25 - 26 November 2026
NEC Birmingham

Conference Programme 2026

Subpage Hero

11:15 11:45

TBC Session

Keynote Theatre

Sponsored by:

Ashley Bath, Marketing Manager - AKW
- Neuro
12:00 12:45

The neuroscience of co-regulation and self-regulation: applying a neuro-affirmative lens to occupational therapy practice

Keynote Theatre

This session explores the neuroscience of self-regulation, to inform effective, evidence-based pract ...

Aine O'Dea, Owner & Director - Radiance Consulting Ltd
- Career development, leadership and professional practice
13:00 13:45

Alone in the room: how to survive, thrive and make some noise as an OT

Keynote Theatre

Does this sound familiar? You are the only OT in the team. Your manager is a social worker, a nurse, ...

Jill Martin, Clinical Director - Purpose People Ltd
- Policy
14:15 15:00

Session delivered by RCOYT

Keynote Theatre

Sponsored by:

Karin Orman, Director of Practice, Innovation and Advocacy - Royal College of Occupational Therapists
- Sustainablity
15:15 16:00

Doing what matters, being kind, becoming sustainable: occupational therapy and belonging in a safer world

Keynote Theatre

This keynote explores sustainability as a core occupational therapy concern. Drawing on the concepts ...

Ben Whittaker, Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist - Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- Mental health
16:15 17:00

TBC Session

Keynote Theatre

Christine Dunkley

- Sustainablity
09:30 10:15

Transforming clinical practice for people, services and planet

Keynote Theatre

Using real life examples, research and case studies this session will explore how to work more susta ...

Jacqueline Gordon, Occupational Therapist / Clinical Sustainability Manager - Care without Carbon Sussex Community NHS Trust
- Mental health
10:30 11:15

What Occupational Therapists should know about women’s hormones

Keynote Theatre

Louise Newson, GP and Menopause Specialist, Co-founder and Director - Newson Health Ltd
12:30 13:00

TBC Session

Keynote Theatre

Sponsored by:

Ashley Bath, Marketing Manager - AKW
- Housing, equipment and adaptions
13:15 14:00

TBC Session

Keynote Theatre

Paul Smith

Rachel Russell, Head of Regional Advice - Foundations
- Career development, leadership and professional practice
14:15 15:00

Exploring a career in Case Management: navigating pathways, progression and professional support

Keynote Theatre

Case management offers a rewarding and varied career, but understanding how to enter, develop and pr ...

Carole Chantler, Chair - Institute of Registered Case Managers

Rhiannon Stokes, Managing Director - Stokes Case Management

Louise Chance, Chair - BABICM

Dr Julie Denning, Management Group Member - Institute of Registered Case Managers
- Policy
15:15 16:00

The future of occupational therapy: where do OTs fit in the NHS 10 Year Health Plan? Panel Discussion

Keynote Theatre

An update on the NHS 10 year Plan - panelists will discuss the future of occupational therapy

Odeth Richardson, Chair of Council - RCOT

Samantha Shann, Chair - World Rehabilitation Alliance

Jane Melton, Vice Chair - Elizabeth Casson Trust

David Stockdale, Chief Executive Officer - British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA)

- Children and young people
10:30 11:15

More than therapy: Leisure opportunities for children, built collaboratively with community partners

Theatre 1

This session presents an innovative leisure pathway for children with occupational therapy needs, de ...

Shir Grunebaum, Paediatric Occupational Therapist - Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Juliet Vine, Paediatric Occupational Therapist - Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
- Career development, leadership and professional practice
11:30 12:00

Emerging opportunities for OTs in Case Management

Theatre 1

Sponsored by:

Helen Valls-Russell, Director - Institute of Registered Case Managers
12:15 13:00

TBC Session

Theatre 1
- Mental health
- Neuro
13:15 14:00

From dismissed to understood: enhancing occupational therapy for people with persistent physical symptoms

Theatre 1

Persistent physical symptoms (PPS) such as pain, fatigue and weakness often lack clear medical expla ...

Hilary Lewis, Doctoral Clinical Academic Fellow - University of Leeds
14:15 14:45

TBC Session

Theatre 1

Sponsored by:

Nicola Hogg, Product Manager - Etac
- Policy
15:00 15:45

Occupational Therapy as a catalyst for change: how OTs drive participation and inclusion

Theatre 1

This session will explore how occupational therapists can influence and create system level change. ...

Aimee Nuttall, Occupational Therapist, Include to Improve Programme Lead - Sport for Confidence

VRA Representative
- Career development, leadership and professional practice
16:00 16:30

OT in a digital world: AI and technology on the front line

Theatre 1

This 30‑minute session will explore how AI and technology enabled care (TEC) can be meaningfully int ...

Chloe Bromhead, Senior Practitioner Occupational Therapist - Derby City Council

- Neuro
09:45 10:15

Beyond rehabilitation: the role of the OT case manager in long-term community rehabilitation

Theatre 1

Sponsored by:
11:30 12:00

TBC Session

Theatre 1

Sponsored by:

Nicola Hogg, Product Manager - Etac
- Career development, leadership and professional practice
- Case management
13:15 14:00

The curious practitioner: learning, reflecting and growing throughout your career as a case manager or OT

Theatre 1

Professional development is about more than completing a CPD log to meet policy requirements. In thi ...

