The aims of the Professional Practice team are:
- Promoting excellence in practice, eg practice guidelines development
- Providing professional advice and information, eg professional enquiry service; COT Consultancy Service
- Influencing policy and stakeholders, eg responding to consultations and ensuring occupational therapy representation on key government work groups
- Encouraging lifelong learning through practice-based conferences and study days, eg Social Services Conferences; Marketing Your Service
- Promotion of key COT practice driven strategies, eg Strategy for Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Services; Interface to Integration
We provide information on the following domains of practice:
- Mental Health
- Children and young people
- Long term conditions and older people
- Social care, housing and assistive technology
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Independent practice – information to follow
- Learning disability – information to follow
We also support the Professional Practice Board, Practice Publications Group, plus the Specialist Sections Business Forum and Clinical Forum and Consultant Occupational Therapists Group.
The team also manages a number of email networks for social services, managers and workload weighting
Members Benefits
Most of the services listed below are predominately available to BAOT members only. For information on joining the BAOT , please see the Membership section.
Advice
Networking
- Discussion forum
Members can take part in online discussions and share experiences by joining the professional practice forum.
Career
- Return to practice
Returning to practice or supporting someone returning to work following a career break? Publications and useful links. - Consultant OT
Guidance on developing yourself as a Consultant Therapist
Resources
- Writing publications
Information about producing practice guidelines and guidance - Briefings
Up to date information and reference material to inform OT's of changes and developments in the profession as they occur. - Guidance
Background information and direction on topics relevant to occupational therapy. - Practice guidelines
Best practice for specific conditions, in specific settings. To help OT staff and service users make decisions about appropriate interventions. - Standards
Broad statements which relate to the organisation and delivery of OT services, rather than actual clinical interventions. Standards provide a defined level of excellence and form a basis for evaluating or auditing services. - Code of ethics and Managing Complaints
A public statement of the values and principles used in promoting and maintaining high standards of professional behaviour in occupational therapy. - National guidelines
Learn about or contribute to the creation of national guidance and best practice in both the prevention and treatment of ill health.


