Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that occupational therapists are deployed to provide (a) mental and (b) physical health interventions at a primary care level.

Occupational therapists work with people of all ages and backgrounds who are affected by accident, physical and mental illness, disability or ageing. The GP Forward View includes commitments to the greater use of non-medical clinicians in primary care. There are well developed models for paramedics, physiotherapists, occupational therapists and other Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) to work alongside family doctors and practice nurses. Improved direct access to AHPs will avoid placing demands solely on any one profession or part of the system, improve access for patients and increase capacity within the system.