Occupational therapist (L6)
Occupational Therapist (Level 6)
Occupational therapists work with people of all ages and can look at all aspects of daily life in your home, school or workplace.
Level 6 RQF
Details of standard
Occupational Therapist
Summary
Occupational therapists work across a range of settings, including health, social care, education and other private and voluntary sector organisations. They work with individuals of all ages, including those with physical and mental health conditions, injuries, learning disabilities and palliative care needs, as well as those who are displaced or marginalised from their communities. Occupational therapists also work with families, carers, employers and organisations that support the individual.
An occupational therapist’s primary goal is to enable individuals to participate in occupations in a meaningful way. In a therapeutic context, the term ‘occupation’ refers to everyday activities that people want, need, or are expected to carry out. Using a holistic person-centred approach, informed by evidence-based practice, occupational therapists support service users to carry out everyday occupations, such as dressing, eating, catching the bus to work, or other activities that are important to them.
Occupational therapists work as autonomous, accountable practitioners, individually or within a team. Through assessment, intervention, critical reflection and applying analytical skills, they reach collaborative solutions to service users’ needs. Occupational therapists are responsible for reflecting on the effectiveness of their actions and ensuring their knowledge and skills are current, with the aim of continually improving the service they provide. They demonstrate leadership and management qualities, and are required, within the professional and regulatory standards, to contribute to the development of the profession by supporting student therapists and supervising those in other roles.
Typical job titles include
- Occupational Therapist
- Specialist Occupational Therapist
- Senior Occupational Therapist
- Paediatric Occupational Therapist
- Mental Health Occupational Therapist
- Community Occupational Therapist
- Rehabilitation Specialist
- Assistive Technology Specialist
- Occupational Therapy Team Leader
- Clinical Educator in Occupational Therapy
Employers involved in creating the standard
Barts Health NHS Trust, Canterbury Christ Church University, Derbyshire Healthcare Foundation Trust, Lincolnshire County Council, NRS Healthcare, Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Trust, Skills for Health, Solent NHS Trust, University of Brighton, University of Coventry Hospitals NHS Trust, University of Huddersfield, University of Northampton, UWE
Knowledge
K1: Understand the importance of continuing professional development (CPD) throughout one’s career.
K2: Understand the importance of safeguarding, recognising signs of abuse, and following relevant safeguarding processes.
K3: Know the requirements set out by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), including but not limited to the Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics.
K4: Understand that relationships with service users, carers, and others must be based on mutual respect and trust.
K5: Understand the importance of obtaining valid consent.
K6: Understand the concept of capacity and its relevance to the delivery of care and treatment.
K7: Understand the scope and professional duty of care.
K8: Know the legislation, policies, and guidance relevant to one’s profession and scope of practice.
K9: Understand how legislation affects the delivery of care.
K10: Recognise the importance of maintaining one’s own mental and physical health and wellbeing to ensure fitness to practise.
K11: Understand how to take appropriate action if one’s health affects safe and effective practice, including seeking help and support when required.
K12: Understand the need for active participation in training, supervision, and mentoring to uphold high standards of practice and professional conduct.
K13: Know equality legislation and how to apply it within professional practice.
K14: Understand the duty to make reasonable adjustments to ensure equitable access to care and services.
K15: Understand the characteristics and consequences of barriers to inclusion, particularly among socially isolated groups.
K16: Recognise that equality, diversity, and inclusion must be embedded across all HCPC standards and areas of practice.
K17: Understand when the disclosure of confidential information may be required by law or ethical duty.
K18: Know the principles of information and data governance, and how to use health and social care information safely and effectively.
K19: Understand the need to maintain confidentiality when service users rely on additional communication support, such as interpreters or translators.
K20: Recognise that confidentiality and informed consent extend to all mediums, including photographs, videos, audio recordings, and digital platforms.
K21: Understand verbal and non-verbal communication characteristics and how they may be influenced by protected characteristics, intersectional experiences, and cultural differences.
K22: Understand how to support the communication needs of service users and carers, including through the use of interpreters where appropriate.
K23: Understand the importance of providing information in accessible formats to enable informed decision-making.
K24: Understand the values, beliefs, cultures, behaviours, and interests of service users and carers through interviews and discussions.
K25: Know the principles and practices of other health and care professionals and systems, and how they interact with one’s own profession.
K26: Understand the need to build and sustain professional relationships both autonomously and collaboratively within a team.
K27: Know the qualities, behaviours, and benefits associated with effective leadership.
K28: Understand that leadership is a skill that all professionals can demonstrate.
K29: Understand the importance of engaging service users and carers in planning and evaluating diagnostics and therapeutic interventions.
K30: Understand the need to work collaboratively with service providers across different sectors to best meet service users’ needs.
K31: Understand how to adopt a person-centred approach, building professional relationships that motivate and engage service users in meaningful occupations.
K32: Recognise the value of enabling and empowering service users to enhance access to services and opportunities.
K33: Understand group dynamics and the roles within groups.
K34: Understand how to harness group and community dynamics to promote motivation and participation.
