-producing.
To support OTs already in the profession, we were delighted to see that one of the key pillars of the new strategy was to ‘Lift Up’ the Occupational Therapy community to be the best we can be. Here's what Nikki Thompson, Executive Director and member of the College for over 2 decades, has said:
"Here at The OT Practice, we support our 250 strong team of OTs to reach beyond the traditional scope of Occupational Therapy roles and to look towards an innovative and diverse career portfolio. In addition, our office team work alongside our OTs in their everyday clinical practice to ensure we deliver the highest level of care to our clients. We are incredibly proud that the combination of these two approaches support and embody the college’s vision to lift up OTs to be the best they can be."
As part of the ‘Rise Up’ element of the strategy, RCOT is also aiming to influence policy across the UK regarding the profession and best practice. As a company, we champion quality and best practice, viewing it as a responsibility that we owe to all of our clients. This mindset is at the heart of our approach to delivering expert care and we are always striving to uphold the highest level of ethical practice and professionalism. Our OT Network Manager, Emma, had this to say about the future of the profession under RCOT's new strategy:
"I believe we are entering a new era for Occupational Therapy, where the new RCOT strategy can truly raise the profile of the profession. l think it will support and reinvigorate our practice by furthering career opportunities. The strategy has identified that it will provide training and networking opportunities that will help support therapists, especially valuable within the private sector."
If you have any reflections yourself about the new strategy and how The OT Practice can support this, we would love to hear your thoughts. You can get in touch via therapistnetworkteam@theotpractice.co.uk.
