Is working as an OT really that bad?

[flossiewossie124]

Not sure if this is AIBU but here goes... I need to vent!

Just a bit of background, I graduated only a few years ago and am now working in the City (HR role). Pay is good but I really, really despise everything about working in a corporate environment- the office politics, the pointless meetings... The list goes on. It just doesnt suit me. I have always wanted to work in Occupational Therapy after completing a project abroad in this area. Bit cringe... but I love the idea of spending my day making a real difference. Anyway, took annual leave and today I completed my first day of work shadowing an Occupational Therapist (I want to gain more experience before I jump head first into a Masters conversion course).

At the end of the day, the OT and I had a chat and she basically said I was mad to leave an office job and that I will never be able to afford a house working for the NHS, the hours are gruelling, I will find it hard to get past Band 5, I will probably grow to hate the place etc. WTF?! I was bewildered! I know it's only Monday but come on...

I know I wont be driving a Ferrari working as an OT but surely I'll be semi comfortable? Or do I have my head in the clouds? Out of curiosity, I've had a look at NHS bands and I think I would start at around 29k at Band 5. I live in inner London with a relative so I luckily wont have the burden of ridiculous rents (I also dont ever plan on buying in London like she seemed to think?!). And surely one can move up the pay scale after a few years? Band 6 in inner London looks to be around 30-40kish. Band 7 is also listed but I expect it will take a long time to get to that stage. My ultimate (very) long term goal is to move to Australia and I know that healthcare salaries are well paid there.

I dont know... I was really looking forward to today and I just feel very deflated tbh and would like to hear other opinions. Maybe I should just stay where I am. I hadn't really given too much notice to the salaries but I guess the OT was just trying to warn me. Hoping for a better experience with her tomorrow!

I’m in the north and you’d be lucky to get 29k for band 5 here. However, it can be a great job with lots of job satisfaction. Everyday is different and interesting. I’m sure there are boring roles too. You don’t only have to work for the NHS too.

As an NHS worker, she's just being honest.

@ThatsWotSheSaid Yeah, they seem to be much lower in the North but I guess it's different for London. Or maybe I'm looking at the wrong thing. Good to hear you have lots of job satisfaction. It's definitely not about the money for me but from what she said it seemed like I would be really, really struggling and I guess that's put me off a bit.

the office politics, the pointless meetings

Those things take place in the NHS as well!

@fedup21 guess there's no escaping them then

NHS pay as an OT is low - local government ( community) pays better and the role is much more diverse and interesting.

I've been an OT for over 20 years and I am currently band 7. When I graduated I was paid £13,000 so I think we get reasonably well paid. Nhs terms and conditions are good and there is security. Nowadays OTs can work in so many different areas, not just your traditional clinical areas. I love being an OT, but it has its down sides like every job does. An honours degree will open lots of different doors to you. I'd maybe go visit another OT department for a different view!!

I’ve just qualified as an OT having done the Masters course as a mature student. I think one of the great things about occupational therapy is the diverse range of roles you could work in. Also, it feels like a role where you can make a difference to people’s lives, often when they’re at their most vulnerable. I’ve started my career off in an acute hospital setting, but am likely to specialise in the next few years. Starting salary for a Band 5 (outside of London) is £24,500, but you may possibly earn more in inner London? Good luck with your decision!

I'm an HCA used to be a Staff Nurse but changed jobs due to serious illness.

I've always wished I had been a physio or an OT instead! Therapist jobs seem interesting, less stressful although there's still plenty of documentation, better paid & more respected too.

I'm still thinking that I'd like to be a therapy assistant as I really enjoy helping to motivate patients & mobilising them, finding ways to help them be more independent etc.

I'd love to be an OT!

There are so many different areas you can work in as an OT and if you feel like this is what you really want to do then I say go for it! You’re clearly under no illusions about the limitations of pay in the nhs. There will be downsides to every job but at least you can feel more fulfilled as an OT than you currently do

My DD is training to be one, she likes mental health, apparently few do, so promotion can be gained.
Didn't like her community placement as everyone is elderly/dying and they don't get to see the patients as often as they should.

Recently had a private company come to the Uni, the pay in the private sector is astronomical, pay in Australia is double that of the UK, that is where she is heading as she got a job offer over there, subject to qualifying.
The course is hard and after the first year, about a 1/3rd dropped out, another, 1/4 of those left, have gone in the 2nd year.

