Evaluating the impact of Moray's Primary Care Occupational Therapy service on primary care staff and the delivery of care

Primary care services have experienced significant increases in the complexity and frailty of patients, highlighting the importance of access to the full range of multi-disciplinary expertise (as outlined in the Scottish Government’s memorandum of understanding (2017)). As a result, the Primary Care Improvement Plan (PCIP) for Moray sought to introduce Occupational Therapy (OT) to Primary Care (PC) teams across the region and, in April 2022, a 24-month project to test the value of OT in primary care commenced.

In Moray the service comprises five occupational therapists and four therapy support workers and is the first of its kind in NHS Grampian.

It provides timely OT intervention and enhances the range of services available to patients, ultimately, supporting GPs in carrying out their role as expert medical generalists.

Referral is made via primary care systems and OT staff are embedded in the practices as valued members of the PC team.

The PCOT service is not diagnostically driven, but targeted at those who are experiencing reduced occupational performance which impacts their ability to engage in activities of daily living.