Shape our strategy

Join a one-hour online conversation or take part in discussions on RCOT Communities to help shape the priorities and actions in RCOT’s next strategy

Help shape RCOT’s new strategy: Join a member conversation this spring

Join a one-hour online conversation or take part in discussions on RCOT Communities to help shape the priorities and actions in RCOT’s next corporate strategy. Your insight and experiences will directly influence how we support you, strengthen the profession and increase the visibility and impact of occupational therapy across the UK.

Book your place now

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Why your insight matters

Since January, Gary has been meeting members across the UK to hear what matters most in your practice and your working lives. These conversations, along with insight from the Member Survey, are shaping the early stages of our new strategy.

This spring, we’re widening the conversation. These sessions bring in more voices and help us understand what support, influence and resources will make the biggest difference to you, your service and the communities you serve.

What these sessions are

Whether you take part in a one-hour online conversation or contribute through discussions on RCOT Communities, each session explores the areas that sit at the heart of our charitable purpose and long-term direction.

Together, we’ll look at:

how the profession should advance in practice, evidence, research and innovation

the standards, leadership and guidance needed for safe, highquality practice

priorities for learning, education and longterm career development

how we can strengthen understanding and influence of occupational therapy

what support will make the greatest difference to you and your service

the priorities that matter most and the early actions that will have the biggest impact

Who can join

Everyone’s welcome.
We particularly want to hear from members we haven’t yet had the chance to speak with, as well as anyone who wants to help shape our long-term direction. If you’ve already attended a session, you’re very welcome to come again and please encourage colleagues to get involved too.

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Book your session

Choose a date and time by clicking on a tile below to take you to the event booking page.

Friday 10 April

12.30 to 1.30pm

Monday 13 April

6:00 to 7:00pm

Thursday 23 April

12:00 to 1:00pm

Tuesday 28 April

12:00 to 1:00pm

Tuesday 12 May

12:00 to 1:00pm

Tuesday 12 May evening

6:00 to 7:00pm

Thursday 21 May

1:00 to 2:00pm

Tuesday 26 May

6:00 to 7:00pm

Wednesday 27 May

1:00 to 2:00pm

Join a discussion on RCOT Communities

If you prefer to contribute in your own time, we’ll also be hosting three weeklong discussions on RCOT Communities. These conversations mirror the topics explored in the online sessions and give you more space to reflect, respond and build on others’ ideas.

20–29 April: Strengthening and advancing the profession

4–10 May: Supporting members and increasing impact

18–24 May: Prioritisation and crosscutting reflections

To take part, simply join RCOT Communities and make sure you’re a member of the Leadership Network, where the discussions will take place. You can post, comment or simply read along, whatever feels most comfortable.

Join RCOT Communities

Our strategy development timeline

January–March: Meet the CEO sessions and early insight gathering

April–May: Member strategy engagement sessions and member survey

June: Playback session sharing what we’ve heard and how it’s shaping the emerging strategy

June–October: Drafting, testing and refining the strategy

Later this year: Strategy launch shaped by members

Ongoing: Continuous improvement guided by your feedback

Your involvement makes the difference

Every insight you share helps shape the decisions we make and the priorities we set for the next three years and beyond. Whether you join a session, contribute in RCOT Communities or complete the Member survey (closed end of March), your voice influences what comes next.

Please join a session this spring if you can and encourage colleagues to take part too.

Book your session now

FAQs

Do I need to prepare anything before joining a session?

No, you don’t need to prepare or bring anything.

If you like, you can think ahead about the questions we’ll explore, including:

what support and guidance would help you most in practice

what standards and leadership the profession will need

what you value most in learning and career development

how OT practice, evidence and innovation should progress

how we can strengthen visibility and influence

which priorities and early actions matter most to you

Preparing is optional, your everyday experience is what matters.

Who can join these sessions?

Any member can join. We’re especially keen to hear from members we haven’t yet spoken to. If you’ve already taken part in a CEO session, you’re still welcome to come again.

Will I be expected to speak?

You can take part in whatever way feels comfortable. In the online sessions, you can speak, use the chat or simply listen. In the discussions on RCOT Communities, you can post, comment or just read along.

What happens during the session?

Each one-hour session includes a welcome, two rounds of discussion, a short prioritisation activity and a summary of what happens next. All conversations focus on the areas that shape our long-term strategy.

Will the session be recorded?

We will record the online sessions for note taking only. We won’t publish the recordings or share them outside the strategy development team.

How will my insight be used?

Everything you share will feed into the insight we’re gathering and be used to shape the strategy that we’ll refine over the summer. We’ll share an update in our June playback session so you can see how member insight is influencing our decisions.

Can I join more than one session?

No. All sessions follow the same format and cover the same topics, so you only need to attend one. Please choose the date and time that suits you best.

What if none of the dates work for me?

You can still contribute through the discussions on RCOT Communities and, if you took part in the Member Survey, your insight is already helping shape this work.

Where will the RCOT Communities discussions take place?

The discussions will run in the Leadership Network on RCOT Communities. Gary will share a post at the start of each conversation outlining the discussion.

Do I need to join anything before taking part?

Yes, you need to be a member of RCOT Communities and join the Leadership Network. Once you’ve joined, you can take part in any of the weeklong discussions.

Do the RCOT Communities discussions cover the same topics as the online sessions?

Yes. The Communities discussions mirror the questions explored in the online sessions and give you more time to reflect and respond.

Do I need to be an expert in strategy?

Not at all. These sessions are about your experience, your reality and what would make the biggest difference to you and the profession.

I’m no longer a member — can I still join a session?

These strategy conversations are for current RCOT members, but we’d still really value hearing from you — if you’re no longer a member, you can email us at [email protected] to share why you left and any thoughts you have on our future direction, as your perspective helps us understand what members need and how we can strengthen our support for the profession.