Promotion of Occupational Therapy as a Career: a Survey of Occupational Therapy Managers

Over recent years, there has been a decrease in the number of applicants for the increased number of places on occupational therapy courses (College of Occupational Therapists [COT] 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002a). This assumes greater importance because the National Health Service (NHS) is committed to significant increases in the numbers of health professionals to be educated (Department of Health [DH] 2000a, 2000b, 2002). Several studies on the recruitment of occupational therapy students conducted in the United Kingdom (UK) have identified that the most frequently reported way in which students first become aware of the profession is through their work in a health care setting (Craik and Napthine 2001, Craik et al 2001, Craik and Wyatt-Rollason 2002). The COT provides promotional materials, including leaflets, posters, a Directory of Courses (COT 2002b) and a website (COT 2002c). Broad (2002) reported the launch in 2000 of a careers video, which provides an introduction to the profession. The NHS publishes a careers booklet with general information and leaflets about individual professions for insertion into the booklet (NHS 2001). It has also developed a website which provides information about careers in health (NHS 2002).