I'm a newly qualified OT in a community setting (9 months in). It is hard, there is a lot of bureaucracy and paperwork. But I genuinely use my brain to it's full extent everyday.

I didn't personally enjoy my degree (too much repetition, not enough practical stuff). However, it was a means to an end and I am glad I did it to get where I am now!

I work as an equivalent band 5 OT in social care. They do pay slightly better then NHS in the sense that I jumped up a couple of pay scales and earn now what it would have taken me another 4 years in the NHS.
There is plenty of scope for B6 within my area depending on what area you are interested in, I also have friends who have made the move to PIP and they earn decent money.

I own my car and live in a mortgaged 3 bed semi which I pay for on my own, I live very comfortably on my wage?

I would definitely recommend OT as a career, it can be stressful and thankless but I think any job has days like that. The good days far outweigh the bad days. It was definitely worth retraining in my eyes!

I am a nurse, and 20 years ago when I first qualified, we (along with the drs ) referred to the OTs as 'basket weavers'. We could not understand how they got payed so much for doing so little (in our eyes,anyway!). Way more than us, and I had a degree too.
Anyway, I know now that it is a much needed role and part in the MDM, and to the best of my knowledge is highly sought after place wise in uni? I know in RoI it has always been very popular and oversubscribed.
I think its a great job, would definitely say go for it!

Tulipvase I would imagine that your experience of being paid more working for local government is quite unusual, its certainly not the case where I am.
I have been an OT for 30 years.
Love it.
Wouldnt do anything else.
I have been a clinical educator to scores of students and I cant think of anyone who was Band 5 for more than a few years.
It's great to watch them progress in their careers and many have rapidly progressed further than me.
I'm sorry that this OT has put you off. Maybe she is in a bad place personally but I guarantee that if you had come into my workplace you would have had an entirely different and far more positive experience.

I’d love to be an OT I was accepted to do my BA in a university near me but I made the decision to go the academic route and I am now teaching. Completely regret it, however, I would not go and do a masters in OT now as I couldn’t afford to not have holidays off with childcare 😭😭.

FWIW I did work as a therapy assistant in a mental health facility LOVED IT! My dc sees an OT every month and the OT loves her job. She works and has worked for (12 years) in a very busy city hospital doing splinting completely different areas of the OT profession.

I'm an OT-while I don't have a direct clinical role anymore , I have a senior management position (8D) that affords me the opportunity to make a difference. The skills and way of thinking I learned as an OT are invaluable. There are definitely opportunities to progress!!

I've worked in OT for about 30 years. It's a fantastic job, very diverse and you genuinely do get to make a difference to people's lives.

As a PP said, historically we've been quite undervalued within the MDT but I really think that there is a general move towards what we've been saying for years. The recovery model in mental health, social prescribing, vocational rehab are all big in policy right now and we have the skills and training to do this work.

If financial rewards are your thing, working independently for insurance companies seems to be a nice little earner.

Warning though: you will have to do placements in a range of areas and some of them might not be your cup of tea but it's all good learning!

I started the BSc OT but dropped out due to personal reasons. I wish I had stayed on sometimes. The green trousers are horrible though!

Our OT (MH inpatient) is band 6. The ward wouldn’t run without him,he’s a key part of our team.
As with most NHS jobs, people don’t go into it for the money but you can progress if you want to. If you want to make a difference become an OT.

I 💚 OT! I work for the LA and earn far more than i would in an equivalent role for the NHS and far FAR more than in an unqualified role in either.

I loved doing my masters, especially the placements and the research. Sadly the bursary has gone but there may be opportunities for apprenticeships out there now. Definitely shadow more than 1 OT. Before I applied I went to a hospital, a SEN residential college, hand therapy and my local LA OT. They all loved their jobs and I felt I would enjoy working in any of their settings. It's been a great decision 😃

I qualified about 2.5 years ago many of my friends are now in band 6/7 roles in London and around the country. There's lots of opportunity for progression.

Check out the Royal College of OT for more advice too, they'd love to hear from you 💚

I know a few OTs. They love their jobs and are really glad they picked it as a career. They’re some of the happiest people I know work-wise.

They do seem really happy work wise.

Another OT here. I work in community mental health. I was a band 5 for two years before progressing to a band 6. A large proportion of our current senior management (band 7s, band 8as, 8bs) are OTs. Plenty of opportunities for progression.

I will say though my current role is stressful. I am the only OT on the team. I do a lot of generic work also. So a large part of my caseload is the same type of work as the nurses and social workers.