Development of the UK Rheumatology Occupational Therapy Capabilities Framework: a national consensus initiative.

Abstract

Objectives: To describe the development and national consensus process underpinning the Rheumatology Occupational Therapy Capabilities Framework. This work addresses the absence of a structured framework defining the knowledge, skills and professional behaviours required of the occupational therapy workforce working within rheumatology services managing rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases and the need for a consistent national reference to support practice, workforce planning and professional development.

Methods: A five-stage mixed methods process was adopted between May 2023 and September 2025, beginning with the design of a UK-wide scoping survey of rheumatology occupational therapists. Subsequent stages included expert consultation, alignment with national and international standards, stakeholder review and endorsement by professional bodies.

Results: The process achieved national consensus across rheumatology occupational therapists from all four UK nations and resulted in a four-domain, five-level capability framework mapped to NHS Agenda for Change bands and allied health professions practice levels.

Conclusion: This study describes a structured national consensus process used to develop and endorse a specialist capability framework for occupational therapy in rheumatology. The five-stage approach achieved formal endorsement from the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and the British Society for Rheumatology and offers a transparent, transferable model for specialist capability framework development across allied health professions.