Commenting on the 2023 Spring Budget, Karin Orman, Director of Practice and Innovation said:
‘The Chancellor has announced a range of measures to try and boost the economy and address the big issues facing the country, under a banner of ‘Enterprise, Education, Employment, Everywhere’.
The challenges facing the health and social care workforce, including occupational therapists, were essentially dismissed as a key priority for spending, disregarding the issues faced by the sector, staff and service users. The Chancellor only referenced the long-awaited and much needed NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. While we look forward to seeing the plan when published it’s disappointing the Chancellor didn’t take the opportunity to provide a launch date or an indication on what to expect.
There were some positive actions which will support our members, such as the expansion of free childcare. We also welcome the announcement of two new consultations into the availability of occupational health and look forward to seeing the detail in the upcoming white paper on health and disability. But without addressing the key barriers facing workers across the NHS and Social Care, waiting lists and vacancies will continue to grow.
We continue to call on the UK government to address the key barriers, both individually and with partners including the Community Rehabilitation Alliance, #SENDInTheSpecialists, #PrescribingNow, but little or no progress has been made.
Occupational therapists are on their knees with huge increases in demand on their support and long-term issues with recruitment and retention that are not going away without decisive action and investment.
We call on the UK government to bring forward the workforce plan immediately and to engage with us and our alliance partners on the key challenges facing the health and social care system.’