On Tuesday 4th February, the Princess Royal visited CNWL (Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust) to explore and learn more on how occupational therapists are leading research on reducing health inequalities, as she is Patron of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. 

The team has a mission to pave the way for fair access to Occupational Therapy services, focusing on the Somali community, national and international communities.Their central focus on this new research project is to utilise the connections made through ‘Brent Health Matters’ and promote occupational therapy as being successful in meeting the needs of diverse communities by being culturally relevant and inclusive. 

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Church End in Brent was severely impacted causing 30 deaths on a single street. This highlighted the issues regarding health inequalities across communities. 

The Princess Royal spoke with local charities who have been the lead collaborators and advocators for the Somali community in Brent and have been successful in reducing health inequalities. 

Patients also shared their personal stories, such as one example of a woman who’s OT has helped her massively in reducing her medication as well as becoming a person she could rely on to truly understand her needs.  

The Princess Royal was impressed to see how much of an impact OT’s had on patients individually and was keen to highlight the important work taking place in Brent, she has hopes in these projects being replicated nationwide. 

This inspiring visit showcased the transformative power of Occupational Therapy in creating a more equitable healthcare future, as covered on The Beat London 103.6FM.