28 October 2024
If you’re interested in learning more about occupational therapy, including what the role involves and potential salary, what an occupational therapist does on a daily basis, and how you can become an occupational therapist, this article will tell you all you need to know.
What is occupational therapy?
Occupational therapy is an allied health profession, registered by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). According to the HCPC's diversity data from 2024(opens in new tab), there are over 40,000 occupational therapists working in the UK today. As an occupational therapist, you’ll enable people of all ages and abilities to carry out a number of daily tasks and activities.
As human beings, we all undertake hundreds of ‘occupations’ every day. Occupations are the usual or unusual everyday activities that we want, need, or choose to do. For example, getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, making a hot drink, and getting dressed are just a few of the occupations that most of us take part in each morning. Occupations might be ordinary or extraordinary, as they bring meaning to our lives, shape our identity, and make us who we are.
When people experience a barrier to carrying out their chosen occupations, maybe because of a physical injury or disability, a mental illness, a cognitive impairment, or their social and economic circumstances, an occupational therapist can help.
What is the role of an occupational therapist?
The role of an occupational therapist can be really varied. You could find yourself adapting someone’s home or workplace with physical aids so they can be more independent or exploring recovery strategies in the community for someone with a mental health illness. It may also include teaching an older person how to use a range of specialist equipment, running groups for prisoners to facilitate rehabilitation, or working in A&E to prevent hospital admission, to name just a few.
Your clients could include babies and children, people with physical impairments, people who are adjusting to life after a serious injury or illness, people with learning disabilities, people with mental health conditions, older people, or those with life limiting illnesses. Occupational therapists also work with families, carers, and people around the individual to provide holistic support.
"My favourite part of the course is being able to participate in meaningful activities which I've never tried before and learning how these activities can be beneficial for individuals in my care. We're given the opportunity to learn several new skills so we can provide the best quality of care to the individuals we meet along the way." Victoria Stewart, BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy Accelerated.
How do I become an occupational therapist?
We're proud to be the only Higher Education provider within the UK that offers an accelerated two-year route, the BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy Accelerated degree, which means you can obtain your degree faster. We also offer an apprenticeship route.
Upon successful completion of our courses, you'll be eligible to apply for registration with the HCPC as a Graduate Occupational Therapist and can apply for professional membership of the professional body, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
Why study occupational therapy at Sunderland?
Our lecturers are industry professionals with years of experience working in the NHS and both the public and private sectors. All our lecturers continue to work one day per week in practice, meaning they maintain connections with the clinical workplace, enabling them to teach students with contemporary and lived experience.
You’ll have access to state-of-the-art facilities which replicate real life environments, helping you get a feel for what life is like working in industry. Our facilities include:
- An occupational therapy room with space to observe and engage in activities
- A mock house with all the amenities you'd find in a standard home
- An immersive suite which allows for a range of simulated scenarios
- Rehabilitation laboratories
- A multi-sensory for placements and research
- A mock hospital ward for you to practise your skills ahead of embarking on work placements.
We're also proud to offer an occupational therapy garden, where our students are passionately involved in growing and maintaining the area. As well as learning in an outside classroom space, the garden allows you to conduct research and socialise. The garden also contributes to the wider community as our students have previously delivered flowers to residents of a care facility.
What does an occupational therapist earn?
Upon graduating from a degree in occupational therapy, you’ll have the advantage of having a structured career path with good long-term prospects. According to National Careers(opens in new tab), the average starting salary for a registered occupational therapist working in the UK is around £31,000. A more experienced occupational therapist can earn up to £47,000.
More information
To find out more about our occupational therapy degrees, visit our Occupational Therapy subject area or come along to our next Open Day, where you can chat to lecturers about the course in more detail and ask any questions you may have. Ready to apply? Head to the course pages.