CarersOTUK is an OT network and advocacy group for occupational therapy students, apprentices, researchers, educators, practitioners, retired practitioners , return to practice OTs , and assistants who are also carers or who have been carers in the past. They can be caring for children, siblings, partners, parents, extended family and friends who have chronic illnesses, long term conditions or and disabilities.
The daisy represents the children’s game where petals are pulled from a daisy, by a child saying loves me, loves me not. Love is central to caring and many experience the positive and negative forces of love…
Daisy Photo by Jos
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CarersOTUK group launched on the 5th July, 2023. The 75th anniversary of the founding of the NHS. It has been established as a support and advocacy network to assist the occupational therapy workforce who are also carers. The NHS Assembly 2023 stated that meeting the needs of carers is central to the future of health and social care, albeit that carers are currently only protected from discrimination and harassment by association with those whom they care for. A large number of Occupational Therapists identified as a carers in the HCPC diversity data report 2021 and sadly, many carers experience barriers to employment, thus there is a definite need for this affinity group.
We will hold monthly meetings via zoom/teams as a closed space to process the lived experience of caring and support one another. This will be in addition to the twitter account where allies can connect with OT_CarersUnite.
Monthly meeting information to follow
We plan to develop resources on a range of topics that impact on carers and hope to promote the rights of carers in line with legislation and health and social care practice.
Founding members:
Jos
Becky
Caroline
Sue
With thanks to Dr Jenny Ceolta Smith for the OT_CarersUnite name
And to Cameron Robinson and Doris Nkemdilim OT Students and Kirsty Stanley for the initial discussion and tech support.
AffinOT 