Transforming occupational therapy through technology

In this session

The session brought together six experts to discuss how technology is reshaping occupational therapy practice, education, and research. 

Gill Ward, Head of Research and Innovation at RCOT, opened by highlighting that technology remains underutilised in occupational therapy despite its potential to transform practice. She outlined RCOT's vision where occupational therapists routinely use digital health technologies to enable people to safely carry out daily occupations. This includes embracing AI to augment OT roles, co-designing technology-enabled rehabilitation programs, and creating more accessible everyday technologies. 

Professor Michael Rowe from Lincoln University suggested reframing how we think about AI - seeing language models as colleagues and collaborators rather than competitors. He proposed that occupational therapists could use personal AI assistants that run on their devices, have access to their calendars, emails and other information, and help anticipate needs, learn preferences, and act on intentions. This could enhance productivity by synthesising information before meetings, drafting email responses, and organising schedules according to pre-specified rules. Professor Rowe encouraged thinking of AI as partners rather than threats, emphasising that reducing anxiety about competition with AI could help practitioners embrace its benefits. 

Dr Fiona Maclean from Edinburgh Napier University discussed integrating robotics into occupational therapy education. Edinburgh Napier worked with the National Robotarium to develop workshops for MSc pre-registration students in occupational therapy and physiotherapy. Students learned to use telepresence robots to conduct simulated pre-discharge home visits, comparing this approach with traditional in-person assessments and 3D modelling. Initial feedback suggests students value this experience as preparation for a workforce increasingly using digital technologies. Dr Maclean highlighted that this collaborative approach brought together experts from psychology, informatics, and computer science with allied health professionals. 

Juliana Samson from Coventry University explored AI-supported simulated learning in occupational therapy education. She explained that the conditions for great AI are now in place: big data, large-scale training, and computer power. This creates significant potential for virtual patients with voice-enabled AI capabilities, allowing students to practice history-taking and clinical assessments. Future developments could include virtual patients with distinct personalities for different healthcare scenarios and AI systems that adapt to students' learning levels. Samson emphasised that today's students expect technology-enhanced learning, having experienced gamified education throughout their schooling. 

Dr Gillian Sweeney from NHS Lanarkshire presented a technology-enriched stroke rehabilitation hub that helps increase rehabilitation intensity. National guidelines recommend three hours of daily rehabilitation for stroke patients, but resource constraints typically limit this to just minutes per day of therapy. The hub offers upper limb devices with built-in games, virtual reality equipment, and interactive screens, allowing patients to engage in additional self-directed practice with support from trained staff. Patients attend in groups, with activities tailored to their interests and goals. Initial findings show patients participating in up to 2-3 hours of extra rehabilitation daily, with positive feedback highlighting the benefits of group work, self-directed rehabilitation, and having a dedicated space away from the ward. 

Helen Rostron from North Sedgemoor PCN described how her service uses Brave AI to predict which patients are at risk of hospitalisation in the next 12 months. This allows her team to intervene proactively before crises occur, targeting care more effectively and identifying people who might otherwise go ‘under the radar.’ The system also helps with workforce planning, ensuring the right clinician sees the right patient at the right time. Helen emphasised that this approach has eliminated waiting lists – instead of receiving referrals, she proactively reaches out to people identified by the AI. This preventative approach has shown impressive results, including a reduction in A&E attendances and a  reduction in falls in care homes. 

Alicia Ridout, an independent occupational therapist and doctoral student, addressed digital patient safety considerations. As a clinical safety officer, she assesses the safety of digital technologies against mandated standards that focus on potential direct or indirect harms. She noted that while information governance is well-regulated, safety work around AI technology isn't always happening consistently, particularly in smaller organisations without dedicated safety officers. Alicia highlighted risks such as ‘automation bias’ – when we uncritically accept a computer's recommendation – and the physical risks posed by robotics hardware. She acknowledged that international guidance is improving, with the WHO producing documents on large multimodal models. 

The panel discussion addressed several questions, including how to get involved in researching AI or working with robotics. Dr Maclean suggested narrowing focus to specific areas of interest and reaching out to potential collaborators, noting that technical experts are often eager to work with occupational therapists to translate technology into practice. 

When asked about threats to the profession, Michael Rowe challenged the framing of the question itself, suggesting that the focus should be on improving patient outcomes rather than protecting professional boundaries. If AI systems provide better outcomes for patients, our responsibility as professionals should be to embrace this. Juliana Samson added that given workforce shortages and waiting lists, AI should be seen as enhancing rather than replacing practitioners. 

The session demonstrated how technology is already transforming occupational therapy across education, research and practice settings. The panellists collectively emphasised that technology should augment rather than replace human expertise, with the ultimate goal being improved outcomes for the people we work with.