Media Release
Date: 5 November 2020
Have you considered a career in occupational therapy?
Occupational therapists at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust are calling on more people to consider occupational therapy as a career.
The call to action comes as part of national Occupational Therapy Week (2-8 November), which aims to raise the profile of occupational therapists and their work, while also encouraging people from all backgrounds to choose occupational therapy as a career.
Occupational therapy provides practical support to help people in their recovery and overcome barriers preventing them from doing the activities (or occupations) that matter to them.
An occupational therapist's job role involves helping people of all ages overcome the effects of disability caused by illness, ageing or accident so that they can carry out everyday tasks or occupations.
Occupational therapists work across all different departments at the RUH, including trauma and orthopaedics, acute medicine and surgery, rheumatology, the Older Persons' Unit, acute stroke and neurology, paediatrics and fatigue and pain services.
Anna Keen, Occupational Therapy Team Lead in Surgery and Critical Care said: "It is such a rewarding and varied job, and it is a genuine privilege knowing you are helping people to maintain their independence and carry on with day to day activities which so many of us take for granted.
"A lot of our work focuses on not just the physical but the emotional, psychological, social and cognitive side too.
"I would urge anyone starting a career in the health and care sector to seriously consider becoming an occupational therapist. If you enjoy working with people, supporting them in their recovery and improving their quality of life, this is just the role for you."
You can find out more about how to become an occupational therapist on the Royal College of Occupational Therapists website: www.rcot.co.uk
Keep an eye out for occupational therapist vacancies at the RUH on the NHS Jobs website - www.jobs.nhs.uk