The Thinking Therapist - Level 7

The Thinking Therapist is an advanced CPD module designed to develop you as a reflective, analytical and forward-thinking occupational therapist, equipped to lead innovation in practice.

Building on your existing knowledge and experience, this module focuses on how occupational therapists can critically engage with the wider context of health and social care. You’ll explore the impact of government policy, legislation, research evidence and professional guidelines, developing a deeper understanding of how these drivers shape practice at local, national and global levels.

You’ll be supported to evaluate and synthesise diverse sources of information, enabling you to identify opportunities for innovation within your own area of practice. Through this process, you’ll design a service improvement or innovation that responds to real-world challenges, strengthening your leadership potential and ability to influence change.

The module also encourages you to reflect on your own professional development, considering how your learning can support your long-term career progression. With a focus on leadership, service development and ethical practice, you’ll graduate with the confidence to contribute to forward-thinking, evidence-informed occupational therapy practice.

Learning outcomes

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:

1. Identify innovative ways of working for occupational therapy, by critically appraising the social and political context for a specific setting for health and/or social care.
2. Critically appraise existing policy to highlight service implementation gaps and make recommendation for innovation and leadership from an occupational perspective.
3. Evaluate your learning process and the implications for your continuing professional development.

Our expert staff

A unique feature of our School is that most of our staff work or have worked within clinical practice. This enhances our grasp of the contemporary links between academic research, the major issues of the day and real-life practice.

Occupational Therapy is taught by registered experienced staff with a variety of different backgrounds.

We also have expertise in the areas of mental health, brain injury and hand therapy. Specialist guest lecturers additionally lend external expertise to our academic staff. Full details of our staff can be found on our HSC Staff Profiles.

Module Outline

Learning and Teaching methods

This module is designed to fit alongside professional practice, combining structured teaching with flexible, self-directed learning.

• Taught seminar-style sessions: interactive seminars exploring policy, leadership and innovation in occupational therapy, encouraging critical discussion and reflection.
• Enquiry-Based Learning (EBL): investigation of real-world challenges, supporting you to develop and design an innovation relevant to your own area of practice.
• Independent self-directed study: engagement with policy, research and practice-based sources to evaluate ideas, develop your innovation and reflect on your continuing professional development.

Assessment strategy

100% coursework assessed module.

Our CPD Funding page has more information on fees for our modules and potential funding sources.

We have guidance on making your application and the forms to download on our how to apply page.