Latest news

Council is proposing a small change to RCOT membership fees, to be voted on at the BAOT AGM on 25 June 2026. Read the rationale, what’s changing by membership type and the FAQs.

Karin Orman, Director of Practice, Innovation and Advocacy, responds to debate around the role of advanced practitioners.

Paul Smith, Policy and Public Affairs Lead for Wales, reflects on what the Welsh election results mean for occupational therapists.

Katie MacGregor, Policy and Public Affairs Lead for Scotland, reflects on the Scottish election result.

In this piece for Black Inclusion Week, Lily Owens-Atkins reflects on why occupational therapy must move beyond ‘equality’ measures and commit to equity.

Our April policy and influencing highlights show how we’re keeping occupational therapy visible across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Get the key takeaways from the RCOT Board of Trustees and BAOT Council April meetings, including approval of the 2024/25 Annual Report and accounts and progress on RCOT professional standards and the workforce strategy.

An April update on Wales/Cymru policy and public affairs, highlighting key developments affecting occupational therapy and the wider health and social care landscape. Find out what RCOT is influencing in Wales and what it means for the profession and the people it supports.

In this blog, the RCOT Workforce Team highlights why workforce planning is a shared responsibility for occupational therapists. It introduces new RCOT workforce planning resources that support OTs to understand demand, use evidence confidently, and influence workforce decisions — helping build sustainable, future‑ready services.

From supporting neurodiverse pupils in mainstream education to demonstrating the breadth of OT in acute care beyond discharge planning, this issue showcases meaningful, expert practice that protects what matters most to individuals.

Professional Advisor at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Lauren Walker, comments on a report that found many mental health patients are unable to return home from hospital because of a lack of appropriate housing.

Occupational therapy was firmly in focus in Parliament last week as MPs debated the contribution of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) in the House of Commons, against the backdrop of major reforms to how health and care is delivered in England and ahead of the Government’s forthcoming 10-Year Workforce Plan.