Career development

framework
Guiding principles for occupational therapy
Second edition
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Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

About the publisher

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the British
Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT) and operates as a registered charity. It represents the
profession nationally and internationally, and contributes widely to policy consultations throughout the
UK. RCOT sets the professional and educational standards for occupational therapy, providing
leadership, guidance and information relating to research and development, education, practice and
lifelong learning. In addition, 10 accredited specialist sections support expert clinical practice.

For more publications and free downloads please visit

rcot.co.uk/publications

Version 2/2022

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This second edition published in 2021

by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists
106–114 Borough High Street
London SE1 1LB
rcot.co.uk

This supersedes the first edition, published in 2017

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists rebranded in 2022. This publication

was republished in January 2022 to reflect the new branding but all other content
remains unchanged

Copyright © Royal College of Occupational Therapists 2021

Author: Royal College of Occupational Therapists

Writers: Dr Stephanie Tempest and Dr Karina Dancza
Date for review: 2026

Acknowledgements
The Career Development Framework was created with RCOT members, Boards and the
RCOT Publications Group, with the OTalk community and through many conversations with
people who used the first edition. RCOT would like to thank all those who helped to craft and
inform the new edition.

All rights reserved, including translation. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, by any form or means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of
the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, unless otherwise agreed or indicated. Copying
is not permitted except for personal and internal use, to the extent permitted by national
copyright law, or under the terms of a licence issued by the relevant national reproduction
rights organisation (such as the Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK). Please visit rcot.
co.uk/practice-resources/rcot-publications/copying-and-permissions regarding requests for
permission for other kinds of copying, such as copying for general distribution, for advertising
or promotional purposes, for creating new collective works, or for resale.

General enquiries about this document should be addressed to the Professional Development
team at prof.dev@rcot.co.uk

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the Royal College of Occupational
Therapists shall not be liable for any loss or damage either directly or indirectly resulting from the
use of this publication.

Please note that this publication is available in online format only

RCOT members can also access a range of implementation tools to help them use the
Framework in practice. These and the PDF of this document are available from
rcot.co.uk/cpd-rcot
Contents
Section 1: Overview of the Career Development Framework: guiding principles for occupational therapy1

Section 2: A few thoughts on career paths, learning and professional development 2

Section 3: Ways to use the Career Development Framework 5

Section 4: Developing the Framework with members 8

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 9

5.1 The four Pillars of Practice descriptors 9

5.2 The Career Level descriptors 11

5.3 Educational attainment at different Career Levels 13

5.4 Types of knowledge at Career Levels 1–9 14

5.5 Professional Practice Pillar: Career Levels 1–9 18

Level 1 – Professional Practice Pillar 18
Level 2 – Professional Practice Pillar 19
Level 3 – Professional Practice Pillar 20
Level 4 – Professional Practice Pillar 21
Level 5 – Professional Practice Pillar 22
Level 6 – Professional Practice Pillar 23
Level 7 – Professional Practice Pillar 24
Level 8 – Professional Practice Pillar 25
Level 9 – Professional Practice Pillar 26

5.6 Facilitation of Learning Pillar: Career Levels 1–9 27

Level 1 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar 27
Level 2 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar 28
Level 3 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar 29
Level 4 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar 30
Level 5 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar 31
Level 6 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar 32
Level 7 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar 33
Level 8 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar 34
Level 9 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar 35

Contents ii
 5.7 Leadership Pillar: Career Levels 1–9 36
Level 1 – Leadership Pillar 36
Level 2 – Leadership Pillar 37
Level 3 – Leadership Pillar 38
Level 4 – Leadership Pillar 39
Level 5 – Leadership Pillar 40
Level 6 – Leadership Pillar  41
Level 7 – Leadership Pillar 42
Level 8 – Leadership Pillar 44
Level 9 – Leadership Pillar 46

5.8 Evidence, Research and Development Pillar: Career Levels 1–9 48

Level 1 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar 48
Level 2 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar 49
Level 3 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar 50
Level 4 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar 51
Level 5 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar 52
Level 6 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar 53
Level 7 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar 54
Level 8 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar 55
Level 9 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar 56

Section 6: Key terms 57

Section 7: Appendices 61

Appendix one: Summary of the resources used to inform the development

of this Framework (including those used to develop the first edition) 61

Appendix two: Initial self-evaluation form 64

Section 8: References and resources 65

Click on tabs on all section pages to access the four Pillars from any page.

Contents iii
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Section 1
Overview of the Career Development
Framework: guiding principles for
occupational therapy
1.1 The Career Development Framework: guiding principles for occupational therapy (also referred to
here as ‘the Framework’) supports the professional development of the whole occupational therapy
workforce to help meet the needs of people who access services, their families and their carers.
1.2 The Framework offers a structure with an overarching set of guiding principles to inform career,
learning and workforce development within the occupational therapy profession.
1.3 The Framework is designed to be inclusive and relevant to everyone. It is intended to be practical,
accessible, flexible and inspirational. It is intended for use in all settings, within all sectors and at all
Career Levels.
1.4 The Framework is structured around four interacting Pillars of Practice, namely: Professional
Practice; Facilitation of Learning; Leadership; and Evidence, Research and Development. Each
Pillar has nine Career Levels.
1.5 Used together, the Pillars of Practice and the Career Levels highlight the breadth and range of
opportunities available for all members of the profession. The Framework addresses needs across
the workforce – from those new to occupational therapy, for example as novice support workers or
pre-registration learners, through to those at the forefront of advancing the profession.
1.6 The Framework is not about pay, terms and conditions, or current job grades or bands. It is not a
performance management tool. It is not a competency framework that requires formal sign-off.
It can help identify the skills, knowledge and ways of thinking that people already have or those
to develop when, for example, planning a move into a different sector, applying for a new job or
preparing for an annual review.
1.7 If you are seeking to develop local, context-specific competencies, you can still use the
Framework, but you will need to do so alongside national occupational standards (e.g. UK National
Occupational Standards: ukstandards.org.uk/Pages/index.aspx).
1.8 The Framework is designed to be used alongside multiprofessional capability frameworks,
many of which also use their own versions of the four Pillars of Practice. This will help articulate
the occupational therapy contribution within the wider workforce and system, for example at
advanced and consultant levels of practice.
1.9 The first edition of the Career Development Framework (2017) replaced the Post qualifying
framework: a resource for occupational therapists (COT 2006) and the Occupational therapy
support worker framework (COT 2009).
1.10 Like its predecessor, this second edition is intended to be used alongside other key documents,
including the Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ Professional standards for occupational
therapy practice, conduct and ethics (2021) and Learning and development Standards for Pre-
registration Education (2019), and standards from the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
1.11 The RCOT’s Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics (2021)
supports the maintenance of high standards, behaviours and values within your current practice
as part of the occupational therapy workforce. The Career Development Framework supports
you to identify what you already know and can do, and where you want to take your learning and
development next.

Section 1: Overview of the Career Development Framework: guiding principles for occupational therapy 1
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Section 2
A few thoughts on career
paths, learning and professional
development
2.1 When using the Framework, look at all four Pillars of Practice to support whole career
development, don’t just focus on one or two:

Evidence,
Research and
Development

Facilitation of Whole career Professional

Learning development Practice

Leadership

Figure 1: The importance of all four Pillars for whole career development

Section 2: A few thoughts on career paths, learning and professional development 2

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2.2 When mapping yourself into the Framework, it is likely that you will be at different Levels
across the four Pillars. This will help you identify potential areas for development as you plan
your career, for example:

Pillar Estimated Career Level

Professional Practice 7

Facilitation of Learning 5

Leadership 5

Evidence, Research and Development 6

Figure 2: Example of Career Levels for each Pillar of Practice

2.3 Career profiles evolve over time. Some Career Levels may go up or down depending on
the nature of the roles you choose to do. For example, if you move into academia, your
Professional Practice Level may go down and your Facilitation of Learning Level will go
up, and this is fine.

2.4 The Career Levels are not the same as NHS bands, local authority grades or higher
education spine points.
2.5 There is no predefined starting Level for HCPC regulated staff, nor is there a ceiling for
support staff.

2.6 Different Career Levels require different types of knowledge (see the tables in Section 5).
As your knowledge and experience grow over time, so will your Career Level.

2.7 There is overlap between the Career Levels:

Level Level Level Level Level Level Level Level Level

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Figure 3: Overlap between the Career Levels

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2.8 Career Levels move from novice to expert and are different from scopes or spheres of
practice (i.e. specialisms). This means that the word ‘specialist’ does not indicate a Career
Level within your practice. For example, you may choose to start work in a specialist field
early on in your career and function as a novice specialist wheelchair technician. Or you
may choose to maintain breadth in your work and gain experience in a range of practice
areas to the point you are recognised as an expert generalist.

Expert Practice

Advanced Generalist

Specialist Generalist
Practice Practice

Junior Specialist

Novice Practice

Figure 4: T
 he relationship between Novice and Expert and Specialist and Generalist Practice

2.9 To make the most of the Career Development Framework, you will need to actively
recognise and challenge your own assumptions. Discussing the principles will help you
to learn more about the perspectives of other people too. You will need to critically reflect
on the context in which you work, the impact of your position, the power you hold and
the impact these have on others. This includes (but is not limited to) considerations of
disability, neurodiversity and race.

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Section 3
Ways to use the Career
Development Framework
The Career Development Framework raises the profile of the profession by emphasising
the range of knowledge, skills and ways of thinking across the four Pillars of Practice
specific to occupational therapy. It supports the identification of experts within the four
Pillars to nurture and make full use of occupational therapy talent. It enables members of
the profession to express the right to apply for roles that are not specific to occupational
therapy or to promote the introduction of new occupational therapy roles in a wide range
of settings. The Framework reinforces occupation-centred identity as the unique selling
point of the profession, regardless of setting. It articulates the unique and pivotal role
that the occupational therapy profession plays within the workforce at all Career Levels.

3.1 If you are an occupational therapist, support worker, pre-registration learner or

someone who is interested in developing a career in occupational therapy, you can use the
Framework as the basis for a reflective learning activity, either on your own or with others, to:
• plan your continuing professional development (Morais 2018) and provide
inspiration to explore different aspects of your career as you think about new
learning opportunities;
• prepare for mentoring, supervision or appraisal;
• structure personal statements in job and promotion applications or the HCPC audit;
• maintain your occupational identity when working in generic roles or diverse settings
(Morais et al 2018);
• promote the contributions that you, as an occupational therapist, can bring to new or
diverse roles;
• articulate your transferable skills from previous careers and life experiences or when
planning a move between different settings (e.g. into research, practice, academia,
leadership, independent practice or emerging roles);
• support pre-registration and postgraduate learners with their practice-based learning;
• support preceptorship, return to practice or career transitions into new roles;
• articulate your career pathway within the profession, including whilst you plan for
retirement (Sainty 2018).
3.2 If you are a person who accesses occupational therapy services, their family member
or carer, the Framework articulates knowledge, skills and ways of thinking that can
be expected of occupational therapy personnel who work with you. The Framework
demonstrates that the profession recognises the importance of continuous learning to
provide up-to-date provision. This means you can trust the quality of the service.

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3.3 If you are an employer or manager, the Framework supports preparation of job
descriptions. It helps clarify the specific abilities of individual team members, to ensure
appropriate skill mix, and can aid staff retention, within and beyond the traditional
scope of practice of the profession. It can be used as a coaching tool to identify learning
and development needs in individual appraisals and supervision or to support CPD
engagement within teams (Silcock and Dunn 2019).
3.4 If you are a funder or commissioner of services, including statutory services, the
insurance industry or case managers, the Framework articulates the broad knowledge,
skills and ways of thinking that occupational therapists offer.

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Getting started with the Career Development Framework: advice from people with experience
of using the first edition (also see Morais et al 2018):

Before you start, it may feel a bit daunting or a little exposing to think about mapping yourself to
different Career Levels for each Pillar. Don’t worry; this seems to be common and it passes. Like most
forms of self-evaluation, it is a bit challenging.

