RCOT Celebration of Excellence in Occupational Therapy Awards 2023 by Bryony Gettins

On 17 October 2023, I was very privileged to be invited to the RCOT Celebration of Excellence in Occupational Therapy, along with a colleague.

We had been invited as I had been successful in gaining the Constance Owens Liverpool Award for Service Development 2022-3 and my colleague, Hannah Henson, was my ‘plus one’ as my previous manager, who had provided me with wonderful support during the application process for the award and then through the short project I completed with the funds gained.

My project, entitled ‘Holding my own destiny: Person-centered shared goal sheets' involved the trial of a proposed person-centered shared goal sheet that moved with a person through the in-patient hospital system, and then gain feedback from clinicians, clients and families how they found using the sheet and their thoughts on its aim to support collaboration between therapists and service users, to aid co-production. The project lasted for 4 weeks in February 2023 but has since been continued by myself and other colleagues such that we are now a few versions later of the goal sheet and it has been shared with other members of the multidisciplinary team such that it might support professional practice wider than just within the Occupational Therapy therapeutic relationship.

The awards day consisted of a short ceremony during which award recipients’ voices were heard through video and sound clips and interviews of those who were being awarded as Fellows of the RCOT and also Laura Rossiter, who was awarded an International Activity Award. These presentations enabled all present to hear of the diversity of research and development activity that has recently been undertaken with the RCOT’s support, impacts of this activity, appreciate the collaborative team effort underpinning each and every project and celebrate their achievements. 

Following the award ceremony there was time for refreshments and conversations with others in attendance. I was surprised by the warm and encouraging responses of other awardees to the project I had undertaken and how this work has since developed, feeling that I had only completed a very small-scale project which revisits core Occupational Therapy philosophy and so didn’t necessarily generate or discover new knowledge. I therefore found the RCOT event really empowering, highlighting that any part of any project, big or small, all makes a valued contribution to the overall body of knowledge regarding occupations and Occupational Therapy and development of professional practice. 

My colleague, Hannah, felt that the day highlighted the excellence in the ordinary, and that if we look at our own practice and the practice of those we work with on a daily basis, that there is much to celebrate and that we must not be backwards in coming forward when it comes to championing work through nominations for awards such as the RCOT offers.

Other learning I took from the day was regarding the VICTOR research impact tool, which Nat Jones was awarded for her work on, as this could provide a really useful way of demonstrating the difference research activity has made to various stakeholders; also a reminder of the RCOT Innovation Hub as another way to share practice developments, and of course networking with others was invaluable to share ideas and opinions on professional practice and education, and make and strengthen links between individuals and services.

Following the awards day Hannah and I visited Phoenix House, and so through all we had spoken with and seen on our day in London we felt really connected to our Occupational Therapy profession, wide community of colleagues, and the Royal College of Occupational Therapy professional body that brings us all together.

Bryony Gettins

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