Discussion
In this short communication, we highlight the process and results of a
SWOT analysis regarding worldwide occupational therapy workforce
development and research. In doing so, we integrated the results of a
three-pronged scoping review – especially for internal-system
components of the SWOT framework (i.e., Strengths andWeaknesses ), and then used current health workforce development
frameworks and expert consultation – especially for the
external-environment components (i.e., Opportunities andThreats ). This work is part of a wider, multi-staged project of
the WFOT to build the first ever global strategy for strengthening the
occupational therapy workforce. The initial design of the strategy must
be preceded by a comprehensive, yet balanced, situational assessment.
Here, we described the completion of that assessment using a SWOT
analysis.
Among the elements included in our SWOT analysis, Weaknesses were the
most frequently identified. This finding may arise from the lack of a
systematic program, agenda, or capacity toward developing and
investigating the occupational therapy workforce and its strengthening,
globally or in varying health system contexts.21,34-37The numerous weaknesses reinforce the need to build global strategic
directions for the occupational therapy workforce strengthening. In
turn, the mapping of precise weaknesses may prove very helpful to the
task of designing strategies that aim to specifically address the areas
of concern.
Methodologically, the SWOT framework proved to be a useful and intuitive
tool. Initially used in the management literature,20the SWOT analysis has been now utilised in health policy and service
research topics, including in the disability and rehabilitation
field21,38-43 and toward informing health workforce
developments.21-25 The framework facilitated the
identification of Strengths and Opportunities to be
seized, as well as Weaknesses and Threats to be addressed
by global strategies, thus aligning with our development purposes.
Moreover, the SWOT methodology focuses on both factors internal (i.e.,Strengths and Weaknesses ) and external (e.g.,Opportunities and Threats) , which is also congruent with
our development tenets. We acknowledge the need to develop
profession-specific workforce strategies that are responsive to
profession-specific gaps and strengths. Yet, we also recognise the need
to synergistically frame those developments within other
(cross-professional) activities toward building the health and
rehabilitation workforce.2,21,29,44 The SWOT framework
was therefore instrumental for our strategy development.
The work has the following limitations. Although we consulted a range of
experts, including those outside of the profession, we did not develop a
wide stakeholder consultation. We plan to develop a larger consultation
process on the strategies that will arise from this situational
assessment. Also, experts were selected and invited by the researchers.
Although it helped achieve a representative pool of experts, this
approach can contribute to bias in the review of the SWOT analysis.