On the cusp of its centenary, TLAP partner the College of Occupational Therapists has launched a new two year campaign.
Occupational Therapists (OT) have long been at the forefront of personalised, integrated services, and the college’s current campaign, Improving Lives and Saving Money shows the extent to which this expertise is supporting sector sustainability. The measures they are taking include keeping people out of hospital, reducing pressure on primary care and addressing the need for social care.
Many people are familiar with OT’s role in supporting recovery post injury or illness, as this Guardian publication, Guide to occupational therapy shows, but what may be less known is that OT’s are breaking new ground with the breadth and depth of their activity that many would find surprising.
OT’s are working across a range of settings including prisons, schools and job centres and they are using creative and personalised ways to work with people, for example:
- Supporting people back into employment.
- Enabling people with learning disabilities to participate in mainstream sports.
- Working as driving instructors to help people back on the road following injury or illness.
These community and person centred approaches align with TLAP’s commitment to personalise, integrate and increase community capacity building initiatives.
We know people want a life, not a service and supporting people to participate in mainstream activities is a key contributor to good health and wellbeing.