Familiarise yourself with the structure of the Framework, i.e. the four Pillars and the guiding principles
within each of the nine Career Levels. You may find it easier to start by reading the Career Level
descriptors and the knowledge requirements at the start of each Pillar.

Once you have a sense of where you feel you might fit, write down the Level you may be at for each
Pillar.

Go to the corresponding detail in the guiding principles for the Pillar and Level. You may need to
move up and down the different Levels within a Pillar. Many people have been surprised to learn
they are higher than they thought. Repeat this for each Pillar.

Map yourself into the Framework with support from a critical friend or a colleague you trust. You can
use it to provide a structure for career discussions, which often prove to be illuminating.

Don’t see each Pillar in isolation; they are not mutually exclusive and in reality, are often interwoven.
There are elements of each Pillar within all areas of work. This is a crucial point.

It is highly likely that you will be at different Career Levels for different Pillars, or you may be at the
same Levels for all the Pillars – both are fine.

If you work in the NHS, please remember that the Career Levels are not the same as NHS bands.
Don’t be disheartened if you are employed at Band 7 but map yourself at Level 6 (or lower) for some
Pillars – they are different things.

Think about yourself and all the experiences, skills and knowledge acquired throughout your life,
including in previous careers, your lived experiences and from non-work roles. Don’t rate yourself
according to the confines of your current post – this Framework is about you and your own whole
career development.

You do not need to ‘tick off’ all the guiding principles in each Level to ‘pass’ it. When mapping
yourself into the Framework, make an intuitive decision about where you feel you best fit according
to each Pillar – there is no set formula that needs to be applied. Use it flexibly to best meet your
needs.

Appreciate that there is subjectivity in some of the terms. It is a challenge to think about this in
relation to your own area of work, but it can form a basis for discussion. This allows for continued
growth, no matter where you are in your career.

Once you have mapped yourself into the Framework, reflect on and plan which principles you want
to focus on next for your learning and development. And remember to revisit your plan at regular
intervals (e.g. in preparation for supervision).

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Section 4
Developing the Framework
with members
4.1 The first edition of the Career Development Framework involved working with hundreds
of RCOT members, primarily across the UK, and was published in September 2017.
It was based on the Post registration Career Development Framework, available from
careerframework.nes.scot.nhs.uk (NHS Education for Scotland 2016) and the Skills for
Health Career Development Framework (2016), now replaced with the Employability
Skills Matrix (2020), available from https://skillsforhealth.org.uk/wp-content/
uploads/2020/11/Employability-skills-matrix.pdf, both used with kind permission.
4.2 As the Framework was implemented, people chose to use it in different ways. RCOT
members worked with us to produce a range of multimedia learning resources and
templates, including a 12-month plan, a mapping wheel and a template to plot Career
Levels within teams (see rcot.co.uk/cpd-rcot). Work to support and evaluate the
implementation has continued. A formal evaluation was undertaken in 2018 (see Morais
et al 2018).
4.3 Many capability frameworks, strategies, policy documents and other resources have been
published across the UK since 2017. These have been mapped into the second edition of
the Framework to ensure it aligns with them and remains a contemporary resource (see
Section 7: Appendix one).
4.4 This second edition has been developed iteratively since the launch of the first edition,
based on real-time feedback from those using it as well as through formal evaluation
and consultation processes, including a specific consultation from the perspectives of
equality, diversity and inclusion. Through this continuous improvement cycle, we were
able to identify the strengths of the original Framework and where revisions were
required. For example, in the second edition each principle has been given a unique
identifying code to make it easier to capture ongoing learning and development needs.
An initial self-evaluation resource has also been provided (see Section 7: Appendix two).
4.5 Early draft versions of the second edition were developed through informal discussions
with members and the wider profession, including through social media (e.g. a tweet chat
co-hosted with the #OTalk team). The RCOT Learning and Development and Research
and Development Boards also formally discussed sections of early draft versions and
provided feedback.
4.6 The Career Development Framework will continue to evolve. Future editions will seek to
embed co-production principles into the revision process, to enable the voice of people
who access occupational therapy services to inform future work.

We value hearing about how you use the Framework in practice and the impact
it has on your learning and development. Please share your views: via email at
prof.dev@rcot.co.uk; via the website at rcot.co.uk/cpd-rcot or on social media at twitter.
com/theRCOT using #RCOTCareerFramework or at facebook.com/theRCOT

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Section 5
The Guiding Principles
The Framework is structured around four Pillars of Practice (see Figure 5). Whole career
development depends on expanding your knowledge, skills and ways of thinking across all
four Pillars.

The four Pillars of Practice are used widely across the UK, including within multi­professional
frameworks. There is some variation in the wording, but the essence is essentially the same. In
the context of occupational therapy, the following descriptors are used:

5.1 The four Pillars of Practice descriptors

Professional Practice (P) • Maintain occupation at the centre of practice

• Deliver safe, effective, person-centred and ethical practice
• Use professional judgement and evidence-based critical
reasoning to make decisions

Facilitation of Learning (F) • Inspire, teach, mentor, supervise and/or assess others
• Facilitate practice-based and work-based learning
• Access, create and evaluate contemporary learning
environments, methods, tools and materials

Leadership (L) • Identify, monitor and enhance own and others’ knowledge,
skills and ways of thinking
• Lead, guide and/or facilitate teamwork
• Influence, design, plan and implement professional and/or
organisational change

Evidence, Research and • Access, evaluate and implement evidence to inform practice
Development (E)
• Initiate, design, participate in and disseminate research
• Engage with and influence broader socio-economic and
political agendas

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Development
Evidence, Research and

Facilitation of Learning
Professional Practice
Leadership
Evidence, Research
and
Development

Professional
Practice
Le
ad
er
sh
ip

Facilitation
of Learning

Figure 5: A visual representation of the four Pillars of Practice

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5.2 The Career Level descriptors

Each Pillar has nine Career Levels, also used beyond our profession, outlined as follows:

People at:
Level 1 have basic general knowledge and an awareness of the role of occupational therapy; may
carry out practice-based, technical, research-related or administrative duties as per established
protocols or procedures, with guidance and/or direct supervision; are new starters to work in the
sector, not necessarily straight from school; may progress rapidly to Level 2; are aware of quality
improvement projects and the need for self-development.

Level 2 have a basic understanding of occupational therapy and the scope of work; may carry out
practice-based, technical, research-related or administrative duties as per established protocols or
procedures, with guidance and supervision; participate in quality improvement; are beginning to
identify areas for self-development.

Level 3 have knowledge and understanding of facts, occupational therapy procedures, processes,
principles and general concepts in a scope of work; may carry out a wide range of delegated duties
with guidance and supervision when needed; contribute to quality improvement and are responsible
for self-development.

Level 4 have knowledge and understanding of occupational therapy principles, procedures, processes
and general concepts within a scope of work; are guided by standard operating procedures and
protocols; make judgements, plan activities; contribute to quality improvement and demonstrate self-
development; may have responsibility for aspects of supervision of some staff or learners.

Level 5 have comprehensive, factual and theoretical knowledge and understanding of occupational
therapy and of the boundaries of that knowledge; are creative problem-solvers; critically appraise
the evidence base; make judgements within their own scope of work; actively contribute to quality
improvement, research activities and self-development; may have responsibility for supervision of
staff or learners; may be registered practitioners, or may be non-regulated and have a specialist trade
or craft (e.g. posture and seating skills).

Level 6 have enhanced knowledge and critical understanding of occupational therapy theory and its
practical application; lead in a specific scope of practice with some responsibility for service and team
performance; engage in quality improvement and enhance service delivery; are creative problem-
solvers; supervise staff/learners; consistently undertake self-development.

Level 7 have advanced knowledge and critical understanding; are able to appropriately challenge
professional boundaries; pioneer innovations; are responsible for quality improvement in complex
environments; lead within services/research/education contexts; supervise staff/learners; proactively
self-develop.

Level 8 have the most advanced knowledge, skills and ways of thinking; are at the forefront of
the profession; are strategic leaders, political influencers and original thinkers; are responsible and
accountable for finances, quality improvement and research (including design and capacity building)
and/or multiple teams; supervise staff/learners; intuitively self-develop.

Level 9 have the most advanced and innovative occupational therapy knowledge, skills and ways of
thinking in the wider context; develop services to meet population needs; work at the highest level
across organisations; are accountable for the performance of staff/services; influence at a systems
level; lead programmes of quality improvement and research that shape service delivery; supervise
staff/learners; tacitly self-develop.

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Figure 6: Visual representation of the Career Framework Levels

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5.3 Educational attainment at different Career Levels

Career Qualifications that might be expected at this Level of the Career

Level Development Framework

1 • Maths and English to GCSE, standard grades or equivalent

• Evidence of personal development in previous employment and/or education

2 • Maths and English to GCSE, standard grades or equivalent

• Further education qualification (e.g. National Vocational Qualification (level 2),
Scottish Vocational Qualification (level 2)) or a willingness to complete further
education qualifications/obtain equivalent experience
• Evidence of personal development in previous employment and/or education:

3 • Maths and English to GCSE, standard grades or equivalent

• Further education qualification (e.g. National Vocational Qualification (level
2/3), Scottish Vocational Qualification (level 2/3))
• Evidence of education or training relevant to therapies
• Evidence of personal development in previous employment and/or education

4 • Maths and English to GCSE, standard grades or equivalent

• Higher education qualification (e.g. National Vocational Qualification (level
3/4), Scottish Vocational Qualification (level 3/4), Higher National Certificate,
foundation degree)
• Evidence of education or training relevant to therapies
• Evidence of personal development in previous employment and/or education

5 • Diploma in Occupational Therapy

• Degree, honours degree, postgraduate certificate, postgraduate diploma or
Master’s (pre-registration) in Occupational Therapy

6 •D
 iploma in Occupational Therapy
•D
 egree, honours degree or Master’s in Occupational Therapy
•F
 ormal postgraduate study (award or non-award bearing

7 • Postgraduate certificate or diploma

• Master’s degree (postgraduate)
• Formal postgraduate study (award or non-award bearing)

8 • Master’s degree (postgraduate)

• Formal postgraduate study (award or non-award bearing)
• Doctorate

9 • Master’s degree (postgraduate)

• Formal postgraduate study (award or non-award bearing)
• Doctorate

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5.4 Types of knowledge at Career Levels 1–9

Different types of knowledge are required at different Career Levels. Each Pillar of Practice is
underpinned by four knowledge themes. The depth of knowledge that you are expected to have on
these themes varies across the Career Levels, as shown below. They may be used flexibly to plan
ongoing learning and professional development.

