Mental Handicap: Why are There So Few Occupational Therapists?

Abstract

The author divides her time between St Loye's and the Langdon Hospital for the mentally handicapped at Dawlish. This article was written as a result of an attendance at a study day on the subject of mental handicap, held in London. The author met with a number of occupational therapists who were working single-handed or with only part-time support. She asked herself the following question: if, each year, hundreds of enthusiastic graduates flow out through the occupational therapy college gates, why do so many jostle for vacancies in the psychiatric or physical field and why do so few turn towards mental handicap? She investigated the subject, listening to a wide variety of suggestions put forward by numerous occupational therapists throughout the past year. She has included those which were a recurring theme.