Occupational Therapy
View key dates, information, documentation and contact support for this programme.
Quick links
General information
This information specifically relates to the full-time Occupational Therapy Degree programme. If you are supporting an Occupational Therapy Apprentice on the Apprenticeship programme please visit our Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship information.
Practice Educator briefings
The Practice Educator briefings will equip practice educators to support students on placements. As a minimum requirement, all practice educators are expected to attend a briefing prior to taking a student.
For all enquiries about educator training sessions, please email hscpsl@uwe.ac.uk.
Also see information about the Practice Learning and Student Support professional course and find out more about supporting, supervising and assessing students in practice.
Curriculum 2021 for new first years
The Occupational Therapy programme was successfully reapproved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) in 2021. As a result, first years starting in September 2021 will be on a new curriculum 2021 whilst our second and third years will continue on curriculum 2015. There have been some changes to placement procedures and paper work so do ensure you know which curriculum your student is on to ensure you use the correct paper work.
Placement dates
Academic year 2023/24
- Monday 25 September to Friday 8 December 2023
Cohort 2021 are on Occupational Therapy Practice 3 (OTP3) for 11 weeks. - Monday 15 January to Friday 22 March 2024
Cohort 2022 are on Occupational Therapy Practice 2 (OTP2) for 10 weeks. - Tuesday 7 May to Friday 5 July 2024
Cohort 2023 are on Occupational Therapy Practice 1 (OTP1) for 9 weeks.
Practice Placement Office
Sally Mobalegh-Hosseini from the Practice Placement Office oversees placement offers and allocations. She will contact your local placement coordinators regularly to request placement offers. Alternatively, if you are able to offer a placement for any of the dates listed above then please email Sally at Sally.Mobalegh-Hosseini@uwe.ac.uk.
Absence reporting whilst on placement
If a student is unable to attend their placement as planned, they should call the Absence Reporting Line on +44 (0)117 32 83283 and leave a message. The call will not be returned but the absence will be noted. Students should also contact their practice educator to advise them of absence in a manner appropriate for the particular placement.
Guidance for students with Neurodiversity and Specific Learning Differences (SpLD)
Neurodiversity is a term that applies to all those with neurological difference such as those with Specific Learning Differences (SpLD). SpLD is an umbrella term for dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Advice for students and practice educators about managing dyslexia and other specific learning differences whilst on practice placement can be found within our Guidance for students with Specific Learning Differences (DOC).
Practice documentation
Key documents
Documentation is regularly updated throughout the year so please use the documents below rather than the hard copies in student folders that may be out of date.
Curriculum 2021 (cohorts 2021 onwards)
- Practice Educators brief guide (PDF)
- Professional practice portfolio (PDF)
- Practice Educator comprehensive guide (PDF): Information about the Occupational Therapy programme
- Placement competencies – all levels (PDF): The learning outcomes students will need to achieve on each placement
- Placement tutorial support information (PDF): Support available for students and practice educators during placements
- Failure protocol (PDF): Information about what to do if you have concerns about your student's performance on placement
Templates and exemplars for 2021 curriculum
- Learning contract (DOC)
- Final report (DOC)
- Placement hours record (DOC)
- Supervision preparation and recording form (DOC)
- Learning contract exemplar – year one (DOC)
- Learning contract exemplar – year two (DOC)
- Learning contract exemplar – year three (DOC)
- Practice Educator briefing booking form 2021/22 (DOC): As a minimum requirement, all practice educators are expected to attend a briefing prior to taking a student.
Certificate of Excellence
If you feel your student has excelled in three or more areas of the placement competencies, you can nominate them for a certificate of excellence. To nominate your student, complete the nomination form below, providing specific examples of how the student has excelled against three or more of the placement competencies. The deadline to submit your nomination is two weeks after the end of the placement.
Curriculum 2015 (cohort 2020 - third years)
- Practice Educator brief guide – curriculum 2015 – 2019/20 (PDF): Essential information for practice educators
- Professional practice portfolio (PDF): Detailed information about all aspects of placement
- Practice Educator comprehensive guide – curriculum 2015 (PDF): Information about the Occupational Therapy programme
- Placement competencies – all levels (DOC): The learning outcomes students will need to achieve on each placement
- Placement tutorial support information (DOC): Support available for students and practice educators during placements
- Failure protocol (DOC): Information about what to do if you have concerns about your student's performance on placement
Templates and exemplars for 2015 curriculum
- Learning contract for curriculum 2015 (DOC)
- Final report for curriculum 2015 (DOC)
- Placement hours record (DOC)
- Learning contract exemplar – year one (DOC)
- Learning contract exemplar – year two (DOC)
- Learning contract exemplar – year three (DOC)
- Supervision preparation and recording form (DOC)
Other information
Programme information
- Visit the BSc(Hons) Occupational Therapy course listing for an overview of the programme and learning outcomes.
- For an outline of the quality assurance process providing monitoring and service enhancement on practice placements, download the quality assurance guide (DOC).
UWE Bristol and NHS Our Pledge
The School of Health and Social Wellbeing have worked collaboratively with our NHS partners to establish six pillars of support for our black, Asian and minority ethnic healthcare student communities. This is a project funded by Health Education England to work collaboratively with practice partners, including the voices of the Black and Minority Ethnic community of students in improving their experiences in higher education, including practice, reducing the awarding gap and racism they face in practice. This is our pledge to visibly unite in the fight against racism.
Programme support
Placement liaison information
Each placement area will have an allocated placement liaison link on the academic team, for effective communication and support. We aim to meet each placement area annually to discuss developments, placement-related information and review audit information.
All audits and placement environment profiles are online. If you have questions or issues to discuss, do contact your liaison link. If you are unsure who the link person for your area is, please contact Karen Cook or Becky Barnes.
If you have any queries or questions about the Occupational Therapy programme or require support, please contact a member of the programme support team.
Programme team
Becky Barnes
- Academic Placement Lead, Placement Liaison and Coordinator Cohort 2021
- Email: Becky.Barnes@uwe.ac.uk
- Tel: +44 (0)117 32 81217
Karen Cook
- Academic Placement Lead, Placement Liaison and Coordinator and Coordinator Cohort 2020
- Email: Karen.Cook@uwe.ac.uk
- Tel: +44 (0)117 32 87292
Melloney Johnson
- Senior Lecturer, Placement Liaison and Coordinator Cohort 2021
- Email: Melloney.Johnson@uwe.ac.uk
- Tel: +44 (0)117 32 82068
Laura Quick
- Senior Lecturer and Placement Liaison
- Email: Laura.quick@uwe.ac.uk
- Tel: +44 (0)117 32 81147
Nicky Bassett-Burr
- Senior Lecturer and Placement Liaison
- Email: Nicky.Bassett-Burr@uwe.ac.uk
- Tel: +44 (0)117 32 81832
Vanessa Parmenter
- Apprenticeship Programme Lead and Placement Liaison
- Email: Vanessa2.Parmenter@uwe.ac.uk
- Tel: +44 (0)117 32 88869
Bob Clawley
- Lecturer and Placement Liaison
- Email: Bob.Clawley@uwe.ac.uk
Alice Hortop
- Senior Lecturer (Placement Educator Briefings)
- Email: Alice.Hortop@uwe.ac.uk
- Tel: +44 (0)117 32 88588
Placement team
- Email: ppoallocations@uwe.ac.uk
Supervision and assessment
Find out more about supporting, supervising and assessing students in practice.
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