Table 5.1 Professional Practice: the types of knowledge required at different Career Levels

Professional Practice

Career Level of knowledge Themes

Level

1 Basic general knowledge of: 1) The importance of enabling people

to do the things they want, need
or are expected to do, to support
2 Basic understanding and knowledge them being well in life, within
of concepts that underpin occupational their own context and cultural
therapy, including: backgrounds

2) The importance of looking after

3 Knowledge of facts, principles, own health and wellbeing as part
processes and general concepts, of providing safe and effective
including: services

4 Factual and theoretical knowledge of: 3) Health conditions, presentations

and the wider determinants of
health that impact on a person’s
5 Comprehensive, factual and theoretical ability to do the things they
knowledge of: want, need or are expected to do
(e.g. education and skills, food,
good work, housing, money and
resources, friends, family and
6 Enhanced knowledge and critical communities, transport)
understanding of:

4) Principles of rehabilitation,
7 Advanced knowledge and critical including the unique contribution
understanding of: of occupational therapy, and
interprofessional knowledge and
skills
8 Most advanced knowledge of:

9 Most advanced and innovative

knowledge of:

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Table 5.2 Facilitation of Learning: the types of knowledge required at different Career Levels

Facilitation of Learning

Career Level of knowledge Themes

Level

1 Basic general knowledge of: 1) The importance of enabling

people to do what they need, want
or are expected to do in their daily
2 Basic understanding and knowledge lives, as part of helping them to live
of concepts that underpin occupational life well
therapy, including:
2) People as occupational beings

3 Knowledge of facts, principles,

processes and general concepts, 3) Different theories about the ways
including: that children (pedagogic) and
adults (andragogic) learn

4 Factual and theoretical knowledge of:

4) Other learning theories (e.g. social
learning theory)
5 Comprehensive, factual and theoretical
knowledge of:

6 Enhanced knowledge and critical

understanding of:

7 Advanced knowledge and critical

understanding of:

8 Most advanced knowledge of:

9 Most advanced and innovative

knowledge of:

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Table 5.3 Leadership: the types of knowledge required at different Career Levels

Leadership

Career Level of knowledge Themes

Level

1 Basic general knowledge of: 1) The unique contribution of

occupational therapy in promoting
occupation for the health and
2 Basic understanding and knowledge wellbeing of everyone
of concepts that underpin occupational
therapy, including:
2) Ways to lead and work with others,
including the theories that underpin
leadership practice
3 Knowledge of facts, principles,
processes and general concepts,
including: 3) The local, regional, national and
international cultures and contexts
and how these influence own work
4 Factual and theoretical knowledge of:
4) The rights and responsibilities
for self and others in relation
5 Comprehensive, factual and theoretical to professionalism, health and
knowledge of: wellbeing in the workplace

6 Enhanced knowledge and critical

understanding of:

7 Advanced knowledge and critical

understanding of:

8 Most advanced knowledge of:

9 Most advanced and innovative

knowledge of:

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 16

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Table 5.4 Evidence, Research and Development: the types of knowledge required at different
Career Levels

Evidence, Research and Development

Career Level of knowledge Themes

Level

1 Basic general knowledge of: 1) People as occupational beings and

the importance of enabling people
to do the things they want, need
2 Basic understanding and knowledge or are expected to do to support
of concepts that underpin occupational wellbeing
therapy, including:

2) Theories underpinning occupational

therapy practice, occupational
3 Knowledge of facts, principles, science and associated evidence
processes and general concepts, bases relevant to the profession
including:

4 Factual and theoretical knowledge of: 3) The concepts involved in doing

research (e.g. co-production with
people who access services, their
families and their carers, the ethics
5 Comprehensive, factual and theoretical process, keeping accurate records)
knowledge of:

6 Enhanced knowledge and critical 4) Different research approaches,

understanding of: including methods and
methodologies (e.g. quantitative
approaches and data analysis)
7 Advanced knowledge and critical
understanding of:

8 Most advanced knowledge of:

9 Most advanced and innovative

knowledge of:

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 17

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

5.5 Professional Practice Pillar: Career Levels 1–9

Level 1 – Professional Practice Pillar

Ways of thinking:

P1.1 Actively listen to the views of others to help solve routine problems.
P1.2 Be consciously aware of own values, culture and position, and the impact these have on own
work and on others.
P1.3 Consider different perspectives, be open to change, question self and others, seeking advice
from more experienced colleagues, for the benefit of people who access services, their families
and their carers.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

P1.4 Work on specific delegated and basic tasks within established protocols with direct
supervision.
P1.5 Work with a degree of autonomy and as part of a team to undertake specific activities set out
in established protocols, with direct supervision.
P1.6 Work within national and local policies and procedures (including, but not limited to,
complaints, confidentiality, consent, data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, ethics,
health and safety, risk management and safeguarding).
P1.7 Communicate information effectively and concisely in routine situations, including with line
managers, colleagues and people who access services, their families and their carers.
P1.8 Understand the importance of respect, and act on feedback from people who access services,
their families and their carers to help maintain high standards and quality within own work.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 18

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 2 – Professional Practice Pillar

Ways of thinking:

P2.1 Actively listen to the views of others to solve routine problems.

P2.2 Be consciously aware of own values, culture and position, and the impact these have on own
work and on others.
P2.3 Consider different perspectives, be open to change and question self and others in own work,
seeking advice from more experienced colleagues when required, for the benefit of those who
access services, their families and their carers.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

P2.4 Work on specific delegated tasks within established protocols with indirect supervision.
P2.5 Work with a degree of autonomy and as part of a team to undertake delegated activities set
out in established protocols, with immediate access to more experienced colleagues.
P2.6 Work within national and local policies and procedures (including, but not limited to,
complaints, confidentiality, consent, data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, ethics,
health and safety, risk management and safeguarding).
P2.7 Communicate information effectively and concisely in routine situations, including with line
managers, colleagues and people who access services, their families and their carers.
P2.8 Understand the importance of respect and act on feedback from people who access services,
their families and their carers, to help maintain high standards and quality within own work.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 19

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 3 – Professional Practice Pillar

Ways of thinking:

P3.1 Actively listen to the views of others to facilitate problem-solving.

P3.2 Be consciously aware of own values, culture and position, and the impact these have on own
work and on others.
P3.3 Consider different perspectives, be open to change and question self and others when making
decisions, guided as necessary by more experienced colleagues, for the benefit of those who
access services, their families and carers.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

P3.4 Carry out routine elements of the occupational therapy process with direct or indirect
supervision.
P3.5 Work with a degree of autonomy and as part of a team, manage delegated activities, and
accept accountability and responsibility for own actions.
P3.6 Work within national and local policies and procedures (including, but not limited to,
complaints, confidentiality, consent, data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, ethics,
health and safety, risk management and safeguarding).
P3.7 Communicate information effectively and concisely in a range of situations, including with line
managers, colleagues and people who access services, their families and their carers.
P3.8 Understand the importance of respect and act on feedback from people who access services,
their families and their carers, to help maintain high standards and quality within own work.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 20

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 4 – Professional Practice Pillar

Ways of thinking:

P4.1 Actively listen to the views of others to facilitate problem-solving and consolidate own views.
P4.2 Be consciously aware of own values, culture and position, and the impact these have on own
work and on others.
P4.3 Consider different perspectives, be open to change and question self and others when making
decisions, guided as necessary by more experienced colleagues, for the benefit of those who
access services, their families and their carers.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

P4.4 Carry out elements of the occupational therapy process with direct or indirect supervision.
P4.5 Work with a degree of autonomy and as part of a team, manage a designated workload within
a scope of practice, and accept accountability and responsibility for own actions.
P4.6 Work within national and local policies and procedures (including, but not limited to,
complaints, confidentiality, consent, data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, ethics,
health and safety, risk management and safeguarding).
P4.7 Communicate information effectively and concisely in a range of situations, including with line
managers, colleagues and people who access services, their families and their carers.
P4.8 Understand the importance of respect, and act on feedback from people who access services,
their families and their carers, to help maintain high standards and quality within own work.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 21

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 5 – Professional Practice Pillar

Ways of thinking:

P5.1 Actively listen to and reflect on the needs and views of people who access services, their
families and their carers.
P5.2 Actively listen to and seek the views of others within the multiprofessional team to facilitate
shared ownership of decision making.
P5.3 Be consciously aware of own values, culture and position, and the impact these have on own
work and on others.
P5.4 Think critically, reflect and be open to change when making professional judgements, guided as
necessary by others, for the benefit of those who access services, their families and their carers.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

P5.5 Complete the occupational therapy process, including managing complexity, with supervision
as required.
P5.6 Work autonomously and as part of a team, manage a designated workload within a scope of
practice, and accept professional accountability and responsibility.
P5.7 Work within national and local policies and procedures (including, but not limited to,
complaints, confidentiality, consent, data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, ethics,
health and safety, risk management and safeguarding), the Health and Care Professions
Council’s professional regulatory requirements where appropriate and the Royal College of
Occupational Therapists’ Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and
ethics (2021).
P5.8 Communicate information effectively and concisely in a range of situations.
P5.9 Share and justify own viewpoint succinctly and appropriately in a range of situations, including
with senior managers and decision makers.
P5.10 Utilise formal systems for obtaining feedback from people who access services, their families
and their carers.
P5.11 Implement practices that promote participation, inclusivity and the rights of people who
access occupational therapy services, their families and their carers, in line with their choices.
P5.12 Exercise professional judgement to manage risk, including positive risk-taking.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 22

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 6 – Professional Practice Pillar

Ways of thinking:

P6.1 Actively listen to and reflect on the needs and views of people who access services, their
families and their carers.
P6.2 Actively listen to and seek the views of others within the multiprofessional team to facilitate
shared ownership of decision making.
P6.3 Be consciously aware of own values, culture and position and the impact these have on own
work and on others.
P6.4 Think critically, reflect and be open to change when making professional judgements, including
those in more complex and unpredictable contexts, guided as necessary by others, for the
benefit of those who access services, their families and their carers.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

P6.5 Complete the occupational therapy process, including managing complexity, with guidance
from others as required.
P6.6 Work autonomously and as part of a team, and assume professional accountability and
responsibility for a specific aspect of service delivery.
P6.7 Work within national and local policies and procedures (including, but not limited to,
complaints, confidentiality, consent, data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, ethics,
health and safety, risk management and safeguarding), the Health and Care Professions
Council’s professional regulatory requirements where appropriate and the Royal College of
Occupational Therapists’ Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and
ethics (2021), and support others to do so.
P6.8 Share and justify own viewpoint succinctly and appropriately in a range of situations, including
to senior managers and decision makers.
P6.9 Utilise formal systems for obtaining and responding appropriately to feedback from people
who access services, their families and their carers.
P6.10 Respond constructively to queries and complaints.
P6.11 Implement practices that promote participation, inclusivity and the rights of people who
access occupational therapy services, their families and their carers in line with their choices,
and support others to do so.
P6.12 Exercise professional judgement to manage risk, including positive risk-taking, and support
others to do so.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 23

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 7 – Professional Practice Pillar

Ways of thinking:

P7.1 Actively listen to and reflect on the needs and views of people who access services, their
families and their carers.
P7.2 Actively listen to and seek the views of others within the system to facilitate shared ownership
of decision making.
P7.3 Be consciously aware of own values, culture and position, and the impact these have on own
work and on others.
P7.4 Think critically, reflect and be open to change when making professional judgements, including
those in more complex and unpredictable contexts, guided as necessary by others, for the
benefit of those who access services, their families and their carers.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

P7.5 Complete the occupational therapy process using advanced decision-making skills within
complex contexts where protocols and pathways may not exist.
P7.6 Work autonomously and as part of a team, understanding and appropriately developing the
scope of professional practice to create new ways of working for the benefit of those who
access services, their families and their carers.
P7.7 Work within national and local policies and procedures (including, but not limited to,
complaints, confidentiality, consent, data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, ethics,
health and safety, risk management and safeguarding), the Health and Care Professions
Council’s professional regulatory requirements and the Royal College of Occupational
Therapists’ Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics
(2021), and support others to do so.
P7.8 Assume professional accountability and responsibility for a broad aspect of service delivery.
P7.9 Role-model advanced communication skills, including active listening, negotiation, managing
sensitive news and justifying own viewpoint.
P7.10 Respond constructively to queries and complaints, and support others to do so.
P7.11 Utilise formal systems for obtaining feedback from people who access services, their families
and their carers.
P7.12 Contribute to strategies and practices that challenge stigma and discrimination and that
promote inclusivity and participation for people who access occupational therapy services,
their families and their carers, in line with their choices, and support others to do so.
P7.13 Exercise professional judgement to manage risk, including positive risk-taking, especially in
complex and unpredictable situations, and support others to do so.
P7.14 Embed the evaluation of impact into practice, across all settings and at an operational level.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 24

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 8 – Professional Practice Pillar

Ways of thinking:

P8.1 Actively listen to and reflect on the needs and views of people who access services, their
families and their carers.
P8.2 Actively listen to and seek the views of others to facilitate shared ownership of decision making.
P8.3 Be consciously aware of own values, culture and position, and the impact these have on own
work and on others.
P8.4 Think critically, be open to change and reflect when making professional judgements, including
those in the most complex and unpredictable contexts, guided as necessary by others, for the
benefit of those who access services, their families and their carers, and support others to do so.
P8.5 Make critical judgements and decisions in circumstances where a precedent may not exist.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