Sponsored by:

Joanna Fletcher-Smith, Director - Institute of Registered Case Managers

Niccola Irwin, Director, Chair of the Quality Assurance Committee - Institute of Registered Case Managers

Carole Chantler, Chair - Institute of Registered Case Managers
- Mental health
14:15 14:45

A recipe for recovery: the development of evidence-based guidelines for occupational therapy in eating disorders

Theatre 1

The session will essentially explore the development of evidence-based guidelines for occupational t ...

Abigail Cardwell

Clare Margaret Steedman, Co-Founder & Clinical Director - Trauma & Eating Disorder Specialists (TEDS)
- Mental health
15:00 15:45

More than mobility: bringing intimacy back into rehabilitation

Theatre 1

Sue Newsome, Psychosexual Therapist & Sexual Educator - Independent

11:00 11:45

Title TBC

Theatre 2

Sponsored by:

Deborah Harrison, Founder and Clinical Director - Health Integration Partners UK

Rehan Qureshi, consultant - Health Integration Partners UK
13:15 14:00

TBC Session

Theatre 2

Deborah Harrison, Founder and Clinical Director - Health Integration Partners UK

Jo Webb, occupational therapist
- Neuro
14:15 14:45

Tai Chi and Qigong in neurorehabilitation

Theatre 2

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) can result in complex physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges that ...

Alison Noakes, Occupational Therapist - The Occupational Therapy Service

Mark Peters, Lead Trainer and Coach - Midlands Tai Chi Rehabilitation
- Career development, leadership and professional practice
15:45 16:15

Think Like a Commissioner: How Occupational Therapists can position their services for commissioning success.

Theatre 2

This practical session demystifies commissioning from the perspective of someone who has worked as b ...

Fiona Corless, Director - FL Collaborative Consulting

- Mental health
09:45 10:15

Beyond labels: challenging stigma in dual diagnosis

Theatre 2

Occupational therapists are uniquely positioned to improve outcomes for people experiencing dual dia ...

Jessica Bhika, Senior Occupational Therapist - Priory group hospital
- Case management
11:15 11:45

Role boundaries: the Occupational Therapist vs the Case Manager

Theatre 2

While the skill sets of occupational therapists are exceptionally well-suited to case management, th ...

Sponsored by:

Victoria Barton, Operations Manager - IRCM

Niccola Irwin, Director, Chair of the Quality Assurance Committee - Institute of Registered Case Managers
- Children and young people
12:00 12:45

The overlap advantage: OT–SLT co-working for stronger outcomes

Theatre 2

In school-based practice, children rarely present with needs that sit neatly within one professional ...

Antonia Hardcastle, Lead Occupational Therapist and CPD middle leader - Dovecote School
13:15 13:45

"I do the seating": when lying becomes somebody else's problem

Theatre 2

Postural care to protect body shape is a 24-hour concept, yet discussions often focus almost exclusi ...

Jenny Rolfe, occupational therapist - Posture Partnerships

Jane Pratley, Clinical Lead, Postural Care & Seating Physiotherapist - Posture Partnership Ltd
- Children and young people
14:45 15:15

Title TBC

Theatre 2

Fiona Kinglsey

- Neuro
10:00 10:45

Life after discharge: coordinating complex neurological rehabilitation in the community

Theatre 3

Sponsored by:
- Housing, equipment and adaptions
- Sustainablity
11:00 11:30

Sustainable use of community equipment - OTs are key

Theatre 3

Climate change is the biggest threat to health in the 21st Century (WHO, 2016). Greener NHS is attem ...

Susanna Davies, Occupational Therapist, Researcher - University of Plymouth
- Housing, equipment and adaptions
11:45 12:15

Whose Job Is It Anyway? Positioning, Postural Care and Moving & Handling: Shared Responsibility or Specialist Expertise?

Theatre 3

Positioning, postural care and moving & handling are often viewed as separate disciplines, but who i ...

Sponsored by:

Norma Findlay, Head of Clinical Operations - A1 Momentum
- Housing, equipment and adaptions
- Case management
12:30 13:00

More than adaptations: creating homes that enable participation following catastrophic injury

Theatre 3

Sponsored by:
- Neuro
- Sustainablity
13:15 13:45

Virtual reality and Nature pilot project in community stroke rehabilitation: Functional gains and therapeutic benefit of nature connection.

Theatre 3

An experienced Occupational Therapist with a passion for innovation in stroke rehabilitation, we hav ...

