Professional Development Enhances the Occupational Therapy Work Environment

Abstract

Continuing professional development requires robust support mechanisms to maximise opportunities for the dissemination of best practice and to ensure sustainability. Accordingly, occupational therapists in a county-wide mental health service created a practice development adviser post and embarked on an academic partnership to support the delivery of evidence-based practice. Professional development surveys were then undertaken in 2005 and 2007 to evaluate the changes to the work environment. These demonstrated that the perceived pressures on standards of work (for example, finite resources and generic role demands) were offset by professional supervision, contact with other occupational therapists and having an occupation-focused model of practice.