P8.6 Role-model how to complete the occupational therapy process using independent decision-
making skills within complex and unpredictable contexts.
P8.7 Work autonomously and as part of a team across systems, understanding and appropriately
developing the scope of professional practice to create new ways of working to benefit those
who access services, their families and their carers.
P8.8 Assume professional accountability and responsibility for service delivery.
P8.9 Work within national and local policies and procedures (including, but not limited to,
complaints, confidentiality, consent, data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, ethics,
health and safety, risk management and safeguarding), the Health and Care Professions
Council’s professional regulatory requirements and the Royal College of Occupational
Therapists’ Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics
(2021), and support others to do so.
P8.10 Role-model expert communication skills, including active listening, negotiation, managing
sensitive news and justifying own viewpoint.
P8.11 Assume professional accountability for the overall management of complaints and/or conflicts.
P8.12 Contribute to strategies and practices that challenge stigma and discrimination and that
promote participation, inclusivity and shared decision making with people who access
occupational therapy services, their families and their carers, in line with their choices, and
support others to do so.
P8.13 Embed the evaluation of impact into practice, across all settings and at strategic and
operational levels.
P8.14 Role-model professional judgement skills to manage risk, including positive risk-taking,
especially in complex and unpredictable situations, and support others to do so.
P8.15 Facilitate the collaborative review of services, standards, guidelines and policies, including
through audit, service redesign and evaluation of outcomes.
P8.16 Implement, review and develop formal systems for obtaining feedback from people who
access services, their families and their carers.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 25

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 9 – Professional Practice Pillar

Ways of thinking:

P9.1 Actively listen to and seek views of others, including those who access services, their families
and their carers, and others across the system, to facilitate shared ownership of decision making.
P9.2 Be consciously aware of own values, culture and position, and the impact these have on own
work and on others.
P9.3 Think critically, be open to change and reflect when making professional judgements, including
those in the most complex and unpredictable contexts, guided as necessary by others.
P9.4 Be open to change to consider ways to work differently across the system for the benefit of
those who access services, their families and their carers, and support others to do so.
P9.5 Make critical judgements and decisions, including in circumstances where a precedent may
not exist.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

P9.6 Exemplify how to assess, intervene and evaluate using independent decision making within
complex and unpredictable contexts, across the system.
P9.7 Work autonomously and as part of a team, and assume professional accountability and
responsibility at a systems level.
P9.8 Work within national and local policies and procedures (including, but not limited to,
complaints, confidentiality, consent, data protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, ethics,
health and safety, risk management and safeguarding), the Health and Care Professions
Council’s professional regulatory requirements and the Royal College of Occupational
Therapists’ Professional standards for occupational therapy practice, conduct and ethics
(2021), and support others to do so.
P9.9 R
 ole-model expert communication skills, including active listening, negotiation, dealing with
sensitive information and justifying own viewpoint.
P9.10 Assume professional accountability for the strategic processes and overall decisions made
regarding management of complaints and/or conflicts.
P9.11 Contribute to strategies and practices that challenge stigma and that promote participation,
inclusivity and shared decision making with people who access occupational therapy
services, their families and their carers, in line with their choices.
P9.12 Ensure robust strategic processes are in place for the collaborative review of services,
standards, guidelines and policies through audit, service redesign and evaluation of
outcomes.
P9.13 Embed the evaluation of impact into practice, across all settings and at a strategic level.
P9.14 Role-model professional judgement skills to manage risk, including positive risk-taking,
especially in complex and unpredictable situations, and support others to do so.
P9.15 Ensure strategic processes are in place for obtaining feedback from people who access
services, their families and their carers.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 26

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

5.6 Facilitation of Learning Pillar: Career Levels 1–9

Level 1 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar

Ways of thinking:

F1.1 Seek opportunities to learn from and with others.

F1.2 Consider how the learning from other work and previous life experiences can benefit current work.
F1.3 Be open to guidance from more experienced colleagues to identify and act on own learning
needs, across the four Pillars of Practice.
F1.4 Recognise the need to learn about how own behaviours and values impact on others.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

F1.5 Engage in, apply and record relevant learning and development activities to identify the impact
and benefit of own learning for self and others, including people who access services, their
families and their carers.
F1.6 Support others to learn about the importance of doing activities to be healthy and well.
F1.7 Actively participate in ongoing learning, including orientation, induction, mandatory training
and relevant educational/developmental opportunities.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 27

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 2 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar

Ways of thinking:

F2.1 Seek opportunities to learn from and with others.

F2.2 Consider how the learning from other work and previous life experiences can benefit
current work.
F2.3 Identify ways to contribute to a culture in which everyone is encouraged to constantly learn
(including from mistakes), to receive and give constructive feedback, and learn from and with
each other.
F2.4 Recognise the need to learn about how own behaviours and values impact on others.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

F2.5 Engage in, apply and record relevant learning and development activities to identify the impact
and benefit of own learning for self and others, including people who access services, their
families and their carers.
F2.6 Support others to learn about the importance of doing activities to be healthy and well.
F2.7 Consolidate own knowledge, skills and ways of thinking, and begin to identify your own
learning needs across the four Pillars of Practice, through proactive participation in regular
supervision/mentoring.
F2.8 Actively participate in ongoing learning, including orientation, induction, mandatory training
and relevant educational/developmental opportunities.
F2.9 Use basic teaching skills to support people to learn new techniques or regain pre-existing ones
(e.g. the correct use of standard equipment).

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 28

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 3 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar

Ways of thinking:

F3.1 Seek opportunities to learn from and with others.

F3.2 Consider how the learning from other work and previous life experiences can benefit
current work.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

F3.3 Actively participate in ongoing learning, including orientation, induction, mandatory training

and relevant educational/developmental opportunities.
F3.4 Engage in, apply and record relevant learning and development activities, and identify the
impact and benefit of own learning for self and people who access services, their families and
their carers.
F3.5 Support others to learn about the importance of doing activities to be well and healthy.
F3.6 Begin to identify own learning needs across the four Pillars of Practice, through proactive
participation in regular supervision/mentoring.
F3.7 Support people to learn new techniques or regain pre-existing ones (e.g. the correct use of
mobility and adaptive equipment).
F3.8 Contribute to a culture in which everyone is encouraged to constantly learn (including from
mistakes), to receive and give constructive feedback, and learn from and with each other.
F3.9 Contribute to the delivery and evaluation of educational resources (e.g. for pre-registration and
postgraduate learners, and people who access occupational therapy services, their families
and carers).
F3.10 Contribute to supporting practice-based learning within own workplace (e.g. via induction
and orientation programmes).
F3.11 Seek feedback to learn about how own behaviours and values impact on others, and respond
appropriately to that feedback.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 29

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 4 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar

Ways of thinking:

F4.1 Actively engage in ongoing learning, including orientation, induction, mandatory training and
relevant educational/developmental opportunities.
F4.2 Consider how the learning from other work and previous life experiences can benefit
current work.
F4.3 Demonstrate cultural awareness and have a clear understanding of the level of study being
undertaken, the specific learning outcomes and the associated expectations when supporting
learners, or being the learner, during practice-based learning or ‘on the job’ training, to enhance
safe and effective learning.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

F4.4 Engage in, apply and record relevant learning and development activities, and identify the
impact and benefit of own learning for self and others, including people who access services,
their families and their carers.
F4.5 Promote the value of occupations for health and wellbeing to others.
F4.6 Identify learning needs across the four Pillars of Practice, through proactive participation in
regular supervision/mentoring.
F4.7 Support people to learn new techniques or regain pre-existing ones (e.g. the correct use of
standard equipment).
F4.8 Support the creation of a culture in which everyone is encouraged to learn (including from
mistakes), to receive and give constructive feedback, and to learn from and with each other.
F4.9 Contribute to the development and evaluation of educational resources (e.g. for pre-registration
learners, and people who access occupational therapy services, their families and their carers).
F4.10 Contribute to the supervision, mentoring and education of others (including pre-registration
learners), with more experienced colleagues as required.
F4.11 Engage in peer review processes to support own learning.
F4.12 Actively seek feedback about how own behaviours and values impact on others, and respond
appropriately to that feedback.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 30

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 5 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar

Ways of thinking:

F5.1 Actively engage in ongoing learning, including orientation, induction, mandatory training and
relevant educational/developmental opportunities.
F5.2 Seek opportunities to learn from and with others.
F5.3 Consider how the learning from other work and previous life experiences can benefit
current work.
F5.4 Demonstrate cultural awareness and have a clear understanding of the level of study being
undertaken, the specific learning outcomes and the associated expectations when supporting
pre-registration learners, or being the learner, during practice-based learning or ‘on the job’
training, to enhance safe and effective learning.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

F5.5 Engage in, apply and record relevant continuing professional development across the four
Pillars of Practice, to identify the impact and benefit of own learning for self and others,
including people who access services, their families and their carers.
F5.6 Support and inspire people to learn about the value of occupations for health and wellbeing.
F5.7 Identify learning needs across the four Pillars of Practice, through proactive participation in
regular professional supervision/mentoring and reflective practice.
F5.8 Support people (e.g. learners) to learn new techniques (e.g. study skills, energy conservation
techniques).
F5.9 Support the creation of a culture in which everyone is encouraged to reflect and constantly
learn (including from mistakes), to receive and give constructive feedback, and to learn from
and with each other.
F5.10 Supervise, mentor and educate others (including pre-registration learners) for routine aspects
of practice, with more experienced colleagues as required.
F5.11 Contribute to the development and evaluation of educational resources (e.g. for learners,
people who access occupational therapy services, their families and their carers).
F5.12 Contribute to professional networks to promote the exchange of knowledge, skills and resources.
F5.13 Engage in peer review processes to support own learning.
F5.14 Actively seek feedback to learn about how own behaviours and values impact on others, and
respond appropriately to that feedback.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 31

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 6 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar

Ways of thinking:

F6.1 Actively engage in ongoing learning, including orientation, induction, mandatory training and
relevant educational/developmental opportunities, and support others to do so.
F6.2 When supporting pre-registration learners or being the learner in the practice setting or
during ‘on the job’ training, demonstrate cultural awareness and have a clear understanding
of the level of study being undertaken, the specific learning outcomes and the associated
expectations, and work together to clarify these to enhance safe and effective learning.
F6.3 Proactively seek opportunities to work across practice and education settings (e.g. pre-/
postgraduate student recruitment, practice-based learning, curriculum development/teaching,
assessment).

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

F6.4 Engage in, apply and record relevant continuing professional development across the four Pillars
of Practice, to identify the impact and benefit of own learning for self and others, including
people who access services, their families and their carers, and support others to do so.
F6.5 Support and inspire people to teach and learn about the value of occupations for health
and wellbeing.
F6.6 Consolidate own knowledge, skills and attitudes and identify learning needs of self and
others across all four Pillars of Practice, through proactive participation in regular professional
supervision/mentoring and reflective practice.
F6.7 Support learners and educators to consider and apply new techniques to enhance learning.
F6.8 Facilitate the creation of a culture in which everyone is encouraged to reflect and learn
(including from mistakes), to receive and give constructive feedback, and to learn from and with
each other.
F6.9 Develop and evaluate high-quality educational resources (e.g. for learners, people who access
occupational therapy services, their families and their carers).
F6.10 Supervise, mentor and educate others (including pre-registration learners).
F6.11 Contribute to professional networks to promote the exchange of knowledge, skills, resources
and peer review processes.
F6.12 Encourage learning by challenging complacency, actions and ways of thinking that may not
be in the best interests of the public and/or those who access services, their families and
their carers.
F6.13 Support the capacity for practice-based learning within own team/scope of practice for all,
including pre-registration and postgraduate learners.
F6.14 Role-model actively seeking feedback to learn about how own behaviour and values impact
on others, and take a proactive approach to respond appropriately to that feedback.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 32

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 7 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar

Ways of thinking:

F7.1 Actively engage in ongoing learning, including orientation, induction, mandatory training and
relevant educational/developmental opportunities, and support others to do so.
F7.2 When supporting or working as a learner, or being a learner in the practice setting,
demonstrate cultural awareness and understand the level of study being undertaken, the
specific learning outcomes and the associated expectations, and be able to clarify these to
enhance safe and effective learning.
F7.3 Consider and seek to apply the potential of emerging learning and development processes
(e.g. technology-enabled learning) to promote accessible and flexible learning for all.
F7.4 Proactively seek to work across practice and education settings (e.g. student recruitment,
practice-based learning, curriculum development, teaching, assessment).
F7.5 Consider a range of models to deliver safe and effective practice-based learning (e.g. peer-
assisted, long-arm, interprofessional, remote/virtual).

