The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) has launched a new report, Good work for good health: the difference occupational therapy makes which outlines the role of occupational therapy in helping people to stay in and return to work.
Part of the Occupational Therapy: Improving Lives, Saving Money campaign, the report demonstrates through a series of case studies, how occupational therapists can help increase the number of disabled people in work. It also calls for occupational therapists to be embedded in occupational health teams to provide staff, particularly in the NHS, with improved health and wellbeing services.
Specifically, occupational therapists can:
- Offer advice and early intervention strategies to employers to help create an organisational culture that values their staff’s health and wellbeing.
- Provide vocational-focused interventions aimed at those already experiencing difficulties at work or getting into paid employment.
- Work within occupational health departments to support the health and wellbeing of their staff.
- Provide solutions to help people with disabilities and health conditions in employment.
Commenting on the report, RCOT Chief Executive Julia Scott, said:
“Ill health costs the UK economy £100 billion per year. Take the NHS, the UK’s largest employer; on average its staff take 14 days as sick leave every year. People who have been signed off on sick leave for six months or more have less than a 50% chance of returning to work. None of this adds up to a healthy and happy workforce. Yet there is so much evidence which shows that being in employment and leading a productive life is good for our health. Occupational therapists can play a crucial role in helping this happen.
“Occupational therapy was founded upon principles related to the benefits of work and supporting people with health conditions to gain or return to paid employment. As the only healthcare profession to work across physical and mental health, with a focus on occupation (people’s everyday activities), RCOT is calling for every occupational health team to include an occupational therapist."
View the full report on our Occupational Therapy: Improving Lives, Saving Money page.