Updates from our Policy and Practice Team – March 2026

We’ve been sharing our views on the Schools White Paper with UK Parliament and government. This month we were invited to Parliament to speak with MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee about what the proposals mean for the occupational therapy workforce, and what is needed. 

We’re feeding our expertise into NHS England’s Children and Young People Modern Service Framework (MSF), including submitting evidence and supporting the development of interventions relevant to children and young people’s occupational therapy. 

This also supports the next phase of our Right Support, Right Time campaign, focusing on early and equitable access to occupational therapy within mainstream education settings. 

Next month we’re meeting the Schools Minister through the Disabled Children’s Partnership to these points.

The closure of NRS Healthcare last year shone a spotlight on the fragmented provision of living aids and equipment. MPs came together this month to discuss the ‘postcode lottery’ created by a lack of national standards and timelines for equipment, as well as the inefficiencies in equipment recycling and redistribution and the ongoing impacts from the NRS Healthcare collapse. 

MPs highlighted the need for a national strategy on disability equipment. The debate reflected the importance of occupational therapists in enabling safe discharge, timely provision and participation, and the need for national direction. 

Government has published guidance on neighbourhood health and announced a wave of new neighbourhood health centres. The overall direction is positive, but occupational therapy is not sufficiently reflected in the guidance. 

Earlier this month, we met with the newly established All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs), where we highlighted occupational therapy’s role in the community. 

We’re drawing together a task and finish group on neighbourhood health to coordinate our policy position, member engagement and influencing. If you’re interested in being involved, email [email protected]. 

This month, we submitted our response to the Department of Health’s multiyear budget proposal. Occupational therapists across Northern Ireland continue to raise significant pressures including rising demand, workforce shortages, and increasing complexity of need. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - your insight directly shaped our submission. 

We set out how occupational therapy can solve huge system challenges by reducing waiting lists, supporting timely discharge and preventing crisis escalation. We emphasised that sustainable investment in occupational therapy is not optional but it is fundamental to delivering safe, effective and personcentred care. 

We’ll continue speaking to policymakers as the budget progresses, ensuring the voice of the profession is clearly heard in decisions. 

The All-Party Group on Learning Disability is investigating transitions for young people with a learning disability. We’ve been working with the Learning Disability Leads across Northern Ireland to highlight the barriers young people and families face, which includes gaps in planning, variation in pathways, and challenges navigating multiple services. 

Our response highlighted how occupational therapists enable smoother, more meaningful transitions into adulthood, grounded in participation, independence and person-centred aspirations.

Conversations focused on workforce pressures, the importance of early intervention and prevention, and the contribution occupational therapists make to tackling some of the system’s biggest challenges. These discussions help us build political understanding and support at a crucial time for the sector. 

As always, please keep sharing the issues, innovations and pressures you are seeing. Your insight shapes our influencing work and strengthens the collective voice of the profession. 

We hosted an in-person deep dive event in collaboration with the Scottish Government Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (CAHPO) team. 

The event brought a wide range of stakeholders together with occupational therapists from local authorities across Scotland.  

The morning featured presentations and a panel discussion, followed by afternoon breakout sessions across four themes to develop ideas and strengthen collaboration. The discussions demonstrated strong shared commitment and will help shape future direction and partnership working. 

You can read about the day on LinkedIn. To build on these priorities and actions a steering group will be pulled together, including those key stakeholders.  

I attended the final event in a national project led by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) focusing on local authority student placements, hosted at Robert Gordon University (RGU). 

The event brought together learners, lecturers, and occupational therapists working in local authorities to explore what’s involved in hosting students and to better understand the barriers and opportunities within placements. 

A particular highlight was hearing directly from three learners, who shared their experiences and insights into what makes a high-quality placement. Their perspectives were thoughtful and constructive, reinforcing the importance of supportive learning environments. 

I also had the opportunity to provide an update on wider national policy developments, alongside a general update from Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT).

Development of the Scottish Government’s primary care and community health routemap continues at pace, and we remain actively involved through the steering group. 

This month’s “models of care” session was an important opportunity to press for clearer, more consistent recognition of the role occupational therapists - and the wider AHP workforce - can play across primary and community care.  

With general practice strongly represented, we are continuing to make the case for parity of AHP representation, tackling barriers to integration and ensuring occupational therapy is built into emerging models from the outset.

Finally, a reminder that our manifesto is now live ahead of the elections on 7 May. 

Please continue to share this across your networks and with local candidates to help raise awareness of the profession and our priorities. 

You can access and share the manifesto here: 
https://www.rcot.co.uk/Scotland26