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

F7.6 Role-model ways to engage in, apply and record relevant continuing professional development
activities across the four Pillars of Practice, to identify the impact and benefit of own learning
for self and others, including people who access services, their families and their carers.
F7.7 Role-model ways to teach and learn about the value of occupations for health and wellbeing.
F7.8 Identify and respond appropriately to the learning needs of self and the wider team across
the four Pillars of Practice, through proactive participation in regular professional supervision/
mentoring and reflective practice.
F7.9 Support learners and educators to critically consider and use a range of new techniques.
F7.10 Advocate for, and facilitate the creation of, a culture in which everyone is encouraged to
reflect and learn (including from mistakes), to receive and give constructive feedback and to
learn from and with each other.
F7.11 Develop and evaluate high-quality educational resources (e.g. for learners, people who access
occupational therapy services, their families and their carers) and new methods of delivery.
F7.12 Act as a role model to inspire, supervise, mentor and educate others (including learners)
seeking to instil and develop confidence.
F7.13 Contribute to and co-create interprofessional networks to promote the exchange of
knowledge, skills, resources and peer review processes.
F7.14 Create opportunities for self and others to work across practice and education settings (e.g.
student recruitment, practice-based learning, curriculum development/teaching, assessment).
F7.15 Actively contribute to the development of pre-registration curricula.
F7.16 Encourage learning by challenging complacency, actions and ways of thinking that may not be in
the best interests of the public and/or those who access services, their families and their carers.
F7.17 Support the development of processes to optimise capacity for practice-based learning for
all learners.
F7.18 Role-model actively seeking feedback to learn about how own behaviour and values impact
on others, and taking a proactive approach to responding appropriately to that feedback.
F7.19 Appraise and respond to individuals’ motivations, cultural values, levels of practice and
capacity to effectively support their own professional development.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 33

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 8 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar

Ways of thinking:

F8.1 Actively engage in ongoing learning, including orientation, induction, mandatory training and
relevant educational/developmental opportunities, and support others to do so.
F8.2 Consider the potential in emerging learning and development processes (e.g. technology-
enabled learning) to promote accessible and flexible learning for all.
F8.3 When guiding others to support pre-registration learners, ensure they demonstrate cultural
awareness and have a clear understanding of the level of study being undertaken, the specific
learning outcomes and the associated expectations, to enhance safe and effective learning.
F8.4 Consider a range of models to deliver safe and effective practice-based learning (e.g. peer-
assisted, long-arm, interprofessional, remote/virtual).

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

F8.5 Ensure strategies are in place to support all learners to engage in, apply and record relevant
continuing professional development across the four Pillars of Practice.
F8.6 Role-model ways to teach and learn about the value of occupations for health and wellbeing.
F8.7 Identify and respond appropriately to the learning needs of self and others across the four
Pillars of Practice, through proactive participation in regular peer support/mentoring and
reflective practice.
F8.8 Support learners and educators from a range of cohorts/multiple programmes to critically
consider and use a range of new techniques.
F8.9 Create a culture in which everyone is encouraged to reflect and learn (including from mistakes),
to receive and give constructive feedback, and to learn from and with each other.
F8.10 Develop and evaluate high-quality educational resources (e.g. for pre-registration and
postgraduate learners, people who access occupational therapy services, their families and
their carers), including those that promote the value of occupations for health and wellbeing.
F8.11 Act as a role model to inspire, supervise, mentor, peer support and educate others (e.g. MSc/PhD
supervision, research collaboration) to strengthen the performance and effectiveness of others.
F8.12 Contribute to, co-create and review the impact of interprofessional networks to aid the
exchange of knowledge, skills, resources and peer review processes.
F8.13 Challenge complacency, actions and ways of thinking that may not be in the best interests of
the public and/or those who access services, their families and their carers.
F8.14 Establish effective processes to optimise the availability of and capacity for high-quality
practice-based learning for all learners.
F8.15 Actively contribute to the development of pre-registration and postgraduate curricula.
F8.16 Ensure effective processes are in place to create opportunities for self and others to work across
practice and education settings (e.g. board membership, practice-based learning, curriculum
development/teaching, assessment).
F8.17 Role-model actively seeking feedback to learn about how own behaviour and values impact
on others, and taking a proactive approach to responding appropriately to that feedback.
F8.18  Develop and evaluate new methods of delivery to enhance the quality and impact of the
learning experience.
F8.19 Assume accountability and responsibility for overall delivery of learning and development of
in-house training programmes.
F8.20 Create a culture that facilitates mastery and innovation in practice-based, technical and/
or research-based skills to support career progression of others, drawing on experts with
advanced knowledge of learning and development, to plan, implement and evaluate current
and future learning opportunities.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 34

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 9 – Facilitation of Learning Pillar

Ways of thinking:

F9.1 Actively engage in ongoing learning, including orientation, induction, mandatory training and
relevant educational/developmental opportunities, and support others to do so.
F9.2 When guiding others to support pre-registration learners, ensure you all demonstrate cultural
awareness and have a clear understanding of the level of study, the specific learning outcomes
and expectations, to enhance safe and effective learning.
F9.3 Consider the potential in emerging learning and development processes (e.g. technology-
enabled learning) to promote accessible and flexible learning for all.
F9.4 Consider a range of models to deliver safe and effective practice-based learning (e.g. peer-
assisted, long-arm, interprofessional, remote/virtual).

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

F9.5 Ensure strategies are in place to support all learners to engage in, apply and record relevant
continuing professional development and collect data to measure the impact and benefit of the
learning for self and people who access services, their families and their carers.
F9.6 Role-model ways to teach and learn about the value of occupations for health and wellbeing.
F9.7 Identify and respond appropriately to the learning needs of self and others through proactive
participation in regular peer support/mentoring and reflective practice.
F9.8 Support learners and educators on multiple programmes to critically consider and use a range
of new techniques.
F9.9 Ensure strategies are in place to create a culture in which everyone is encouraged to reflect and
learn (including from mistakes), to receive and give constructive feedback, and to learn from
and with each other.
F9.10 Oversee the development and evaluation of high-quality educational resources (e.g. for
learners, people who access occupational therapy services, their families and their carers) and
new methods of delivery.
F9.11 Inspire, supervise, mentor, peer support and educate others (e.g. senior leaders, or via post-
doctoral supervision, research collaboration) to strengthen the performance and effectiveness
of self and others.
F9.12 Monitor the effectiveness and impact of interprofessional networks to aid the exchange of
knowledge, skills, resources and peer review processes.
F9.13 Encourage learning by challenging complacency, actions and ways of thinking that may not be
in the interests of the public and/or those who access services, their families and their carers.
F9.14 Embed and monitor strategies to ensure the availability of and capacity for high-quality
practice-based learning for all learners.
F9.15 Monitor the effectiveness and impact of the opportunities for self and others to work across
practice and education settings (e.g. board membership, international collaborations).
F9.16 Assume overall accountability and responsibility for teaching and learning or training
programmes within a setting or multiple settings.
F9.17 Create a culture that facilitates mastery and innovation in practice-based, technical and/
or research-based skills to advance the profession, drawing on experts with advanced
knowledge of learning and teaching, to plan, implement and evaluate current and future
learning opportunities.
F9.18 Role-model actively seeking feedback to learn how own behaviour and values impact on
others, and proactively responding appropriately to that feedback.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 35

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

5.7 Leadership Pillar: Career Levels 1–9

Level 1 – Leadership Pillar

Ways of thinking:

L1.1 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be improved
or reported (e.g. where practice is potentially unsafe, where there are displays of
microaggressions or behaviours that are discriminatory or reinforce stigma).
L1.2 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised
and celebrated, to facilitate a culture within which people can excel.
L1.3 Alert colleagues and/or managers to resource issues that affect learning, development and
performance.
L1.4 Understand the local cultural, social, political and economic climate and its impact on
service delivery.
L1.5 Recognise the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience when
advocating for self and others.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

L1.6 Act as a role model to promote the values of the profession.

L1.7 Manage daily work routine with direct or indirect supervision.
L1.8 Advocate for the needs of those who access occupational therapy services, their families and
their carers.
L1.9 Actively promote rights and responsibilities for self and others, including but not limited
to professionalism, equity, equality, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellbeing in
the workplace.
L1.10 Consider and propose alternative ways to get the job done without compromising service
quality, recognising and seeking to influence a change in culture where needed.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 36

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 2 – Leadership Pillar

Ways of thinking:

L2.1 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be improved
or reported (e.g. where practice is potentially unsafe, where there are displays of
microaggressions, or behaviours that are discriminatory or that reinforce stigma).
L2.2 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised
and celebrated, to facilitate a culture within which people can excel.
L2.3 Alert colleagues and/or managers to resource issues that affect learning, development and
performance.
L2.4 Understand the cultural, social, political and economic climate locally and its impact on
service delivery.
L2.5 Recognise the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience when
advocating for self and others.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

L2.6 Act as a role model to promote the values of the profession.

L2.7 Manage a designated workload, time and resources effectively with direct or indirect supervision.
L2.8 Advocate for the needs of those who access occupational therapy services, their families and
their carers.
L2.9 Actively promote the rights and responsibilities for self and others, including but not limited
to professionalism, equity, equality, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellbeing in the
workplace.
L2.10 Suggest alternative ways to get the job done without compromising service quality,
recognising and seeking to influence a change in culture where needed.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 37

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 3 – Leadership Pillar

Ways of thinking:

L3.1 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be improved
or reported (e.g. where practice is potentially unsafe, where there are displays of
microaggressions, or behaviours that are discriminatory or that reinforce stigma).
L3.2 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised
and celebrated, to facilitate a culture within which people can excel.
L3.3 Alert colleagues and/or managers to resource issues that affect learning, development
and performance.
L3.4 Understand the importance of, and build, self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

L3.5 Act as a role model to promote the values of the profession.

L3.6 Manage a designated workload, identify priorities, and manage time and resources effectively
with guidance, within a complex and changing system.
L3.7 Advocate for the needs of those who access occupational therapy services, their families and
their carers.
L3.8 Actively promote the rights and responsibilities for self and others, including but not limited
to professionalism, equity, equality, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellbeing in the
workplace.
L3.9 Suggest alternative ways to get the job done without compromising service quality,
recognising and seeking to influence a change in culture where needed.
L3.10 Volunteer for leadership opportunities within the service.
L3.11 Navigate the local cultural, social, political and economic climates that impact on service delivery.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 38

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 4 – Leadership Pillar

Ways of thinking:

L4.1 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be improved
or reported (e.g. where practice is potentially unsafe, where there are displays of
microaggressions, or behaviours that are discriminatory or that reinforce stigma).
L4.2 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised
and celebrated, to facilitate a culture within which people can excel.
L4.3 Alert colleagues and/or managers to resource issues that affect learning, development and
performance.
L4.4 Maintain curiosity to continually develop practice in response to changing population needs
and challenges.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

L4.5 Act as a role model to promote the values of the profession.

