Research Café - February session

Building OT Research Leadership

Occupational therapists in the UK have long delivered frontline care in areas from rehabilitation to social support, but the profession has lagged behind others in generating high-quality research evidence and producing research leaders capable of influencing national priorities.

Recent shifts have elevated the urgency. The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) rolled out its 10-year Research and Innovation Strategy, with the first three-year action plan spanning 2025–2028 focusing on workforce capacity, networking, and funding access. This builds on the established Top 10 research priorities for occupational therapy, which highlight needs like evaluating service effectiveness, cost-benefit in social care, and interventions for complex needs.

Parallel to this, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has expanded opportunities specifically for Allied Health Professionals through schemes like the Developing Research Leader awards. These provide funding, mentorship, and protected time for mid-career AHPs to develop leadership in research, enabling them to lead studies, secure grants, and embed evidence in practice across NHS and social care organisations.

The stakes are tangible. Health and social care systems face persistent workforce shortages, rising demand from ageing populations, and policy pushes for prevention and integration (e.g. anticipated 2026 developments in social care reform and work-health strategies). OTs often lead on practical interventions—home adaptations, return-to-work support, mental health recovery—but without stronger research underpinning, services struggle to demonstrate value for money or justify expansion amid tight budgets. Recent surveys and reports underscore that councils and NHS trusts need more OT-led evidence to unlock capacity and drive preventive approaches.

Less visible tensions include the balance between heavy clinical caseloads and research engagement—many OTs report limited time or confidence for research—and the uneven distribution of opportunities across regions and sectors. The DRL programme addresses this by targeting development in practice settings, but its success depends on uptake and support from employers.