RCOT Responds to NHS 10-Year Workforce Plan Call for Evidence
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) has submitted an organisational response to the Call for Evidence for the NHS 10-Year Workforce Plan for England. This submission reflects the collective voice of our profession and sets out how occupational therapy can play a pivotal role in shaping a sustainable health and care workforce for the future.
Context
Occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to deliver on the three shifts set out in the 10-Year Health Plan; acute to community, sickness to prevention and analogue to digital. Our response draws on evidence from practice, workforce modelling, and member insights to demonstrate how the profession can help address system pressures, improve outcomes, and reduce costs.
Key Recommendations include:
- Occupational therapy is essential to future service models: OTs enable people to thrive, reduce reliance on acute care, and support recovery in community settings.
- Workforce expansion and retention: By 2035, we need an expanded OT workforce embedded across systems, supported by flexible career pathways and inclusive planning.
- Digital transformation: OTs will work alongside AI and technology to best use OT expertise and optimise service delivery.
- Career development at all levels: Investment in all levels of the workforce is vital to meet population needs and to offer career pathways to support with workforce retention.
- Equity, diversity, and belonging: Organisational cultures and values must prioritise equity, diversity and belonging to enable the workforce to thrive.
Our response also includes case studies demonstrating how occupational therapy-led models are already delivering productivity gains and improved outcomes across health and social care.
Next Steps
RCOT will continue to engage with key partners to ensure occupational therapy is recognised as a cornerstone of future workforce planning. Members can read the full submission below.