L4.6 Manage a designated workload, identify priorities, and manage time and resources effectively
with guidance as appropriate, within a complex and changing system.
L4.7 Advocate for the needs of those who access occupational therapy services, their families and
their carers.
L4.8 Actively promote the rights and responsibilities for self and others, including but not limited
to professionalism, equity, equality, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellbeing in the
workplace.
L4.9 Suggest alternative ways to get the job done without compromising service quality,
recognising and seeking to influence a change in culture where needed.
L4.10 Volunteer for leadership opportunities within the system.
L4.11 Navigate the cultural, social, political and economic climates that impact on local service
delivery now, whilst anticipating future issues.
L4.12 Take some managerial/leadership responsibility for the work of others within a defined and
supervised structure.
L4.13 Actively participate in building self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience, and
actively embrace and seek opportunities to engage in courageous conversations when
advocating for self and others.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 39

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 5 – Leadership Pillar

Ways of thinking:

L5.1 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be improved
or reported (e.g. where practice is potentially unsafe, where there are displays of
microaggressions, or behaviours that are discriminatory or that reinforce stigma).
L5.2 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised
and celebrated, to facilitate a culture within which people can excel.
L5.3 Alert colleagues and/or managers to resource issues that affect learning, development and
performance.
L5.4 Maintain curiosity to continually develop practice in response to changing population needs
and challenges.
L5.5 Know and understand the roles of the strategic decision makers within and beyond own
organisation.
L5.6 Identify links between the work that you do and the current policies that shape services.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

L5.7 Provide leadership and support others to promote the profession, founded on person-centred,
compassionate and values-based leadership principles.
L5.8 Manage a designated workload autonomously, identify priorities, and manage time and
resources effectively, within changing and complex environments.
L5.9 Seek to influence and respond to the cultural, social, political and economic climates, both
locally and nationally, that impact on service delivery and those who access services, their
families and their carers.
L5.10 Actively promote the rights and responsibilities for self and others, including but not limited
to professionalism, equity, equality, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellbeing in the
workplace.
L5.11 Contribute to and facilitate the achievement of setting specific objectives for self and/or others.
L5.12 Take responsibility for the work of others within a defined and supervised structure.
L5.13 Review and develop services as part of a team, and evaluate the effect and outcomes of
change, recognising and influencing a change in culture where needed.
L5.14 Effectively make use of use existing partnerships with others across organisational and
agency boundaries.
L5.15 Use a range of communication styles and, where necessary, adapt professional language to
influence, advocate for and promote occupational therapy to different audiences within and
beyond the profession.
L5.16 Actively participate in building self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience, and
actively embrace and seek opportunities to engage in courageous conversations when
advocating for self and others.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 40

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 6 – Leadership Pillar

Ways of thinking:

L6.1 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be improved
or reported (e.g. where practice is potentially unsafe, where there are displays of
microaggressions, or behaviours that are discriminatory or that reinforce stigma).
L6.2 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised
and celebrated, to facilitate a culture within which people can excel.
L6.3 Alert colleagues and/or managers to current and potential future resource issues that may
affect learning, development and performance.
L6.4 Maintain curiosity to continually develop practice in response to changing population needs
and challenges.
L6.5 Know and understand the role of the strategic decision makers within and beyond own
organisation and ways to inform their work.
L6.6 Know the current strategic policy drivers that shape services and use them to inform own work.
L6.7 Role-model the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience, and
engage in courageous conversations when advocating for self and others.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

L6.8 Provide leadership and support others to promote the profession founded on person-centred,
compassionate and values-based leadership principles.
L6.9 Autonomously manage own workload, identify priorities, and manage time and resources
effectively, within changing and complex environments.
L6.10 Manage the response to the cultural, social, political and economic climates, both locally and
nationally, that impact on service delivery and those who access services, their families and
their carers, within own sphere of influence.
L6.11 Actively promote the rights and responsibilities for self and others, including but not limited
to professionalism, equity, equality, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellbeing in the
workplace.
L6.12 Formulate and influence the achievement of setting specific objectives for self, others and at a
service level.
L6.13 Take responsibility for the work of others within a defined scope of practice, with more
experienced colleagues as required.
L6.14 Review and develop services as part of a team, and evaluate the effect and outcomes of
change, recognising and influencing a change in culture where needed.
L6.15 Develop new partnerships and make effective use of existing partnerships with others across
organisation and agency boundaries.
L6.16 Contribute to the effective management of a budget, in conjunction with others.
L6.17 Use a range of communication styles and where necessary adapt professional language
to influence, advocate and promote occupational therapy to different audiences within and
beyond the profession.
L6.18 Contribute to the recruitment of staff, learners and/or volunteers.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 41

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 7 – Leadership Pillar

Ways of thinking:

L7.1 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be improved
or reported (e.g. where practice is potentially unsafe, where there are displays of
microaggressions, or behaviours that are discriminatory or that reinforce stigma).
L7.2 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised
and celebrated, to facilitate a culture within which people can excel.
L7.3 Recognise and address current and potential future resource issues that may affect learning,
development and performance.
L7.4 Maintain curiosity to continually develop practice in response to changing population needs
and challenges.
L7.5 Contribute knowledge and information to the strategic decision makers within and beyond own
organisation to inform their work.
L7.6 Actively promote to others how policy drivers can be used to shape local services.
L7.7 Role-model the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience, and
engage in courageous conversations when advocating for self and others.
L7.8 Think strategically and understand the importance of negotiating to influence change.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

L7.9 Provide innovative and visionary team leadership to promote the profession, founded on
person-centred, compassionate and values-based leadership principles, influencing a cultural
shift where needed.
L7.10 Manage own workload, identify priorities, and manage time and resources effectively within
complex and changing systems, acting as a role model for others in own team.
L7.11 Manage the response to and influence the cultural, social, political and economic climates,
locally, nationally and internationally, that impact on service delivery and people who access
services, their families and their carers, within own sphere of influence.
L7.12 Actively promote the rights and responsibilities for self and others, including but not limited
to professionalism, equity, equality, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellbeing in the
workplace.
L7.13 Formulate and lead on the achievement of specific objectives aligned to local, regional and
national strategic direction, to facilitate a high-performance team focused on the needs of the
people and populations who access services, their families and their carers.
L7.14 Take responsibility for the work of others within a broad scope of practice.
L7.15 Evaluate the impact and outcomes of change on service delivery, including the experiences of
people who access services, their families and their carers.
L7.16 Effectively collaborate and develop partnerships with others within and across organisational
and agency boundaries, including local community groups and charities, to promote health
and wellbeing using occupation.
L7.17 Contribute to the effective management of a budget, in conjunction with others.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 42

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

L7.18 Adapt professional language and actively promote the use of a range of communication styles
to influence, advocate and promote the profession to different audiences.
L7.19 Evaluate own practice to demonstrate the impact of advanced level practice within the team.
L7.20 Create own networks to enhance own strategic-level leadership abilities.
L7.21 Lead quality improvement and service redesign solutions, using feedback from multiple
perspectives, including from people who access services, their families and their carers.
L7.22 Enable people you work with from a diverse range of backgrounds to take on leadership
responsibilities in order to expand opportunities and build capacity.
L7.23 Lead on components of the recruitment of staff, learners and volunteers.
L7.24 Monitor workloads, critically review skill mix and participate in service funding/commissioning
activities (e.g. develop business cases).
L7.25 Negotiate an individual scope of practice within legal, ethical, professional and organisational
policies, governance and procedures, with a focus on delivering safe and effective services.
L7.26 Seek opportunities to pioneer innovations, experiment and take supported risks to ensure
safe and effective service provision at a systems level.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 43

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 8 – Leadership Pillar

Ways of thinking:

L8.1 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be improved
or reported (e.g. where practice is potentially unsafe, where there are displays of
microaggressions, or behaviours that are discriminatory or that reinforce stigma).
L8.2 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised
and celebrated, to facilitate a culture within which people can excel.
L8.3 Recognise and strategically manage current and potential future resource issues that may
affect learning, development and performance.
L8.4 Role-model the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence and resilience, and
engage in courageous conversations when advocating for self and others.
L8.5 Actively seek ways to support funders, commissioners and senior leaders with their
decision making.
L8.6 Actively seek knowledge and information from people who access services, their families and
their carers, and colleagues across the system at all Career Levels to inform strategic thinking
and decision making.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

L8.7 Provide innovative and visionary strategic leadership to promote the profession, founded on
person-centred, compassionate and values-based leadership principles, leading a cultural shift
where needed.
L8.8 Manage the balance between the requirements of operational versus strategic leadership
within complex and changing systems, acting as a role model for others.
L8.9 Manage the response to and influence the cultural, social, political and economic climates,
locally, nationally and internationally, that impact on service delivery and people who access
services, their families and their carers.
L8.10 Actively promote the rights and responsibilities for self and others, including but not
limited to professionalism, equity, equality, diversity and inclusion, and health and wellbeing
in the workplace.
L8.11 Formulate and lead on the achievement of service-level objectives aligned to regional
and national strategic priorities and maximise congruence between personal, team and
organisational objectives, to facilitate high-performing teams across the system.
L8.12 Take strategic responsibility for the work of others within one or more services/settings.
L8.13 Evaluate the impact and outcomes of change on service delivery and the experiences of those
who access services, their families and their carers.
L8.14 Build and maintain sustainable strategic alliances across organisational and agency
boundaries, including local community groups and patient associations, to promote health and
wellbeing through occupation.
L8.15 Assume overall responsibility for the effective management of a budget.
L8.16 Ensure the profession’s voice is represented at a strategic level.
L8.17 Evaluate own practice and share the outcome with others, to demonstrate the impact of
advanced level practice within the system.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 44

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

L8.18 Create networks to enhance own executive-level leadership abilities.

L8.19 Strategically influence the continued development of an integrated system, at a regional and
national level, that focuses on the needs of the people and the populations it serves.
L8.20 Enable others from a diverse range of backgrounds to take on leadership responsibilities to
expand opportunities and build capacity.
L8.21 Maintain a strategic overview of the recruitment of staff/learners/volunteers, recognising the
value that people from diverse backgrounds bring to senior leadership roles.
L8.22 Monitor workloads, critically review skill mix and succession planning, and build business
cases where needed.
L8.23 Negotiate an individual scope of practice within legal, ethical, professional and organisational
policies, governance and procedures, with a focus on delivering safe and effective services.
L8.24 Create opportunities to pioneer innovations, experiment and take supported risks to ensure
safe and effective service provision at a systems level.
L8.25 Facilitate cultures that provide high-standard, cost-effective, streamlined services with
capacity to work across traditional services and professional boundaries.
L8.26 Role-model a strong, visible presence to form open, trusting and collaborative relationships
within and beyond organisational boundaries.
L8.27 Build and maintain networks of leaders who can work together across the system for the
benefit of those who access services, their families and their carers.
L8.28 Anticipate the impact of wider determinants on health and participate in strategic planning to
mitigate negative trends.
L8.29 Act as a national leader, create opportunities to represent the profession/organisation and
ensure the profession/organisation is aware of local and national changes to health and care
systems.

Section 5: The Guiding Principles 45

 Pillar 1 Pillar 2 Pillar 3 Pillar 4
Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Level 9 – Leadership Pillar

Ways of thinking:

L9.1 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be improved
or reported (e.g. where practice is potentially unsafe, where there are displays of
microaggressions, or behaviours that are discriminatory or that reinforce stigma).
L9.2 Recognise and act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised
and celebrated, to facilitate a culture within which people can excel.
L9.3 Recognise and strategically manage current and potential future resource issues that may
affect learning, development and performance.
L9.4 Role-model the importance of self-awareness, emotional intelligence, resilience and engaging
in courageous conversations when advocating for the profession across the system.
L9.5 Actively seek knowledge and information from people who access services, their families and
their carers, and colleagues across the system at all Career Levels to inform strategic thinking
and decision making.
L9.6 Actively work with others to use policy drivers to shape services across the system.
L9.7 Maintain curiosity to continually develop practice in response to changing population needs
and challenges.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-based):

L9.8 Provide executive leadership to promote and grow the profession, founded on person-centred,
compassionate and values-based leadership principles, driving a cultural shift where needed.
L9.9 Manage own strategic leadership responsibilities within complex and changing systems, acting
as a role model for others.
L9.10 Lead the response to and influence the cultural, social, political and economic climates, locally,
nationally and internationally, that impact on service delivery and those who access services,
their families and their carers.
L9.11 Assume accountability for actively promoting the rights and responsibilities for self and
others, including but not limited to professionalism, equity, equality, diversity and inclusion,
and health and wellbeing in the workplace.
L9.12 Set the strategic vision for the organisation(s) and work with others to operationalise the
strategic vision and ensure its reflection in the work of the organisation(s).
L9.13 Assume accountability for governance, operational and workforce planning, and developing
effective organisational communication systems.
L9.14 Act where performance and practice of self and others should be recognised, celebrated,
reported or improved, to facilitate a culture in which people can excel.
L9.15 Evaluate and optimise the effect and outcome of change at a systems level.
L9.16 Role-model a strong, visible presence to form open, trusting and collaborative relationships
within and beyond organisational boundaries.
L9.17 Be accountable for the congruence between budget and strategic planning within the
organisation.
L9.18 Ensure the profession’s voice is represented at the highest strategic level.

