UK and England policy and public affairs update

By: Joe Brunwin – Head of UK Policy and Practice 21 August, 2026 Blog 5 minute read

July update – New Prime Minister, mental Health, youth unemployment and the role of AHPs

Our Professional Practice Manager, Lauren Walker, presenting our strategic report at our parliamentary launch of Building Health into Homes

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We're helping to make sure occupational therapy is visible in key decisions across England and the rest of the UK – and we want you to be part of that momentum too.

New Prime Minister and Cabinet Appointments

The UK has a new Prime Minister and government, and ministers are beginning to set their priorities for health, work and social care ahead of Parliament returning from recess in September. The Prime Minister has already indicated that social care reform will be a key priority for the new government.

Why this matters to you

As the new government shapes its plans for social care, neighbourhood health and prevention, there is a real opportunity to ensure decision-makers understand the difference occupational therapy makes to people’s independence, participation, recovery and everyday lives.

Engaging early

RCOT has written to the newly appointed Cabinet Secretaries and senior ministers to introduce our priorities and request early conversations. When Parliament returns, we’ll begin a programme of engagement with ministers and officials to make the case for occupational therapy as a practical part of the solution to the government’s health, social care and work reform ambitions.

Other key stories

Mental Health Strategy Consultation

The UK Government is consulting on a new mental health strategy for England, which will help shape future mental health policy, services and support.

This is an opportunity for us to highlight how occupational therapy supports people’s mental health through prevention, participation, recovery, meaningful occupation and community-based support.

What we’re doing:

RCOT submitted a response to the consultation, drawing on service examples shared by members, and produced guidance to support members who wished to respond directly.

Youth unemployment, work & health reform

The Milburn Review on youth unemployment is expected to publish a further update in the coming weeks, alongside wider government work on employment support, health and fit note reform.

The emerging direction of travel aligns strongly with occupational therapy’s focus on helping people build routines, maintain relationships, participate in daily life and move towards work when the time is right. It strengthens the case for occupational therapists as key contributors to employment, health and welfare reform.

What we’re doing:

RCOT recently attended a roundtable hosted by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Pat McFadden, and is continuing to engage with the review team. We are sharing examples that demonstrate occupational therapy’s impact on participation, daily living and wellbeing, while reinforcing the need to move beyond purely diagnostic and medical-model approaches.

All Party Parliamentary Group on AHPs Neighbourhood health

The APPG on Allied Health Professions (AHPs) has launched a call for evidence on the role of AHPs in delivering neighbourhood health, including prevention, rehabilitation, leadership and integrated neighbourhood teams.

Neighbourhood health is central to the government’s 10 Year Health Plan and the shift towards care closer to home. This is an important opportunity to demonstrate how occupational therapists help people live well, participate in their communities and access support earlier.

What we’re doing:

RCOT is preparing a response using member insight, evidence and case studies from practice, with a focus on prevention, rehabilitation, community support, workforce development and reducing health inequalities.

How you can respond:

Members can submit evidence directly to the APPG by emailing [email protected] by 5pm, Tuesday 1 September 2026. Submissions should be no longer than 3,000 words and sent as a single Word document.

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