PRESS RELEASE: Over 2/3 of Occupational Therapists experienced burnout and almost 1/2 considered leaving profession
AOTI survey findings highlight increasingly challenging working conditions for Occupational Therapists
A survey of Occupational Therapists in Ireland, conducted by the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland (AOTI), has found that over two thirds of Occupational Therapists have experienced burnout as a result of their job in the past 12 months.
Findings from the survey also indicated that almost half have considered leaving the profession in the last year. The results of the survey were presented at AOTI’s annual conference in Athlone today (7th October 2022).
Commenting on the survey, Odhrán Allen, CEO of AOTI said: “Occupational Therapists are facing severely challenging – and deteriorating – working conditions that negatively affect their capacity to provide a high-quality service and impact their mental health and overall wellbeing. The findings of our survey are extremely stark and concerning, and demonstrate the precarious situation Occupational Therapists and, by extension, those requiring Occupational Therapy services find themselves in.
“Against the backdrop of a rising demand for Occupational Therapist interventions, many seriously understaffed services, and rapidly growing waiting lists, the provision of sustained, high-quality services that help children and adults to participate in everyday meaningful activities is increasingly unrealistic.”
Survey Results – Impact on Occupational Therapists
More than 430 Occupational Therapists working across all areas participated in AOTI’s survey, which was conducted using an online survey. The survey was designed to gather first-hand information on working conditions experienced by Occupational Therapists in Ireland and how these conditions have changed over the past 12 months. Occupational Therapists working in hospitals, primary care, mental health and disability services participated. Other key findings from the survey include:
Two-thirds of Occupational Therapists feel more negatively about their job than 12 months ago, with respondents attributing this to:
- Lack of staffing (59%)
- Lack of career progression (37%)
- The experience of burnout (37%)
- The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic (33%).
55% of Occupational Therapists have considered leaving their current job, while 44% have considered leaving the Occupational Therapy profession. The main motivations for those considering changing roles are:
- Better work/life balance (46%)
- Better opportunities for career progression (38%)
- The desire for a better work environment (35%)
- Better opportunities to expand or use their full skillset (34%)
- The promise of a better salary or better compensation in a different role (25%).
Staff Shortages
In relation to waiting lists and staff shortages, more than four in five (81%) Occupational Therapists believe the service they work at is not adequately staffed by Occupational Therapists.
69% of Occupational Therapists believe that waiting lists have increased in the past 12 months; of those, nearly half indicate that waiting lists have increased by 25-50 per cent, while a further quarter say that waiting lists have increased by more than 50 per cent.
The biggest challenges Occupational Therapists anticipate for their service in the next 12 months include:
- Increased demand for Occupational Therapy services (66%)
- Loss of staff (62%)
- Increased targets or service expectations (46%)
- Insufficient budgets and funding (45%)
- Changes to the service delivery model (41%)
- An inadequate supply of graduates (27%).
Also commenting on the survey findings, Patricia Regan, Chairperson of AOTI said: “It is important that we listen to the first-hand accounts of the challenges experienced by those working in the Occupational Therapy profession, understand them, and take steps to address them. There are numerous reports which project a growth in demand for Occupational Therapy services. For example, the recent ESRI report states that acute hospitals will require thousands more healthcare staff by 2035 and among health and social care professionals, the highest per annum growth is projected for Occupational Therapists. A 50% increase in demand for Occupational Therapists in primary care and disability services is also projected in Department of Health reports. This highlights the clear need for further Occupational Therapy workforce planning and investment as a priority.”
“Government and the HSE must also recognise that staffing is only one layer of the cause of burnout among Occupational Therapists. Lack of career progression and support for continuing professional development are other key factors. There is an urgent need for a new career structure for health and social care professionals, with a more tiered career ladder to broaden the number of Clinical Specialist opportunities as well as the creation of Advanced Practitioner and Consultant roles for more skilled Occupational Therapists. All of this supports AOTI’s call for a Chief Health and Social Care Officer role in the Department of Health who can advocate for and strategically address the issues highlighted in this survey”.
Echoing Regan’s comments, Allen concluded, “AOTI are calling on the Government to act now, before more Occupational Therapists action what the survey had demonstrated. The Irish health care system needs to value and retain its staff including Occupational Therapists. The evidence from the survey shows that there are very serious challenges within the sector at the moment, that have to be urgently addressed by the Government. We hope we can work alongside the Government to identify meaningful ways to support Occupational Therapists to deliver timely and effective Occupational Therapy services for people who require them.”
The AOTI conference is taking place on 7th and 8th October in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Athlone. Bringing together Occupational Therapists from across the country, the event will focus on best practice, the latest innovations and research by the profession. For more information, visit www.aoti.ie.
The full quantitative findings can be found here.
ENDS
Contact: Áine Kenny / Niamh Breathnach, Alice PR & Events. Tel: 086-3920452 / 085-1461231/ 01-5582151. Email: [email protected]
Note to editors:
- Odhrán Allen, CEO of AOTI, is available for media interviews on request.
