The Changing Role of Occupational Therapy in Vocational Rehabilitation: Reflections on an Evaluation of Condition Management Programmes

Abstract

This article considers the role of occupational therapy in vocational rehabilitation in the United Kingdom over the past decade, with a focus on Condition Management Programmes (CMPs). Drawing on findings from an evaluation of three CMPs in Wales, it suggests ways in which occupational therapy is well suited to this area of rehabilitation, before considering ways in which the profession can contribute to government and organisational reform such as the Work Programme and Work Choice. The article also reflects on the changing culture surrounding work, illness and disability and its relevance for the theory of occupation.