The College recognises that candidates for admission onto an occupational therapy degree programme will have a range of knowledge, expertise and skills. All applicants should therefore have the opportunity to enter higher education at the level appropriate to their previous learning and experience
The College of Occupational Therapists’ Strategic Vision and Action Plan for Lifelong Learning (COT 2004) states that the profession should be:
Valuing the achievement of learning of the individual, which is concerned with the recognition of formal and informal learning through the validation and accreditation of prior experience and learning (APEL/APL) and enabling this to count towards further study and career progression (Carter 1999).
COT supports flexible models of learning
The College of Occupational Therapists (COT) recognizes that there are a number of different ways in which a programme leading to eligibility to apply for registration with the UK Health Professions Council (HPC) can be delivered. Our lifelong learning strategy states:
The COT will support the development of flexible models of learning at different levels and with an assortment of stepping on and stepping off points, in a range of locations and through a variety of modes of delivery (COT 2004).
Interprofessional education (IPE) has been promoted for over thirty years as a means of encouraging collaboration between health and social care professions to enhance client care and to implement workforce strategies (Reeves and Summerfield Mann 2003, Barr 2001).
However, it was not until the NHS Plan was published in July 2000 that IPE became a priority. It was stated that the plan would be “liberating the potential of staff” as new joint training would be running across professions to form part of a “new core curriculum for all education programmes for NHS staff” (Secretary of State for Health 2000). In addition the introduction of a new common foundation programme would enable students and staff to change their careers and training paths with greater ease.
Position Statement - Interprofessional Education
If local authorities want to achieve the best outcomes for both their service users and demonstrable cost benefit for their reablement services they need to involve occupational therapists
The purpose of this guidance is to outline the responsibilities of the practice placement provider in reference to part 2 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 - Employment Provisions.
