Accreditors

RCOT Accreditation Panels include 1 RCOT Officer and 1–2 RCOT Accreditors. RCOT Accreditors are occupational therapists and professional members of RCOT in good standing, who have demonstrated substantial involvement in the development and delivery of pre-registration programmes.

The responsibilities of RCOT Accreditors include:

• working collaboratively with other RCOT Accreditation Panel members, the education provider and other relevant stakeholders;
• representing RCOT at Accreditation Visits throughout the UK;
• assessing and critically reviewing programme documentation submitted for Accreditation by education providers;
• highlighting areas in the pre-registration programme needing further development;
• supporting the education provider to make the appropriate adjustments to ensure the pre-registration programme meets RCOT’s Learning and development standards for pre-registration education;
• participating in the review of major and minor change notifications;
• identifying conditions, recommendations and commendations to be addressed prior to Accreditation being awarded.

RCOT Accreditors are paid for their involvement and are provided with a number of training and support opportunities.

It is expected that RCOT Accreditors will:

• attend and participate in relevant training programmes provided by RCOT;
• keep up to date with and apply relevant professional body policies;
• provide expert advice and contribute to discussions and decision-making;
• commit to maintaining, developing and enhancing their professional knowledge, skills and competence through continuing professional development;
• adhere to the requirements of RCOT’s Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics, upholding the reputation of RCOT;
• disclose any known conflict of interest and biases in the course of their work as an RCOT Accreditor;
• follow RCOT’s Accreditation Process;
• be prepared to attend an Accreditation event (either on-line or on-campus) for up to 3 days at any one time, depending on the nature of the Accreditation Visit;
• complete Accreditation activities in an efficient and time-sensitive manner.

RCOT has a clear disclosure of interests’ process, to identify any potential conflicts before an Accreditor is allocated to a specific Accreditation Panel. RCOT Accreditors must be independent assessors. If an education provider has worked with an Accreditor in the development of their pre-registration programme or as an adviser on the Accreditation Process, this individual will not be eligible to join the Accreditation Panel.

Accreditors are drawn from qualified occupational therapists, recognised through their RCOT professional membership, who are able to evidence substantial involvement in curriculum development and delivery of pre-registration programmes. RCOT Accreditors will normally be appointed for a term of 3 years. Applications for the role of RCOT Accreditors are normally recruited  through an advert in OTnews. 

Applications and expressions of interest are sought from RCOT professional members with:

• a minimum of 5 years’ higher education experience with active involvement in the education and training of occupational therapy learners;
• a thorough understanding of current UK education policies and practice affecting delivery and development of professional training in a health and social care setting;
• significant experience of curriculum design and development;
• active engagement with current teaching, learning and assessment strategies;
• an understanding of the principles of quality assurance in higher education;
• Experience and / or knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion in relation to the decision-making process for assessing the quality of pre-registration education
• a professional development profile equivalent to or above the following:

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Following a successful appointment, a study day must be attended before undertaking any Accreditation-related activity, to upskill Accreditors about RCOT’s Learning and development standards for pre-registration education and the Accreditation Process.

During Accreditation Visits for the purposes of Re-accrediting a single pre-registration programme, the RCOT Accreditation Panel will include 1 RCOT Accreditor, 1 training Accreditor and the RCOT Officer. Such events are the opportunity for new Accreditors to shadow the experienced Accreditor as a training experience.