Exploring the Art of Occupation

Regular readers of my blog will know I love a good reflection on a professional event like a conference or learning day. It’s been some time since I’ve had the chance to write about a face-to-face event, so when RCOT announced their Members’ Day, I was looking forward to it. But preparation started well before the day itself. I used the new RCOT Communities platform to let the team know about my access needs in advance, and while not everything was perfect, both RCOT staff and the conference centre team went above and beyond to make sure I was supported and included on the day.

Knowing the energy demands of travelling and attending a full event, I rested all weekend. Saturday and Sunday were quiet days, with Sunday spent mostly in bed to give my body a chance to rest ahead of the week. My husband helped me pack on Sunday evening. He filled the car with petrol, packed the car with my luggage and wheelchair, and made sure everything was sorted. I washed and dried my hair the night before. I’ve learned not to count on accessible hotel rooms and showers, so dry shampoo went in the bag too, just in case. My PA for this trip was my mum, now in her late seventies. She has her mobility challenges, but we manage together. After a quick work supervision session on Monday morning, we set off for Edinburgh. It’s just over a two-and-a-half-hour drive, but after a later start and a few stops for toilets and lunch, it took us closer to four hours.

That evening, I met up with an old friend. We’ve known each other since primary school. He’s now a music therapist and also lives with disabilities. Our dinner together reminded me of the importance of having people in your life who understand some of your realities. We spoke about how disability is represented and supported within our professions. These are the kinds of conversations that matter to me.

This was RCOT’s first face-to-face event since 2019. I used to attend the old three-day conferences when they moved around the country. At the 2019 event, RCOT had already announced they were rethinking the format and would not hold a conference in 2020. Then the pandemic changed how we all connect. Since then, RCOT has run virtual conferences, which have been great in terms of access, especially for disabled members, but I have missed the spontaneous conversations, the chance meetings, and the sense of community that comes with being in the same room. Virtual events have their value, but so do in-person gatherings.

Members’ Day was priced affordably, at £34.50 for RCOT members, £19.50 for students and apprentices, and £99 for non-members. This price included lunch, refreshments, and a drinks reception at the end. Around 250 people came. With the event being just one day, there was a noticeable shift from the older conference model. Instead of lots of parallel sessions, the programme was streamlined. Presenters were leaders from across the profession, and it was powerful to have so much knowledge and skill gathered together. In the past, big conferences often ended up being the same 1,000 people talking to each other. They were expensive and began to feel like something only the privileged could regularly access. This felt different. It felt more open. Although there is work to do to get more members in the room.

This year marks one hundred years since occupational therapy was first showcased in Scotland, a milestone highlighted at the start of the day by Odeth Richards, Chair of RCOT Council. She opened Members’ Day by celebrating the legacy of Margaret Barr-Fulton, whose pioneering work laid the foundation for the profession in Scotland. It was a fitting way to begin the day, grounding the event in our history while setting the tone for thinking about the future of occupational therapy.

After the plenary session led by Thérèse Lebedis, who spoke about the importance of leading occupation-focused services. She challenged us to embrace and promote our core skills, to be clear on our identity, and to shift away from reactive systems based on waiting lists. She reminded us of the value of meaningful occupation and encouraged us to lead from our core purpose. Her talk included examples of real-life occupational engagement and a call to hold onto what makes occupational therapy unique.

Next, we moved into a session called “Pillars of your Communities”, which looked at the power of professional networks and the new RCOT Communities platform. As someone who was part of the pilot for the platform, I know it can be a really useful space to connect with others across the country. There’s no longer a need to pay extra to join specialist sections; all members can now access all communities. That’s a big shift. I’ve been unsure about relying so heavily on an online platform, but I’m keen to see how it grows. I recently started a volunteer role as network lead for the Northern and Yorkshire community, and I’m looking forward to getting started. Whether you’re new to RCOT or have been around a while, engaging with the community can make a real difference to your professional development and sense of connection.

