OT Takes the Crown

from The OT Magazine – Sep / Oct 2022

Into the Deep

Earlier this year, an OT was selected to appear in Netflix’s hit show, The Crown, in what could be an unparalleled opportunity to showcase the profession in a dramatic session by an actual OT

In early August, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists announced that casting agency Extra People were looking for a qualified occupational therapist to appear as a supporting character in a scene in the upcoming fourth series of The Crown. In case you’re not up on your Netflix shows, The Crown is one of the streaming platform’s most successful and critically lauded series, dramatising the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, and the incredible events that she has overseen in her 70 years as the head of state. This news was really exciting for two reasons: the first is that there’s going to be an occupational therapist featured in one of Netflix’s highest-rated, most watched, and best-reviewed series of all time, which is a phenomenal opportunity for promoting occupational therapy in the media, and increasing awareness of the profession. The second is that the representation will be accurate - a trained, highly competent and professional occupational therapist will be playing the role of a trained, highly competent and professional OT on the show. Occupational therapy doesn’t get the chance to shine much in the media, and sometimes when it does, portrayals can be a bit of a letdown. Late in 2018, RCOT had to issue a statement regarding the number of occupational therapists who had contacted them to share their frustration about the portrayal of occupational therapy in the BBC drama Care, which sought to highlight both the difficulties that some people face in trying to find the right support for their family and the difficulties healthcare professionals face on a daily basis. Unfortunately, as RCOT said in both their tweets on the matter and their statement, the portrayal left much to be desired, showcasing an instance of “bad practice and mismanagement”, per the College. Knowing the

Somewhere out there is the lucky occupational therapist who has been cast into this role, and they may feel the weight of the profession on their shoulders

Promoting occupational therapy is an important aspect of the profession, and it’s completely understandable why. Occupational therapists are already fantastic at using social media to amplify the voices of their profession and raise their own profiles within the community, make lasting professional relationships, and networking. Social media has been a phenomenal tool for breaking down the barriers that made connecting with other people within the occupational therapy community more difficult. Now, you’re able to follow the professional developments of an occupational therapist hundreds of miles away from the simple push of a button on your phone, and it truly is incredible. This has done wonders for linking up the community of occupational therapists, but contributions from outside forces - the media, as a prime example - are sometimes needed to open the world of occupational therapy up to people who are not intimately familiar with its workings. Opening up the wonderful workings of occupational therapists to people who exist outwith professions who rub shoulders with them and are lucky enough to know them, or service users who allow OTs to cement the importance and professionalism carried alongside their work helps people to get to know (maybe not exactly) what it is an occupational therapist does and can help attract young people who may be drawn to the creative, empathetic, problem-solving nature of the profession. What more perfect way is there to stumble across the wonderful work that an occupational therapist does than to encounter it in your favourite TV show, seeing them perform important work with some of the most important people in the world - or, to be precise, the people acting as them - and to see it being portrayed as it actually is, by someone who understands the role intimately? Somewhere out there is the lucky occupational therapist who has been cast into this role, and they may feel the weight of the profession on their shoulders as they, a highly competent and professional OT, take up the mantle of playing one on our televisions. But what that one OT can do in terms of bringing a profession of talented, creative and wonderful people into the spotlight with the utmost accuracy is almost unparalleled. If Helen of Troy is remembered (somewhat unfairly) as the face that launched a thousand ships, hopefully, this lucky individual can be the OT that launched a thousand careers as The Crown’s viewership of 73 million households sees an occupational therapist accurately performing their work in a dramatic setting for - perhaps - the first time.

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