The new Closing the Gap report, jointly published by the Health Foundation, King’s Fund and Nuffield Trust on 21 March, addresses some of the most fundamental challenges facing the NHS today. While welcoming the strategy set out in the NHS Long-Term Plan in January to improve the delivery of primary care through a focus on prevention and the use of multidisciplinary teams, the report acknowledges that workforce shortfalls of GPs and nurses represent a key barrier to its successful implementation.
Julia Skelton, Director of Professional Operations at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, says: “There are other considerable workforce shortages that constitute a risk for the NHS – namely prosthetists, therapeutic radiographers and occupational therapists. It is disappointing that the report does not mention them.
“It is positive however to see a growing recognition of the need to diversify the make-up and structure of the workforce in GP practices. There is a crucial role for occupational therapists and other allied health professionals (AHPs) to play in this.
“We agree that multidisciplinary teams are essential to making the most of resources while delivering the best care for patients. Occupational therapists should be at the heart of these teams, equipped as we are with all the right tools to deliver tailored physical, mental and social care.
“As we said in our report Living, not Existing: Putting prevention at the heart of care for older people in England, more occupational therapists should be based within GP practices and local care hubs to empower people to manage their health and independence. Our role and interventions are key to providing greater prevention and personalisation of care through assessment of frailty needs, home modifications and developing self-management skills for long-term conditions, including mental health ones.
“To make this happen, the shortfalls in recruitment of the occupational therapy workforce need also to be addressed as a priority."