K35: Understand the value of reflective practice and the need to record reflections to support continuous improvement.
K36: Understand the value of multidisciplinary reviews, case conferences, and other collaborative review methods.
K37: Understand the importance of gathering and using data for quality assurance and continuous improvement programmes.
K38: Know the structure and function of the human body and have knowledge of physical and mental health, disease, disorder, and dysfunction relevant to occupational therapy.
K39: Understand the roles of other professions in health and social care and how they relate to occupational therapy.
K40: Know the structure and function of health and social care systems and services in the United Kingdom.
K41: Understand the occupational nature of human beings — how individuals function in self-care, productivity, and leisure, and how their needs change throughout the life course.
K42: Understand the interrelationship between person, environment, and occupation, including barriers and enablers, and how modifying these elements supports rehabilitation.
K43: Understand the effects of occupational alienation, dysfunction, deprivation, and injustice, and the importance of restoring and promoting occupational wellness.
K44: Understand how activity and occupation influence health, wellbeing, and functional ability within occupational therapy practice.
K45: Understand the theoretical foundations and a variety of approaches to assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation focused on occupational outcomes.
K46: Understand how to identify and assess diverse occupational, physical, psychological, cognitive, cultural, and environmental needs of service users and carers.
K47: Understand and apply current philosophical models of occupational therapy that promote holistic, person-centred care and participation in occupations within physical, biological, psychological, and social contexts.
K48: Understand the concept of teaching and learning, including supporting service users and carers in developing self-management strategies.
K49: Know a range of research methodologies relevant to occupational therapy practice.
K50: Understand the value of research in critically evaluating and improving practice.
K51: Understand the need to assess service users’ health, social care, employment, and learning needs, including risk assessment and positive risk-taking.
K52: Understand the importance of setting goals and priorities for intervention collaboratively with service users, based on occupational assessments.
K53: Know the scientific theories, principles, and professional frameworks underpinning occupational therapy practice.
K54: Understand the need to address emotional, social, psychological, cognitive, and physical health-related occupational needs across different practice areas.
K55: Understand how to maintain safety for oneself, service users, carers, and colleagues.
K56: Know relevant health and safety legislation, operational procedures, and policies.
K57: Understand appropriate moving and handling techniques.
K58: Understand the role of occupational therapy in health promotion, health education, and illness prevention.
K59: Understand how social, economic, and environmental factors — the wider determinants of health — influence individual wellbeing.
Skills
S1: Identify the limits of one’s own practice and recognise when to seek advice or refer to another professional or service.
S2: Manage workload and resources safely and effectively, including recognising and addressing the emotional burden of working in pressured environments.
S3: Keep professional skills and knowledge up to date through continuing professional development.
S4: Maintain high standards of personal and professional conduct in all practice settings.
S5: Engage in safeguarding processes where necessary to protect service users and vulnerable groups.
S6: Promote and protect the interests of service users at all times.
S7: Respect and uphold the rights, dignity, values, and autonomy of service users, recognising one’s role in assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and/or therapy.
S8: Maintain consistently high standards of care in all circumstances.
S9: Exercise a professional duty of care towards service users.
S10: Obtain valid consent that is voluntary, informed, proportionate to the circumstances, and appropriately documented, having due regard to capacity.
S11: Apply legislation, policy, and professional guidance relevant to one’s scope of practice.
S12: Recognise the power imbalance inherent in healthcare practice and ensure it is never abused for personal gain.
S13: Identify personal anxiety and stress and recognise how these may affect one’s practice.
S14: Develop and adopt strategies for physical and mental self-care and self-awareness to sustain professional effectiveness and a safe working environment.
S15: Accept personal responsibility for all professional decisions and actions and be able to justify them when required.
S16: Use knowledge, experience, and available information to make informed professional judgements and take appropriate actions.
S17: Make reasoned decisions to initiate, continue, modify, or cease interventions or procedures, recording decisions and rationale accurately.
S18: Make and receive referrals appropriately, ensuring continuity of care.
S19: Exercise initiative and professional independence within one’s area of competence.
S20: Apply a logical and systematic approach to problem-solving.
S21: Use research, reasoning, and problem-solving skills to determine appropriate professional actions.
S22: Respond appropriately to the needs of diverse groups and individuals, recognising the impact of difference, including protected characteristics, intersectional experiences, and cultural diversity.
S23: Recognise the influence of one’s own values, beliefs, and potential unconscious biases on practice, and take steps to ensure respect and equality for all service users.
S24: Make and support reasonable adjustments within one’s own and others’ practice to ensure inclusion.
S25: Actively challenge barriers to inclusion and support implementation of positive change.
S26: Maintain confidentiality in all professional interactions.
S27: Share information in a timely and appropriate manner to safeguard service users, carers, or the public, recognising when disclosure is required.
S28: Use effective and appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication with service users, carers, and colleagues.
S29: Communicate in English to the level required by the profession and regulatory standards.
S30: Work with service users and carers to support shared decision-making and provide relevant information to enable informed choices.
