Welcome to the September issue of OTnews. We have an eclectic mix of features for you this month, but we are delighted to be able to focus on housing as our cover story.
Hear Jacquel Runnalls share her views on the proposed updates following the publication of the long-awaited outcome of the 2020 consultation on raising accessibility standards for new homes – which RCOT responded to and welcomes. Turn to pages 16–18 to find out more.
On a different note, on pages 36–39, Keir Harding and Alice Hortop share some tips to persuade you to promote all occupational therapists and our service users in the wider media.
Then Steve Macdonald argues that we need to change the current discourse on disability within occupational therapy. He wants people to challenge the status quo and shift the narrative. Find out more on pages 24–27.
On pages 42–45, Hattie Porter shares their own personal thoughts about the near absence of discussion and recognition of menstruation within the occupational therapy profession, despite attending to menstrual hygiene being an activity of daily living.
Focusing on service improvement, we have a continuous improvement journey to develop an occupational therapy step down pathway from critical care to the acute medical wards (pages 20–23) and a look at how an ME/CFS team has been partnering with a new Post Covid Service to offer a multidisciplinary approach to intervention and treatment for Long Covid (pages 28–30).
We hope you enjoy this month’s issue, and don’t forget, if you want to contribute to a future issue, please get in touch at editorial@rcot.co.uk. As well as the printed copy, you can also view the magazine online.