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L9.19 Build and maintain networks of leaders who can work together across the system for the
benefit of those who access services, their families and their carers.
L9.20 Provide strategic leadership for quality improvement and service development projects, in
accordance with new evidence and/or strategic intent.
L9.21 Maintain a strategic overview of the recruitment of staff/learners/volunteers, recognising the
value that people from diverse backgrounds bring to senior leadership positions.
L9.22 Provide strategic oversight to develop and maintain high-standard, cost-effective, streamlined
provision with capacity to work across traditional services and professional boundaries.
L9.23 Create and promote opportunities to pioneer innovations, experiment and take supported
risks, to ensure safe and effective service provision across the system.
L9.24 Anticipate the impact of wider determinants on health, and participate in strategic planning to
mitigate negative trends.
L9.25 Create networks to enhance own executive-level leadership abilities.

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5.8 Evidence, Research and Development Pillar:

Career Levels 1–9
Level 1 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar

Ways of thinking:

E1.1 Know the importance of evidence and research to deliver safe and effective services.
E1.2 Constructively question own and others’ practice to identify opportunities to generate new
knowledge.
E1.3 Understand the importance of and comply with research governance processes, including
ethics, data protection and confidentiality.
E1.4 Understand the research priorities for the profession and how they relate to the context of own
work (e.g. within a specialist area).

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

E1.5 Read different types of materials, summarise the key messages and discuss findings in relation
to own work.
E1.6 Complete standard forms.
E1.7 Keep accurate records.
E1.8 Undertake delegated components of research and related processes with guidance.
E1.9 Take part in pre-designed audit and quality improvement projects.

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Level 2 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar

Ways of thinking:

E2.1 Know the importance of evidence and research to deliver safe and effective services.
E2.2 Constructively question own and others’ practice to create opportunities to generate new
knowledge.
E2.3 Understand and comply with research governance processes, including ethics, data protection
and confidentiality, with guidance.
E2.4 Understand the research priorities for the profession and within the context of own work (e.g.
within a specialist area).

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

E2.5 Read different types of materials, summarise the key messages and discuss findings.
E2.6 Complete standard forms.
E2.7 Keep accurate records.
E2.8 Undertake research and service evaluation processes and participate in pre-designed audits
and quality improvement initiatives, with guidance.
E2.9 Follow set, pre-designed protocols.
E2.10 Discuss findings from research and own opinions of them (e.g. as part of a journal club).
E2.11 Sign up to receive research-related alerts and notifications (e.g. from professional organisations).

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Level 3 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar

Ways of thinking:

E3.1 Know the importance of evidence and research in delivering safe and effective services.
E3.2 Constructively question own and others’ practice to create opportunities to generate new
knowledge.
E3.3 Understand and comply with research governance processes, including ethics, data protection
and confidentiality, with guidance.
E3.4 Understand the research priorities for the profession and within the context of own work (e.g.
within a specialist area).

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

E3.5 Read different types of materials, summarise, and question the key findings.
E3.6 Record routine research/service evaluation data with guidance.
E3.7 Follow set, pre-designed protocols.
E3.8 Undertake pre-designed audit and/or contribute to quality improvement initiatives, with guidance.
E3.9 Support the recruitment of research participants and/or people who access services, their
families and their carers as co-researchers.
E3.10 Set up and/or actively participate in a journal club.
E3.11 Sign up to receive monthly journal alerts (e.g. British Journal of Occupational Therapy) and
other research-related notifications.
E3.12 Apply evidence-based practice guidelines.

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Level 4 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar

Ways of thinking:

E4.1 Know the importance of evidence and research in delivering safe and effective services.
E4.2 Constructively question own and others’ practice to create opportunities to generate new
knowledge.
E4.3 Understand and comply with research governance processes, including ethics, data protection
and confidentiality, with support if needed.
E4.4 Understand the research priorities for the profession, and within the context of own work (e.g.
within a specialist area).
E4.5 Prioritise the needs of the local population when thinking about future research activities and/or
quality improvement projects.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

E4.6 Undertake systematic information searches, select relevant information and critically

summarise the findings.
E4.7 Engage in/set up audit activities and contribute to quality improvement projects with minimal
guidance.
E4.8 Record routine research/service evaluation data and undertake basic analysis, with guidance.
E4.9 Support the involvement of people who access services, their families and their carers in the
research process (e.g. co-designing quality improvement and research projects).
E4.10 Undertake participant recruitment and consent activities as part of a team.
E4.11 Create methods to disseminate contemporary findings (e.g. research noticeboards, blogs,
posters, presentations) with guidance to inform content.
E4.12 Respond to practice guideline development opportunities (e.g. at RCOT).
E4.13 Apply evidence to inform practice, with guidance.

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Level 5 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar

Ways of thinking:

E5.1 Constructively question own and others’ practice to create opportunities to generate

new knowledge.
E5.2 Understand and comply with research governance processes, including ethics, data protection
and confidentiality.
E5.3 Prioritise the needs of the local population when thinking about future research activities and/or
quality improvement projects.
E5.4 Understand the strategic vision for research within the profession and the work setting.
E5.5 Incorporate local and national policy drivers when thinking about research activities.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

E5.6 Undertake systematic information searches, select relevant information, and critically read,
appraise and synthesise new knowledge.
E5.7 Recruit research participants, undertake basic analysis of research/service evaluation data and
record routine research/service evaluation data with guidance.
E5.8 Set up small-scale research, audit or quality improvement projects.
E5.9 Identify evidence gaps and contribute to the formulation of critical question(s) that warrant
further audit or research, including research questions that could be explored by pre-
registration occupational therapy learners at local universities.
E5.10 Facilitate the involvement of people who access services, their families and their carers, staff
and/or learners to co-design and co-produce aspects of research and/or quality improvement.
E5.11 Submit abstracts for peer-reviewed conferences.
E5.12 Contribute to small grant applications and development awards with guidance, to facilitate
research activity.
E5.13 Contribute to the development of practice guidelines.
E5.14 Act as a local research champion.

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Level 6 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar

Ways of thinking:

E6.1 Constructively question own and others’ practice to create opportunities to generate

new knowledge.
E6.2 Understand and comply with research governance processes, including ethics, data protection
and confidentiality, and support others to do so.
E6.3 Prioritise the needs of the local population when thinking about future research activities and/or
quality improvement projects.
E6.4 Understand the strategic vision for research within the profession and the work setting,
where applicable.
E6.5 Incorporate local and national policy drivers when thinking about future research activities.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

E6.6 Critically appraise, translate and apply published evidence to inform practice.
E6.7 Co-ordinate and synthesise findings from small-scale research, audit or quality
improvement projects.
E6.8 Identify evidence gaps and contribute to the formulation of critical question(s) that warrant
further audit or research, including research questions that could be explored by pre- and post-
registration occupational therapy learners (e.g. at local universities).
E6.9 Facilitate the involvement of people who access occupational therapy services, their families
and their carers, as well as staff and/or learners, to co-design and co-produce aspects of
research and/or quality improvement.
E6.10 Disseminate the findings of research activities to enable the widest access to new evidence
and innovations, including through high-quality publications, professional and public
engagement sessions and via appropriate media.
E6.11 Apply for research fellowship opportunities and peer-reviewed funding (e.g. via RCOT Annual
Awards and Research Foundation).
E6.12 Contribute to the development of large grant applications.
E6.13 Contribute to the development of guidelines and policy at a local, regional and/or national level.
E6.14 Act as a local research champion.
E6.15 Disseminate and publish research findings.
E6.16 Contribute to the supervision of research assistants, pre-registration and postgraduate
master’s learners, identifying and linking with local trials/studies (not necessarily specific to
occupational therapy).
E6.17 Contribute to peer review processes (e.g. as a journal/conference abstract reviewer, by joining
a scientific programme committee).

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Level 7 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar

Ways of thinking:

E7.1 Develop, implement and comply with research governance, including ethics, data protection
and confidentiality, and support others to do so.
E7.2 Constructively question own and others’ practice to create opportunities to generate
new knowledge.
E7.3 Maintain awareness of national processes for research governance, and their impact on local
policies and procedures.
E7.4 Support the strategic vision to create a culture that values and enables people to engage in and
with research and quality improvement initiatives at a level that is appropriate for them.
E7.5 Incorporate local and national policy drivers when thinking about future research activities.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

E7.6 Critically engage in and with research activity, using valid and reliable methods, and support
others to do so (e.g. systematic information searches, recruitment of research participants,
gathering and analysing data sets).
E7.7 Identify evidence gaps, including trends and changes in the health, wellbeing and needs of a
population, and formulate critical question(s) that warrant further audit or research, proposing
pragmatic ways to address them.
E7.8 Facilitate the involvement of people who access occupational therapy services, their families
and their carers, staff and/or learners, to co-design and co-produce aspects of research and/or
quality improvement.
E7.9 Lead research, quality improvement or service evaluation projects at a local, regional and/or
national level.
E7.10 Disseminate research findings to enable the widest access to new research evidence and
innovations, including through high-quality publications, professional and public engagement
sessions and via appropriate media.
E7.11 Lead funding proposals, apply for fellowships and/or contribute to larger proposals with more
experienced colleagues.
E7.12 Build partnerships between practice and local universities and/or other external organisations,
including industry and professions outside of health and care.
E7.13 Contribute to the development and evaluation of guidelines and policy at a local, regional and/
or national level.
E7.14 Act as a local/regional research champion.
E7.15 Contribute to peer review processes (e.g. as a journal/conference abstract reviewer, by joining
a scientific programme committee).
E7.16 Supervise research assistants or pre- and post-registration master’s and doctoral learners.

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Level 8 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar

Ways of thinking:

E8.1 Constructively question own and others’ thinking and practice to generate new knowledge
through original research or other advanced scholarship.
E8.2 Ensure adherence to appropriate policies and research governance.
E8.3 Lead the strategic vision to create a culture that values and enables people to engage in and
with research and quality improvement initiatives at a level that is appropriate for them.
E8.4 Maintain awareness of national processes for research governance, and their impact on local
policies and procedures.
E8.5 Incorporate national and global policy drivers when thinking about future research activities.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

E8.6 Role-model the integration of research and learning to inform practice and support others to
do so, including identifying gaps in the evidence base and synthesising knowledge from
multiple sources.
E8.7 Identify trends and changes in the health, wellbeing and needs of a population, including
at a national level, to formulate critical questions that warrant further research, audit or
service evaluation.
E8.8 Ensure strategic processes are in place to facilitate the involvement of people who access
occupational therapy services, their families and their carers, staff and/or learners, to co-design
and co-produce aspects of research and/or quality improvement.
E8.9 Lead on dissemination activities to enable the widest access to new research evidence and
innovations, including through high-quality publications, professional and public engagement
sessions, and via appropriate media.
E8.10 Contribute to and/or lead on substantial external proposals for competitive funding.
E8.11 Contribute to the development and evaluation of guidelines and policy at a national and/or
international level.
E8.12 Contribute to peer review processes (e.g. as a journal/ conference abstract reviewer, by
joining a scientific programme committee).
E8.13 Build networks across sectors to form research collaborations.
E8.14 Lead national research programmes.
E8.15 Maintain a national research profile.
E8.16 Develop international research networks.
E8.17 Supervise research assistants and pre- and post-registration master’s, doctoral and post-
doctoral learners.
E8.18 Create a culture that values and supports people to engage in and with research and
quality improvement (e.g. initiate and/or co-ordinate regional and/or international
research programmes).

