In a recent article The Guardian's careers section has explored the variety of options available for occupational therapy jobs outside of the National Health Service.

Laura, a 26 year old occupational therapist who has worked for three years at an NHS acute trust, wrote to The Guardian asking about roles outside of the health service. In their response, the newspaper's Debbie Andalo sets out five different possibilities available to those with experience and training for occupational therapy jobs.

One possibility is the statutory sector, working as a condition management practitioner at a recruitment or employment provider. Recruitment services sometimes employ staff to help people absent from work due to health problems find a means of returning to employment.

Another is the charity sector. Whilst this would not call upon the clinical training of an occupational therapist, The Guardian states that working in positions such as an engagement officer would draw upon similar skills, such as problem solving and the ability to develop individual strategies.

These same skills lead to another possibility; social work. Jobs at agencies that deal with drug rehabilitation could be an option because of both these skills and the core mental health training of occupational therapy.

Continuing in occupational therapy jobs with private sector organisations or as an independent practitioner are the final possibilities. In the former instance, it is possible to find similar work with a provider of community health services. In the latter, contractual work would be available at health or social care organisations across public and voluntary sectors, or through direct employment by individuals who want additional occupational therapy.