What does an occupational therapist do uk

What exactly does an occupational therapist do?

Occupational therapists treat injured, ill, or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help these patients develop, recover, improve, as well as maintain the skills needed for daily living and working.

What is the role of an occupational therapist UK?

Occupational therapists work with people of all ages and can look at all aspects of daily life in your home, school or workplace. They look at activities you find difficult and see if there’s another way you can do them.

What qualifications do you need to be an occupational therapist in UK?

To get onto a full-time occupational therapy degree course you usually need two or three A levels, along with five GCSEs (grades A-C), including English language, maths and science. You may also be able to get onto a course with alternative qualifications, including: BTEC, HND or HNC which includes biological science.

Is there a demand for occupational therapists UK?

Although there are over 41,000 occupational therapists (OTs), across the UK there is still a significant shortage and the profession is included on the UK’s Shortage Occupations List, the college highlights.

Which is better OT or PT?

Physical therapy ( PT ) and occupational therapy ( OT ) are types of rehabilitative care. While they have similar goals and treat many of the same conditions, they also differ. PT focuses on restoring or improving movement, strength, and range of motion. OT aims to improve the motor skills you need to perform daily tasks.

How many years does it take to become an occupational therapist?

This pathway would generally take 5 to 5 ½ years (3 years for the undergraduate degree and 2 to 2 ½ years for the master’s program). There may be prerequisite subjects that you must complete in your undergraduate course to be eligible to apply for a master’s program to become an Occupational Therapist .

What power does occupational health have?

In this case occupational health looks to see if there is a known health problem which is making you sick and unable to attend. They will advise management of the situation, and, based on their knowledge of the workplace and you and the work, go on to make recommendations to improve things for both you and the manager.

What skills do you need to be an occupational therapist?

Key skills for occupational therapists Patience . Determination . Enthusiasm . Excellent interpersonal and communication skills . An interest in working closely with people. Good teamworking skills . Ability to find solutions to problems.

Is occupational therapy a dying field?

OTA is a dying field . There are NO jobs. If you love OT and have some flexibility about getting a job maybe go ahead. If you need to be able to support yourself or a family, I would look at other fields.

How much do occupational therapists earn UK?

Salaries for occupational therapists working in the NHS start at Band 5 of the NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) Pay Rates (£24,907 to £30,615). Salaries for specialist occupational therapists range from £31,365 to £37,890 (Band 6) and advanced/highly specialist occupational therapists can earn £38,890 to £44,503 (Band 7).

How long does it take to become an occupational therapist UK?

Entry requirements To become an occupational therapist , you’ll need a degree in occupational therapy , which usually takes three years full time or up to six years part time. In postgraduate studies, it’s possible to gain a Masters degree in one to two years.

Can you be an occupational therapist without a degree?

An accredited degree in Occupational Therapy is generally considered a prerequisite for this profession. However, entry without a degree is possible at assistant, technician, or support worker level, where you could then progress to become a fully qualified Occupational Therapist after further study and experience.

Who gets paid more OT or PT?

Occupational Therapists focus on helping patients master the activities of daily living. Physical Therapists focus on helping patients recover range of motion and decrease pain after an injury or illness. The average salary for an OT is $83,200 per year. Th average salary for a PT is $86,850 per year.

Is Occupational Therapy harder than nursing?

OT and PT school are definitely not easier than nursing . Different subject matter in some regards, but not an easy route, especially considering that OT /PT school are graduate level degrees and nursing is only a Bachelors. Graduate programs, as mentioned, are more strict regarding grades.

Is it hard to get a job as an occupational therapist?

Occupational therapists are versatile and can work in so many different settings, and the jobs are out there. However, as a new occupational therapy grad, you may have found that finding an OT job is harder than you thought. OTs are usually in high demand depending on the city’s job market.