Lucy Austen, Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist - Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
- Children and young people
14:00 14:30

Title TBC

Theatre 3

Alison Neal, Consultant Occupational Therapist - Midlands Occupational Therapy
- Policy
15:45 16:15

Why are we losing OTs? Retention, burnout and career satisfaction in occupational therapy

Theatre 3

Mandy Graham, Senior Lecturer & Programme Lead for BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy - University of Salford

Lisa Taylor, Professor of Employability and Learning Innovation - University of East Anglia

- Career development, leadership and professional practice
10:00 10:45

From NHS to independent practice: what nobody tells you

Theatre 3

Kate Heward, Clinical Director - Rehabilitate Therapy Ltd

Sarah Meharg, Occupational Therapist
- Children and young people
- Case management
11:00 11:30

Supporting children and families beyond therapy: coordinating education, health and social care

Theatre 3

Sponsored by:
- Housing, equipment and adaptions
11:45 12:15

Confidence Starts Here: Empowering the Next Generation of Occupational Therapists in Clinical Seating

Theatre 3

Stepping into practice can feel daunting, particularly when faced with complex seating assessments a ...

Sponsored by:

Martina Tierney, Occupational Therapist & Clinical Director - SEATING MATTERS
- Sustainablity
12:30 13:00

TBC Session

Theatre 3

Natasha Holt-Davey

Sabine Fife
- Children and young people
13:15 13:45

Title TBC

Theatre 3

Laura Martin, Senior Occupational Therapist - Essex County Council – Children and Young People with Disabilities OT and Rehab Team
- Career development, leadership and professional practice
15:00 15:45

Climbing the career 'scaffolding': careers options you've never thought of

Theatre 3

Alex Fisher, Spec Occupational Therapist/Hon Clinical Lecturer - BSMHFT/University of Birmingham

Gemma Styles, Service Improvement Business Partner, Improvement Hub - The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust

Larissa Naccarato, occupational therapist

09:20 09:50

TBC Session

Showcase Theatre
10:40 11:10

TBC Session

Showcase Theatre

Andrew Williams - Abacus Bathroom Specialists
11:20 11:50

TBC Session

Showcase Theatre

Robin Tuffley, Marketing Manager - Closomat
12:00 12:30

From sensory foundations to participation a just human lens through the participation web

Showcase Theatre

This workshop introduces a human lens and the participation web as metaphors for compassionate care ...

Kathryn Smith, Consultant Occupational Therapist, Director - ASI Wise & The Sensory Project
12:40 13:10

TBC Session

Showcase Theatre

Beth Smithson, Programme facilitator - Sensory Integration Education
14:40 15:10

Building Health into Homes – why housing is every occupational therapist’s business

Showcase Theatre

Every person that an OT works with lives somewhere – even if that isn’t a home – yet housing is ofte ...

Lauren Walker, Professional Practice Manager - Royal College of Occupational Therapists

Rachel Russell, Head of Regional Advice - Foundations

10:10 10:40

Supporting healthy working lives: our role as occupational therapists

Showcase Theatre

OT's play a critical role in helping people living with disabilities or health conditions to continu ...

Karin Orman, Director of Practice, Innovation and Advocacy - Royal College of Occupational Therapists
12:10 12:40

TBC Session

Showcase Theatre

Beth Smithson, Programme facilitator - Sensory Integration Education
12:50 13:20

TBC Session

Showcase Theatre

10:30 11:00

The Important of MDTs in 24-hour care

Innovation Theatre

Sponsored by:

Nicola Murphy, Consultant Occupational Therapist - ACCORA
11:10 11:40

TBC Session

Innovation Theatre

Sponsored by:

Kim Buttress, Events & Marketing Communications Manager - Arjo
11:50 12:20

Beyond upper limb impairment: a guide to assistive technologies and service innovations from Rahana Life

Innovation Theatre

This session looks beyond upper limb impairment to identify Assistive Technology solutions and servi ...

Simon Fielden, Clinical Scientist & Technical Director - Rahana Life

Lauren Edwards, Occupational Therapist - Rahana Life
12:30 13:00

iOmniPro: working smarter, not harder; how an intuitive CRM system is transforming clinical practice

Innovation Theatre

Discover how iOmniPro is reshaping clinical practice by placing clinicians at the centre of technolo ...

Victoria McDermott, Managing director - iOmniHealth Ltd

Holly Luxton, OT Clinical Lead and Operations Manager - BREAKTHROUGH CASE MANAGEMENT LTD
13:10 13:40

TBC Session

Innovation Theatre

Jade Godier, Industry leading buisness consultant & equipment advice specialist. - Made2Aid
13:50 14:20

Managing complex and diverse manual handling situations

Innovation Theatre

Supporting people with complex conditions requires more than following standard manual handling tech ...

Katrina Stafford, Clinical Training Advisor - A1 Momentum

Kirsty O'Connor, Clinical Training Manager & Occupational Therapist - SEATING MATTERS
14:30 15:00

Removing bathroom barriers to discharge: how rapidly deployable washing facilities can reduce delayed transfers of care

Innovation Theatre

• The hidden impact of inaccessible bathing facilities on discharge delays and financial implication ...

10:40 11:10

Beyond upper limb impairment: a guide to assistive technologies and service innovations from Rahana Life

Innovation Theatre

This session looks beyond upper limb impairment to identify Assistive Technology solutions and servi ...

Simon Fielden, Clinical Scientist & Technical Director - Rahana Life

Lauren Edwards, Occupational Therapist - Rahana Life
12:40 13:10

TBC Session

Innovation Theatre

Anne Corbett, Director L2P London ltd - Learning2Practice

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