The Projects

Education and Professional Standards for Occupational Therapists.

Project Aims

1. To identify the professional standards required by the New York and UK occupational therapy professional bodies.
2. To evaluate the impact of any differences between standards in New York and the UK.
3. 3. To research the various methods of achieving professional registration
4. To compare the content and delivery of occupational therapy education/lifelong learning

Objectives for New York

• Obtain first hand from our New York counterparts, information about New York professional standards
• Identify the consequences of not adhering to professional standards
• Identify how New York ensures that occupational therapy supports diversity within the profession
• Experience the delivery of occupational therapy education in New York.

A Comparative Study of the Organisation of Elderly Mental Health Occupational Therapy Provision in New York and Leeds.

Project Aims

1. Establish and Compare the Historical contexts to Service Provision in New York and Leeds.
2. Establish and Compare the Size of the Services and their Composition.
3. Establish and Compare the Responsibilities of Occupational Therapists in both Services.
4. Establish and Compare how both services are Planning to Develop over the next 5 Years.

Objectives for New York

• To Visit an Occupational Therapy Service in New York Specialising in Mental Health.
• To Shadow an Occupational Therapist Working in Mental Health and Observe their Clinical Practice
• To Gain a Clear Insight into the Clinical Priorities and Limitations Affecting Mental Health Occupational Therapists in New York.
• To Learn Firsthand How Occupational Therapists Working in Mental Health View Their Service Organisation and What Changes They Would Like to Make.

Comparison of Employee Relations in specific areas of the Health Service

Project Aims

1. Evaluate the management techniques within Occupational Therapy Services in Humberside and New York
2. Identify the representational structure for Occupational Therapists
3. Compare the Human Resource Policies and Procedures in the two countries
4. Track a specific change in Partnership Working during the last five years

Objectives for New York

• Meet representatives from staff side and management
• Access Human Resource policies and procedures

Occupational Therapy Trade Union organisation in New York

Project Aims

1. To compare the organisation of BAOT / UNISON with its American counterpart
2. To establish the relationship that may or may not exist between the New York OT organisation and the wider TU movement
3. To look at how OTs are represented on industrial relations /work related issues.

Objectives for New York

• Find out the type of organisation that represents OTs in the United States
• How it provides that representation
• Its links with the wider Trade union movement
• To Meet our counter part (Regional / National Officer) in their equivalent organisation

Project Aims

1. Financial criteria to access OT services
2. Disability criteria to access OT services
3. Both the above in an acute setting (Hospital)
4. Both the above in a community setting (Equivalent to local government)

Objectives for New York

• Meet with Colleagues in the US who have insight into the above aims.
• Research (acquire) from department policies and procedures. Also acquire /understand supporting legislation and documentation.