I then went to the session on practice-based learning. This covered different placement models and how we support students with reasonable adjustments. It was valuable to hear examples from education, practice, and students themselves. But I also felt it was important to challenge the lived reality that many disabled occupational therapists face. I shared my perspective during the session, pointing out that while we discuss inclusion and flexibility, we still hear regularly from AbleOTUK that people with disabilities are not receiving the reasonable adjustments they need. Every month, people join our support networks saying they are struggling to access placements, facing barriers that others don’t. This is not good enough. We cannot talk about shaping the future of the profession without being honest about who is being left behind. This needs to change.

The midday plenary brought together a panel of speakers to talk about leadership and being an agent of change. Speakers included Karin Orman, Dr Katrina Bannigan, Dr Charlie Chung, Professor Carolyn McDonald, Dr Duncan Pentland, Thérèse Lebedis and Dr Jenny Preston. These are leaders within the profession, and most have delivered the Casson Memorial Lecture in previous years. It was powerful to hear them reflect collectively on where we are now and where we could go. The discussion was wide-ranging.

After lunch, I took a break. I caught up with Katrina Bannigan and some of the RCOT staff. I even recorded a short video for RCOT. My brain needed a rest, and my wheelchair needed charging. I missed a session, but the downtime was necessary.

The closing plenary included a reflection from outgoing CEO Steve Ford, marking his final day in the role. He spoke about the journey the organisation has been on during his time and the importance of continuing to move forward with clarity and purpose. Steve acknowledged the challenges but also celebrated the strength and diversity within the profession.

This year, the AGM was held in person, which was a surprise after several years of online-only meetings. I think holding them in more accessible formats helps more people engage and should be a priority for the future. Two votes were held. The first vote was to update the Articles of Association. I voted in favour of this. It wasn’t just about allowing future AGMs to be held online or in a hybrid format, although that was one important part. The changes also included clarifying how meetings are run, how proxy votes are submitted and counted, and generally bringing the wording in line with current best practice for professional membership organisations. These sorts of updates might seem dry, but they really matter. They help make sure RCOT is fit for purpose, transparent, and accessible to all its members, not just those who can attend meetings in person. Voting for this was about inclusion, fairness, and good governance.

The second vote was about a proposed £13 per year increase in membership fees for full RCOT members, alongside smaller increases for other categories, such as £1.85 more for learners. At the same time, there was a proposed decrease in the cost for newly qualified members, designed to better support them as they transition into the profession. The proposal was about ensuring RCOT could continue delivering its core functions and maintain the quality of its member services, while also investing in the long-term sustainability of the organisation. RCOT had not raised membership fees since 2022 and had absorbed rising costs since then.

The proposal did not pass, largely due to proxy votes submitted before the meeting. Interestingly, in the room itself, there was strong support for the increase. One question raised during the discussion was whether a more dynamic membership structure could be introduced, something that reflects part-time working patterns. I think this is something RCOT should now seriously consider. Flexibility and fairness in fees would help ensure more people can engage fully with the professional body, no matter their working hours or income level.

Let’s be honest – most of us don’t really want to pay more for anything, and that includes professional fees. But the reality is, everything costs more. If we want RCOT to continue offering resources, events, platforms, advocacy, and professional leadership, then we need to fund it properly.

I’ve always believed that fairness is about society sharing responsibility. As someone in full-time employment, I can absorb a £13 a year increase. Membership is not just about what I get from it – it’s also about what I contribute. I want everyone to benefit from being part of our professional community. To make that possible, the organisation needs stable, sustainable funding. Voting for the increase, to me, was about recognising the true cost of what we value and investing in the future of occupational therapy.

What I loved most about the day was the buzz, the chance to network, seeing people I hadn’t seen in years, getting hugs and hearing how they’re doing, meeting people I’ve only known online and making new connections. Hearing from people doing interesting work and having honest conversations with RCOT staff who were clearly listening and open to learning was energising. What was hard was the energy it took to be there. But it was worth it.

One theme that came up again and again was curiosity, being willing to ask questions, to try new things, to keep learning. RCOT is at the centre of how we make sure our profession is seen and heard. But they can’t do that without us. It needs our engagement, our voices and yes, our membership fees. Being an occupational therapist isn’t just about what you do on your own. It’s about what we build together.

Thank you as ever for reading.

Rachel xx