Wales/Cymru policy and public affairs update

RCOT/Social Care Wales virtual roundtable 

Social Care Wales, working in partnership with Welsh Government and national partners, is beginning the next phase of work to develop the Social Care Workforce Delivery Plan 2027–2030. This plan will build on the current delivery plan, which concludes at the end of March 2027 and will set out the priorities and actions needed from April 2027 onwards.

Why this matters to you

To support this work, Social Care Wales has commissioned the Institute of Public Care (IPC) to deliver a programme of targeted engagement with key national stakeholders including RCOT.

It’s very important that members working in social care have their say on what the future of their sector needs to look like. 

Key webinar for OTs – only 40 spaces

We’ve arranged a dedicated occupational therapy focused online session with the IPC from 10–11.30am, Friday 23 October 2026.

The IPC will share emerging themes and invite your views on:

• key workforce challenges and opportunities – drawing on the horizon scanning exercise, work already underway, and engagement to date
• priority areas for inclusion in the next delivery plan
• any additional evidence or intelligence that should further inform our approach.

Sadly, we’re only able to accommodate 40 OTs for the session.

Register to attend

If you’re unable to attend and want to have your voice heard, please email me your thoughts to [email protected].

For two decades, cancer services in Wales have been led by a strategy that was written in 2006.

The Welsh Government has now launched a call for evidence as part of their review on the strategy and the development of a new one.

The Welsh Government are asking for us to 'provide evidence, examples and recommendations where possible.'

Join the consultation

Your experience should shape this strategy

The strategy will set the direction that cancer services in Wales will be heading for the next five years.

As essential professionals in the delivery of care to cancer patients and supporting them throughout and post treatment, we need to make sure that your experience shapes the strategy.  

Discussion session – 8 October

To make sure we have members' views on the strategy, we’re holding a discussion session from 12–1pm, Thursday 8 October to go through the consultation and talk about what the future of occupational therapy in cancer services could look like.

No need to register – join the discussion

Former Deputy First Minister of Wales – Huw Irranca-Davies – undertakes Meet the OT experience

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The primary care occupational therapy team at Swansea Bay University Health Board welcomed Huw Irranca-Davies, Member of the Senedd (MS), to see first-hand how occupational therapists are supporting people's health and improving their quality of life.

During the visit, the MS met with members of the primary care occupational therapy service before heading on home visits to see how occupational therapists enable people to live well for longer.

A massive thank you to Katy Silcox for arranging the engaging session, Beverly Williams for taking the MS out on home visits and the entire primary care occupational therapy team for demonstrating what occupational therapy is to the former minister.

Meet the Occupational Therapist experience

We’ve developed the Meet the Occupational Therapist (MOT) experience to give elected representatives first-hand knowledge of what occupational therapy is and the benefits you bring to the lives of their constituents.

Find out more about what a Meet the Occupational Therapist experience is and how you can get involved by reading our blog or watch our video on the RCOT LinkedIn page. 

Meet our new Council Member for Wales/Cymru

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Robert Workman from Swansea Bay University Health Board was elected as the new RCOT Trustee for Wales, taking over from Paul Dunning at the start of the summer.

As part of our quarterly member drop-in sessions, Rob will be joining us to answer any questions relating to RCOT governance and to listen to your concerns, challenges and successes!

Our next session – 12–1pm, Thursday 15 October

Register to attend