Occupational therapy students' and educators' perspectives and understanding of the role of occupational therapy within social prescribing: A qualitative interview study.
Siobhan Elliott, Catherine Haighton
PMID 40336844WHAT IT FOUND
Occupational therapy students knew social prescribing existed but felt unprepared for the role.
They lacked practical experience and a shared definition. Educators believed the profession's core skills fit perfectly, yet students struggled to distinguish their role from link workers without clinical exposure.
Key findings
01Students reported a basic awareness of social prescribing concepts through university lectures but felt unable to apply this knowledge because they had not encountered it during practice placements.
02There was no shared definition of social prescribing among participants, with students expressing uncertainty about how the occupational therapist role differs from that of a social prescribing link worker.
03Educators argued that occupational therapists possess specific skills, such as assessment and environmental adaptation, that could offer deeper support than link workers, but students lacked the experience to confidently articulate this distinction.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included only nine participants from a single university, limiting generalisability. No students from the degree apprenticeship programme participated, leaving a gap in understanding for that group. The research was conducted by a novice researcher, which may have influenced data collection and interpretation, although supervision was provided. Framework analysis was performed primarily by the lead author, with limited independent coding, which could introduce bias.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest and no financial support for the research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this as evidence that occupational therapy students are failing or that social prescribing is ineffective. This is a small, single-site study of perceptions. It reports that students felt unprepared due to a lack of placement opportunities, not that they lack the inherent skills to succeed in the role.