Sign our open letter to Welsh election candidates
Dear Political Party Leader,
Right Support, Right Time: Unlocking the Power of Occupational Therapy
Wales’ health and social care system is under significant and sustained pressure, with demand rising and many people receiving support later than they should. Occupational therapists are central to shifting care closer to home and preventing crises before they escalate.
Occupational therapists support people at every stage of life. We help premature babies and their families in neonatal care. We enable children to participate fully in school. We support people to stay in work or return to it. We help older adults remain active, independent and safe at home. Occupations, the activities that give daily life purpose and structure, underpin health and wellbeing for us all.
The impact of occupational therapy reaches far beyond individuals.
- Early intervention prevents problems becoming more complex and reduces hospital admissions.
- Early support for older people reduces unnecessary admissions and saves costs across health and social care.
- Timely intervention for children and young people improves participation and reduces pressure on services.
- Helping people manage long term conditions enables a return to work, strengthening Wales’ economy.
To maximise this impact, we ask that you include the following five steps for a healthier Wales in your programme for government.
- Strengthen community based and primary care services by embedding occupational therapists in every cluster.
- Build a complete and accurate picture of the occupational therapy workforce to transform workforce planning.
- Put prevention and early intervention at the heart of health and care.
- End inconsistencies in provision through long term innovation and improvement funding.
- Open leadership pathways and remove barriers that exclude occupational therapists from senior roles.
These steps reflect the Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ manifesto for Wales, which you can find at www.rcot.co.uk/Wales26. For further discussion, please contact our policy and public affairs lead, Paul Smith at [email protected].
By unlocking the power of occupational therapy and providing the right support at the right time, we can help people build the skills they need to live full and active lives.