RCOT Director of Professional Operations, Karin Bishop said:
“This is welcome news, the Royal College has long called for occupational therapists to be added to the shortage occupations list and this is a really positive step for the hard-pressed health and care workforce in the UK. It will make it easier for trusts to recruit more occupational therapists, which will mean better care for patients. Ultimately the long-term solution to the workforce shortage is to train more home-grown occupational therapists. But with an overstretched health and care workforce, we also need a short-term solution. With vacancy rates at around 14%, managers will now be able to recruit internationally without having to advertise in the UK first which will help to combat some of the recruitment challenges faced in health and social care.”