Introduction: Rehabilitation workforce development is a critical global priority to meet the diverse needs of populations requiring services. By fostering collaboration among rehabilitation professionals, efforts can be combined to achieve significant advancements in workforce development, ensuring better access and quality of care to those in need.
Objectives: The objective of the task force was to assist in standardizing the education and practice of rehabilitation professionals, including occupational therapists, in Ukraine to support the development of a context-sensitive and sustainable rehabilitation workforce in the country.
Approach: Three in-person workshops, Leadership for Rehabilitation Workforce Development and Education in Ukraine, occurred in Warsaw and Krakow, Poland between October 2022 and October 2024.These workshops brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, professional associations representing rehabilitation, and four universities offering entry-level rehabilitation programs. The workshops facilitated collaborative discussions focused on exploring rehabilitation profession regulation, the role of professional associations, guidelines for entry-level education, opportunities for continuing professional development, and the identification of key challenges within the sector.
Practice implications: The participants in the workshops wereable to use innovative approaches and best practices for fostering collaboration across disciplines, leveraging the diverse skill sets and perspectives of rehabilitation professionals to enhance access and quality of care of rehabilitation in Ukraine.
Significance to the occupational therapy profession: As rehabilitation and occupational therapy continue to develop globally, it is imperative to embrace interprofessional collaboration to support the advancement and advocacy of all professions.