The Royal College of Occupational Therapists wholeheartedly supports the Government’s aspiration that the barriers which prevent people with disabilities from finding and keeping work should be swept away. People in employment report higher levels of well-being, life satisfaction and happiness than those who are out of work. Despite the 75% employment rate in the general population, if you are an adult with a disability in England there is less than a 5 in 10 chance that you are in employment. If you have a learning disability then that figure drops to a 2 in 10 chance.
Changing this situation to give everybody equal access to work opportunities requires a significant number of steps, many of which are set out in today’s green paper. But importantly it will require a shift of mindset, not just from employers, but also from those working across the NHS.
Healthcare professionals can do more to support the employment aspirations of every patient they meet. Not only is good work better for people’s health, it is an important indication of how an illness, injury or disability is affecting the person’s everyday life. That is why we are working in partnership with Public Health England to develop occupational therapists to become Health and Work Champions, training other healthcare professionals to ‘ask the work question’ as part of day to day consultations. We are piloting this approach with 60 occupational therapists across England currently acting as Health and Work Champions.
Healthcare professionals are uniquely placed to give the people they interact with the skills, belief, and ability to make the adaptations necessary to allow them to remain in, return to work or to begin working for the first time.
Occupational therapists provide practical support to empower people to facilitate recovery and overcome barriers preventing them from doing the things that matter to them. They focus on people’s strengths and what they can do, or with the right adaptations, support or practice could do.
Too often at the moment, people with disabilities who want to work don’t find employment because their hopes, dreams and aspirations are quashed by a societal assumption that they will never be able to work. This has to change. It often only requires small changes to the work environment to make it possible. We and our members are committed and passionate about supporting everyone to achieve their full potential. This green paper response marks a vital next step in making this aspiration a reality.
Genevieve Smith is a Professional Advisor at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and expert on the impact of work on individual’s health and wellbeing. She has been leading the College’s work to develop the Health and Work Champion programme.