Option Too is an initiative created by Rehabilitate Therapy Ltd to support OTs to understand much more about the world of independent occupational therapy!
Who are Rehabilitate Therapy?
We are an independent occupational therapy business providing assessment and rehabilitation to over 200 people who have endured catastrophic injuries. We work with over 40 OTs who are contracted on a flexible associate basis – some working with us 3-4 days a week and others 1 or 2. We have a clinical and business infrastructure of people, processes, and resources to ensure our community of OTs are developed and supported in the work they do.
What is Option Too?
It is content intended to educate OTs about working in independent practice. The content we provide is genuine and typically from our OTs who want to share their experiences to support other OTs understand that working in independent practice is an option too. The content might be video, surveys, blogs, Q&A, downloadable guide, and also events / talks you can attend.
In preparing this content we are very aware of what a big step this is for many OTs and how it can be both attractive and daunting in equal measure. We know this through our own research and also through asking our own OTs about their experiences and feelings. We are therefore more than aware of the challenge for many OTs who might want to explore independent practice.
What is attractive about Independent Practice?
Firstly, our OTs often reflect how its brilliant to be the OT they trained to be – client centred and goal focussed. Typically, less restrictions and more opportunity to be progressive and varied. In addition to that a big positive often discussed is the freedom and flexibility it gives OTs professionally and how they have autonomy to be but also a support network and back up!
Other things that OTs refer to are; less politics, less bureaucracy, better work life balance, and also
greater earnings potential.
You get to build a variety of positive and often long lasting therapeutic and professional relationships with a variety of inspiring professionals and clients; case managers, psychologists, solicitors, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, dieticians and other specialists.
What daunts OTs about Independent Practice...
We have realised through our research that there are some consistent themes around OTs’ tentativeness around private practice. These include not knowing how to start in private practice and feeling like they are being disloyal to statutory services services in some way. They also cite more practical concerns like variability of income, lack of pension, holiday and sickness pay and how daunting self employment tax returns can seem.
Option Too content is designed to explore, clarify and demystify this – to provide engaging and genuine content to provide clear information and perspective.
The Bigger Picture...
We work, usually, within the litigation process and therefore get referrals from solicitors / case managers relating to people who have had catastrophic injuries, and there is a claim. This work is unlikely to shrink, and more generally private healthcare is in upward trajectory. Both of those combine to confirm that the demand for independent occupational therapy is highly unlikely to dip and much more likely to incrementally grow. Therefore, independent occupational therapy will become an evermore credible option for OTs, either as a career route in itself, or alongside a career in the NHS / Statutory.
If you would like to have an informal conversation to explore working with Rehabilitate Therapy Ltd please email helencase@rehabilitatetherapy.co.uk.
Initial and exploratory conversations are very informal / exploratory, and of course confidential. You can also speak to any of our associates so you can get a really clear and transparent perspective of working with Rehabilitate Therapy Ltd.