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Level 9 – Evidence, Research and Development Pillar

Ways of thinking:

E9.1 Constructively question own and others’ practice to generate new knowledge through original
research or other advanced scholarship.
E9.2 At a strategic level, ensure adherence and actively contribute to appropriate research
governance policies and ensure they remain current.
E9.3 Ensure the strategic vision for research is embedded into practice to enable all staff at all
Career Levels to engage in and with research activity.
E9.4 Incorporate national and global policy drivers when thinking about future research activities.

Skills (practice-based, technical or research-related):

E9.5 Role-model the integration of research and learning to inform practice and support others to
do so, including identifying gaps in the evidence base and synthesising knowledge from
multiple sources.
E9.6 Identify current and predict future trends and changes in the health, wellbeing and needs of
populations, including at a global level, to formulate critical question(s) that warrant further
research, audit or service evaluation.
E9.7 Ensure the development of, implement and review strategic processes to facilitate the
involvement of people who access occupational therapy services, their families and their carers,
staff and/or learners, to co-design and co-produce aspects of research and/or
quality improvement.
E9.8 Lead on dissemination activities to enable the widest access to new research evidence and
innovations, including through high-quality publications, professional and public engagement
sessions, and via appropriate media.
E9.9 Lead on substantial external research proposals for competitive funding, including, for example,
multi-centre trials, and supervise the contributions of others.
E9.10 Contribute to peer review processes (e.g. as a journal editor or conference abstract reviewer,
by joining a scientific programme committee).
E9.11 Develop strategic approaches to influence national and international guidelines and research
agendas based on best evidence/research.
E9.12 Supervise research assistants, doctoral and post-doctoral projects.
E9.13 Maintain an international research profile.

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Section 6
Key terms
RCOT has selected or developed these definitions and explanations to help with the
understanding of this document.

Capability The ability to do something. A step beyond competence; capable

practitioners can handle change and devise solutions in complex
situations
(McGee and Inman 2019, p14)

Carer Someone who provides (or intends to provide), paid or unpaid, a

substantial amount of care on a regular basis for someone of any age
who is unwell, or who, for whatever reason, cannot care for themselves
independently.
(Based on Great Britain. Parliament 1995)
This is sometimes divided into formal carers (care workers), who are
paid to give care, and informal carers (often family), who are not paid to
provide care.

Competence/ ‘Competence is the acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities at a level

Competency of expertise sufficient to be able to perform in an appropriate work setting’.
(Harvey 2020)

Continuing The way in which an individual continues to learn and develop

professional throughout their career, including during their pre-registration
development programme. CPD is essential and evolves skills, knowledge, professional
(CPD) identity and professional conduct so that individuals stay up to date and
practise safely and effectively.
(Adapted from Interprofessional CPD and
Lifelong Learning UK Working Group 2019)

Data protection ‘Data protection is the fair and proper use of information about people.
It’s part of the fundamental right to privacy – but on a more practical
level, it’s really about building trust between people and organisations.’
(Information Commissioner’s Office 2019)

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Discrimination Treating a person, or particular group of people, less favourably than

another is, has been or would be treated in a comparable situation,
based on an identifiable characteristic.
(Adapted from European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Council
of Europe 2011, p22)
The Equality Act 2010 identifies the following protected characteristics:
age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership,
pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
(Great Britain. Parliament 2010, Chapter 1)

Diverse settings Settings or roles where occupational therapists traditionally have

not worked.

Diversity ‘The fact of many different types of things or people being included in
something; a range of different things or people.’
(Cambridge University Press 2020)
‘The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It
means understanding that each individual is unique and recognizing
our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race,
ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age,
physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies.’
(Queensborough Community College 2018)

Environment The circumstances, objects or conditions that make up a person’s

surroundings, in which they live and that they experience. This might
include physical, social, economic, societal, cultural, attitudinal or virtual
environments.

Equality ‘Equality is about ensuring that every individual has an equal

opportunity to make the most of their lives and talents.
‘It is also the belief that no one should have poorer life chances because
of the way they were born, where they come from, what they believe, or
whether they have a disability.
‘Equality recognises that historically certain groups of people with
protected characteristics such as race, disability, sex and sexual
orientation have experienced discrimination.’
(Equality and Human Rights Commission 2018)

Equity Equity is often defined as the state, quality or ideal of being just, impartial
and fair. The concept of equity is linked with fairness and justice.

Ethical A quality or status that describes the reasoning, actions and behaviours
of a person, group (or organisation) as right in the moral sense of a
person, group (or organisation) as right in the moral sense.

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Ethics Principles and values that govern the reasoning, actions and behaviours
of a person or group, in this case within a profession. These often relate
to beliefs about what is morally right or wrong.

Generic role or A generic role may involve combining tasks previously undertaken by
practice different professions. This might be a part or all of a role, for example
providing management support across a range of professional groups,
or carrying out a range of health checks within the community.

Inclusion Inclusion is a universal human right. The aim of inclusion is to embrace and
value the diversity of everyone equally, across all aspects of life. It is about
giving equal access and opportunities, and removing barriers. It is also
about giving respect, and getting rid of discrimination and intolerance.

Learner ‘An individual enrolled in an occupational therapy pre-registration

programme, regardless of which entry route into the profession the
learner is enrolled in. Learners may also be known as “students” or, in
the case of apprenticeship pre-registration programmes, “apprentices”.’
(Royal College of Occupational Therapists 2019, p12)

Lifelong ‘Formal and informal learning opportunities that allow an individual to

learning continuously develop and improve the knowledge and skills they need
for employment and personal fulfilment.’
(Interprofessional CPD and Lifelong
Learning UK Working Group 2019)

Occupation ‘In occupational therapy, occupations refer to the everyday activities that
people do as individuals, in families and with communities to occupy
time and bring meaning and purpose to life.’
(World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) 2019)
‘Occupation includes the things we need, want or have to do.’
(Wilcock 2006, p14)

Occupational For the purposes of this document, this is a collective term that
therapy includes occupational therapists, support workers and occupational
workforce therapy learners, including students and apprentices. It is applicable to
practitioners in all roles, including those who are in management and
leadership, education, research, consultancy and advisory roles and
working in industry.

People who The term ‘people who access services’ has been used for those to
access services whom occupational therapists provide intervention. This may be an
individual, families and carers, a group or a community.

Pillars of The four Pillars of Practice are: Professional Practice; Facilitation of

Practice Learning; Leadership; and Evidence, Research and Development. Whole
career learning and development must encompass elements of all four
Pillars for safe and effective practice.

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Practice-based ‘Occupational therapy education delivered in a variety of settings

learning that allows learners to apply and practise their newly acquired
knowledge and skills in a safe environment. Practice-based learning
has traditionally occurred in role-established settings, such as hospitals
and community health services; however, alternative and non-
traditional settings are also integral to pre-registration programmes.
The inclusion of practice-based learning settings in which there is no
existing occupational therapy role is important to develop learners with
leadership skills who are capable of working in diverse settings.’
(RCOT 2019, p13)

Practice Level Refers to Career Levels 1–9 as defined by Skills for Health and used as
the structure within the Career Development Framework. Also refers to
your level of practice on the novice–expert continuum.
(Based on Benner 1982)

Scope of This is the area or areas of your profession in which you have chosen to
practice practise, with the knowledge, skills and experience to practise lawfully,
safely and effectively.
(Adapted from HCPC 2013, p4)
This may be a specialist scope of practice (e.g. paediatrics, linked to
a medical speciality, or it may be a setting such as social care). It is
different from a Career Level.

Service Within the context of this document, the term ‘service’ usually refers
to the occupational therapy service that you provide as an individual or
group, rather than referring to the occupational therapy department or
facility.

Specialist Refers to a scope of practice rather than a level of practice. A person

may work as a specialist within a defined area at any Career Level (e.g.
as a specialist technician in a wheelchair service).

Way of thinking A mental attitude or approach that predetermines your interpretation of

information and situations, your response to them and your behaviour or
conduct.

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Section 7
Appendices
 ppendix one: Summary of the resources used to inform the
A
development of this Framework (including those used to develop
the first edition)
Adult Social Care, Learning & Development Team, Somerset County Council (2016)
Supported first year in practice framework for newly qualified occupational therapists. Leeds:
Skills for Care. Available at: https://learnfromothers.skillsforcare.org.uk/Library/Somerset%20
ASYE%20for%20social%20workers%20and%20OTs.pdf
Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (2018) Career & education framework for
nurses in primary health care: registered nurses. South Melbourne, AU: APHCNA. Available at:
https://www.apna.asn.au/files/APNA%20Career%20and%20Education%20Framework%20
for%20Nurses%20in%20Primary%20Health%20Care%20-%20Registered%20Nurses.pdf
College of Occupational Therapists (2009) Occupational therapy support worker framework.
London: COT.
College of Occupational Therapists (2006) Post qualifying framework: a resource for
occupational therapists. London: COT.
Council of Allied Health Professions Research (2019) Shaping better practice through
research: CAHPR research practitioner competency framework. Available at: https://cahpr.csp.
org.uk/content/cahpr-research-practitioner-framework
Council of Deans (2019) Becoming research confident – Research in pre-registration
curricula for nursing, midwifery and allied health programmes in the UK. Available at: https://
councilofdeans.org.uk/2019/05/new-report-becoming-research-confident-research-in-pre-
registration-curricula-for-nursing-midwifery-and-allied-health-programmes-in-the-uk/
Department of Health (2019) Advanced AHP practice framework: guidance for supporting
advanced allied health professions in practice in health and social care. [Northern Ireland].
Belfast: DH. Available at: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/publications/health/
AHP-Framework.pdf
Department of Health (2004) The NHS knowledge and skills framework (NHS KSF) and
the development review process. London: DH. Available at: http://www.nhsemployers.org/
SimplifiedKSF
Health and Care Professions Council (2016) Standards of conduct, performance and ethics.
London: HCPC. Available at: https://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards/standards-of-conduct-
performance-and-ethics/
Health Education England (2020) Multi-professional consultant-level practice capability
and impact framework. Available at: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/
Sept%202020%20HEE%20Consultant%20Practice%20Capability%20and%20Impact%20
Framework.pdf
Health Education England (2017) Multi-professional capability framework for advanced
clinical practice in England. Available at: https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/advanced-clinical-
practice/multi-professional-framework

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Intensive Care Society (2018) AHP critical care professional development framework.
London: Intensive Care Society. Available at: http://www.ics.ac.uk/ICS/Resources___AHP_
Framework.aspx
Interprofessional CPD and Lifelong Learning UK Working Group (2019) Principles for
continuing professional development and lifelong learning in health and social care.
Bridgwater: College of Paramedics. Available at: https://rcot.co.uk/practice-resources/rcot-
publications/downloads/rcot-standards-and-ethics
Macmillan Cancer Support (2017) The Macmillan allied health professions competence
framework. [London]: Macmillan Cancer Support. Available at: https://www.macmillan.org.
uk/_images/allied-health-professions-framework_tcm9-314735.pdf
MS Trust, Parkinson’s UK and Motor Neurone Disease Association (2018) Allied health
professionals’ competency framework for progressive neurological conditions. [London]:
[Parkinson’s UK]. Available at: https://www.parkinsons.org.uk/sites/default/files/2018-10/
AHP%20Competency%20framework%202018_0.pdf
National Improvement and Leadership Development Board (2016) Developing people:
improving care: a national framework for action on improvement and leadership development
in NHS-funded services. [London]: [NHS Improvement]. Available at: https://improvement.nhs.
uk/documents/542/Developing_People-Improving_Care-010216.pdf
National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare [ca. 2010] Framework for
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college-occupational-therapists-research-and-development-strategy-20192024

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All websites accessed on 17/11/2020.

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Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Appendix two: Initial self-evaluation form

Pillar Areas for further self-development (insert codes, e.g. P7.4, F5.6,
L6.8, E4.3)

Professional
Practice (P)

Facilitation of
Learning (F)

Leadership (L)

Evidence,
Research and
Development
(E)

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Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

Section 8
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Professional Practice Facilitation of Learning Leadership Evidence, Research and Development

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rcot.co.uk
© 2021 Royal College of Occupational Therapists. A registered charity in England and Wales (No. 275119)
and in Scotland (No. SCO39573) and a company registered in England (No. 1347374)

Section 5: The Guiding Principles