S31: Adapt communication methods to meet the individual needs and preferences of service users and carers, removing barriers wherever possible.
S32: Use information, communication, and digital technologies effectively and appropriately in practice.
S33: Actively listen to a service user’s occupational narrative and analyse it to inform future planning and intervention.
S34: Maintain full, clear, and accurate records in accordance with relevant legislation, policy, and professional guidance.
S35: Manage all records and information responsibly in line with legal and organisational requirements.
S36: Use digital record-keeping systems accurately and securely.
S37: Work in partnership with service users, carers, colleagues, and others.
S38: Contribute effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
S39: Recognise and respond to anxiety or stress in service users, carers, and colleagues, adapting practice and providing support as appropriate.
S40: Identify personal leadership qualities, behaviours, and approaches, demonstrating commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
S41: Demonstrate leadership behaviours appropriate to the professional context.
S42: Act as a positive role model for colleagues and students.
S43: Promote and actively engage in the learning and development of others.
S44: Ensure intervention reviews are responsive to changes in a service user’s circumstances.
S45: Recognise the contribution of public, private, and voluntary sector providers in delivering health and care services affecting occupational performance.
S46: Facilitate group work to promote support, learning, and positive change within groups and communities.
S47: Work collaboratively with service users to evaluate the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions.
S48: Recognise and evaluate the potential for occupational therapy in new and emerging areas of practice.
S49: Engage in evidence-based practice to inform professional decisions.
S50: Collect and use feedback and data, both qualitative and quantitative, to evaluate service users’ responses to care.
S51: Monitor and evaluate practice quality systematically, maintaining effective quality management and assurance processes for continuous improvement.
S52: Participate in quality management activities, including quality control, assurance, and clinical governance, using appropriate outcome measures.
S53: Evaluate and revise care or intervention plans using recognised outcome measures in collaboration with service users.
S54: Demonstrate awareness of the principles and applications of scientific enquiry, including evaluating treatment efficacy and research methods.
S55: Apply theoretical concepts underpinning occupational therapy, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, human development, ergonomics, biomechanics, psychology, sociology, and occupational science.
S56: Apply these theoretical foundations to understand and address physical, emotional, and mental health needs.
S57: Analyse the relationship between activity, occupation, and health to support diagnosis, formulation, and therapeutic use of occupation.
S58: Recognise the influence of physical, attitudinal, social, economic, educational, and environmental factors on individuals within diverse societies.
S59: Value and respect the diversity and complexity of human behaviour from physical, psychological, cognitive, environmental, social, emotional, and spiritual perspectives.
S60: Demonstrate awareness of the origins and evolution of occupational therapy, including its focus on autonomy and empowerment.
S61: Support others through teaching and learning, including promoting self-management strategies for service users and carers.
S62: Adapt and update practice in response to new developments, technologies, and changing professional contexts.
S63: Gather appropriate information relevant to assessment and care planning.
S64: Analyse and critically evaluate information gathered from assessments and other sources.
S65: Select and use appropriate assessment techniques, tools, and equipment.
S66: Conduct and record thorough, sensitive, and detailed assessments.
S67: Undertake or arrange investigations as required to support diagnosis or intervention.
S68: Carry out assessment, monitoring, treatment, and therapeutic procedures safely and effectively.
S69: Critically appraise research and evidence to inform professional practice.
S70: Engage service users in research activities where appropriate.
S71: Use both standardised and non-standardised assessment tools and observation to evaluate occupational performance and participation, considering cultural and environmental factors.
S72: Formulate specific and appropriate care or case management plans with defined goals and timescales.
S73: Select suitable occupations and activities as therapeutic media based on individual service user needs.
S74: Apply scientific theories, concepts, and professional frameworks underpinning occupational therapy practice.
S75: Demonstrate awareness of the broad range of occupations and activities used in interventions and ensure alignment with individual needs and preferences.
S76: Select or design therapeutic environments and media, adapting them to support service users’ abilities and enhance occupational participation.
S77: Comply with all relevant health and safety legislation, operational procedures, and organisational policies.
S78: Work safely, employing appropriate hazard control, risk reduction, and management techniques.
S79: Select and use personal protective equipment (PPE) correctly.
S80: Create and maintain safe practice environments that appropriately manage risk.
S81: Apply correct moving and handling techniques to ensure safety.
S82: Empower and enable individuals, including service users and colleagues, to take an active role in managing their own health.
S83: Engage in occupational health responsibilities, including awareness of immunisation and workplace health requirements.
Behaviours
B1: Demonstrate a personalised approach to care, empowering individuals to achieve their chosen occupational goals and supporting meaningful change in their lives.
B2: Act as an advocate for occupational justice and an agent for positive change by engaging in actively anti-discriminatory practice with diverse individuals, groups, and communities.
B3: Practise in ways that promote the economic, social, and environmental sustainability of health and care services, recognising interdependence and fostering belonging for all those supported.
B4: Be professionally curious, evidence-informed, and committed to lifelong professional and personal development, consistently demonstrating leadership behaviours.