Laura Murton is a specialist occupational therapist at St Helena Hospice working out in the community in people's homes. During national Occupational Therapy Week, 7th to 13th November, Laura explains occupational therapy (also known as OT)...

An occupational therapist helps me to find a job

FALSE Occupation refers to a person’s life role such as mother or brother. If something happens in your life such as an illness or an accident, it is an occupational therapists role to help you return to your job of ‘living’. The goal of occupational therapy is to help live life your way.

Occupational therapy is the same as occupational health

FALSE This is a very common misconception and the two are separate professions. Occupational therapy is not just about your job or your work. For occupational therapists, ‘occupation’ means anything that you are engaged in or do on any given day. It is an occupational therapist's role to help overcome the challenges which people may face with any particular occupation, to help them live independently. 

An occupational therapist is the same as a physiotherapist

FALSE Although occupational therapist and physiotherapists work closely together and can overlap, we are separate disciplines. We place the patient at the centre of all we do and are part of the wider multidisciplinary team including doctors, clinical nurse specialists and family support workers. Occupational therapists focus on what people need in their daily lives; physiotherapists focus more on strength and movement. 

An occupational therapist only helps with physical stuff

FALSE Occupational therapists are trained in both physical and mental health, and can offer advice, suggestions and techniques to improve quality of life. We have a broad range of knowledge and skills across anatomy, mental health, psychology and communication. 

Occupational therapists only work in hospitals and schools

FALSE Occupational therapy is very versatile and there are many areas of specialism and emerging roles as occupational therapists have transferable skills. Areas of work may include dementia, care homes, research, hand therapy, pain management and palliative care.

Occupational therapy is only for old people

FALSE Occupational therapists work with people of all ages. 1/3 of the national occupational therapy caseload is with children and young people. Many adults need occupational therapy for a variety of reasons such as stroke, neurological conditions and cardiorespiratory conditions. 

Occupational therapist only issue equipment

FALSE Equipment, aids and adaptations may sometimes be prescribed to help maintain someone's level of function or independence. Occupational therapists are problem solvers and advise on non-pharmacological symptom management and techniques such as management of fatigue and anxiety. We help to support the individual and their family and carers with manual handling advice and emotional support. Providing equipment is probably only about 10% of what occupational therapists actually do. 

Occupational therapists just play games

FALSE Assessments can be completed via games and puzzles and through task analysis. This can help to assess coordination, strength, memory and function using meaningful activity in a more familiar setting. 

Getting an occupational therapy qualification is easy

FALSE Currently the training is three years full time at university to complete a degree to become an occupational therapist; this includes many hours of theory, lectures and on the job placements. Apprenticeships are now becoming more widely available which cover four years of on the job training and attending weekly university lectures. Many senior posts require a Masters degree in addition to an occupational therapy degree.

Tarnya Robey, therapy assistant who works alongside me in the team, is starting her apprenticeship pathway to becoming an occupational therapist and training at the University of Essex. I am proud to be able to support with this and help to train the next generation of occupational therapists.