2023 RCOT Conference - Cool off with an archive dive
Cool off with an archive dive after the flaming June 2023 RCOT Conference!
Have the hot summer themes of the 2023 RCOT Conference triggered the occupational therapy explorer in you? Then you are not alone in polishing up your pith helmet!
We couldn't stop ourselves from setting out on an archive excavation to dig up any Krysalis reports we felt struck a chord with three of this year's themes:
- Breaking through – the impact of occupational therapy and its contribution to achieving health equity.
- Moving forward – innovating, recruiting, retaining, and diversifying the workforce.
- Supporting well–being and resilience promotes good mental health in OTs and their colleagues.
And here's what we extracted from our bedrock of neurorehabilitation resources, Talking Heads [1], to help keep the #RCOT2023 conversation going…
Breaking through
'Inequities in health are not inevitable or necessary; they are unjust and are the product of unfair social, economic and political arrangements.' RCOT Making health equity a reality [2]
We homed in on occupational therapy's impact in the battle for health equity in the UK when RCOT launched Occupational Therapy Week 2021 with the theme #OTsForEquity.
The campaign prioritised people in need of occupational therapy and rallied OTs in an appeal to create a toolbox to support health equity strategies.
RCOT leaders also leaned on government and healthcare chiefs for more backing for OTs as part of a more comprehensive health equity plan.
They argued, 'Occupational therapists have a unique set of skills and are already ingrained in work in the three key routes out of poverty: education, housing and jobs.' Making health equity a reality [2]
Discussion around the 'Breaking through' theme at the 2023 RCOT Conference was led by:
- Venus Madden, Clinical Fellow to NHS England's Chief Allied Health Professions Officer – 'from Hong Kong to Hampshire', Venus' put herself out there nationally and took risks.' Annual Conference - RCOT [3]
- Eluned Morgan AS/MS, Minister for Health and Social Services, Welsh Government – occupational therapy in the community, Healthier Wales and the Allied Health Professionals framework.
Moving forward
Workforce innovation and diversification is a hot topic here at Krysalis and one we like to keep constantly on the boil.
In our Diverse OT series article, '7 steps to a diverse occupational therapy practice' [4], we wanted to support RCOT's 2020 #ChooseOT mission to make the profession as diverse as the folks it serves.
So, we turned to our own neuro OTs to 'tell it as it is' from their experience of diversity in their everyday work lives…
During my whole career, I have been one of a few, if not the only, male OTs in the teams I have worked in. 
Krysalis Neuro OT, Tom Beech.
Men behaving gladly, but in small numbers, might nicely sum up Krysalis Neuro OT, Tom Beech's experience of male OTs in a predominantly female work world.
But, having worked as an OT since 2009, the qualified mindfulness teacher has some ideas on how the profession's gender imbalance could be redressed.
Of the UK's total OT workforce, less than 10 per cent are men...so what is Tom's solution, and why would that statistic set the profession's founders turning in their graves?
Find out more in our report, 'Men: on OT's Most Wanted List – but why?' here: Men: on occupational therapy's Most Wanted list – find out why? [5]
It's a diverse career. It's not elitist. That's the point of it.
Krysalis Neuro OT, Jo Bresi-Ando
When BAMEOT UK was launched, Krysalis Neuro OT Jo Bresi-Ando stepped up to support the group.
With just eight per cent of RCOT members at the time self-identifying as minority ethnic OTs, Jo was keen to see the issues surrounding minority ethnic under-representation within the profession addressed and resolved.
And having graduated as an OT in 2006, she had some expert advice of her own to help avoid diversity dilemmas in occupational therapy practice. More on Jo's ideas here: Me, Myself, The OT [6]
Discussion around the 'Moving forward' theme at the 2023 RCOT Conference was led by speakers, including:
- Karin Orman: RCOT Director of Practice and Innovation.
- Lauren Walker: RCOT Professional Adviser.
- Louise Watson: Chief AHP Clyde Sector/Occupational Therapy Professional Lead (acute), NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Supporting well-being and resilience
Do you know an OT who is guilty of not always practising what they preach when it comes to safeguarding their own mental health? Well, they're only human.
However, as RCOT's mental health theme here highlights, it's key for OTs to keep an eye on their own and their colleagues' well-being, particularly on difficult days.
So, how do you raise resilience levels to help ride out troubled or stressful times?
We explored some of the latest research to come up with eight coping strategies for OTs in our report, 'How to raise resilience levels in brain injury survivors, their families and OTs'. You can find it here: How to raise resilience levels in brain injury survivors, their families and OTs [7]
Discussion around the 'Supporting wellbeing and resilience' theme at the 2023 RCOT Conference was led by Mindset and Performance Coach, Siôn Stansfield.
Access more
The two-day conference, hosted virtually by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists this week, composed of interactive, informative, social and networking sessions and exhibitor and sponsor skills exchanges and demonstrations.
Access to the Annual Conference platform and event content is available until the end of December 2023. More details here: Annual Conference - RCOT [3]
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We are passionate about neurological rehabilitation; our neuro OT blog has been designed to help us share our collective wisdom to influence, educate and spark moments of discussion and reflection.
If you are interested in, or have been affected by brain injury, if you are passionate about occupational therapy, brain injury and neurological rehabilitation you are very welcome… come on in and join us!
