Professor of Occupational Therapy receives profession’s highest honour

Professor Katrina Bannigan has been awarded a Fellowship of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists in recognition of her “extensive contribution” to the profession.

The Professor of Occupational Therapy, who is a key researcher in Glasgow Caledonian University School of Health and Life Sciences’ Research Centre for Health (ReaCH), has received the profession’s “highest honour” and was described as “outstanding”.

The Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ Chair of Council Odeth Richardson wrote to Professor Bannigan saying: “I am delighted to award you a Fellowship of the Royal College of Occupational therapists.

“This is in recognition of the extensive contribution you have made to the profession, and the Association (British Association of Occupational Therapists) and the Royal College over many years.

“Your commitment to and influence on the development of the occupational therapy profession through your many papers, books and research, and your significant international collaborations, are outstanding.

“In addition to increasing the profile of occupational therapy, you have been driving the profession forward. You are an excellent ambassador for the profession and the Royal College.

“The Fellowship award is the highest honour that the Royal College can bestow on one of its professional members. It carries with it, from this point forth, the privilege of using the letters FRCOT after your name and means that you, as a new Fellow, will be added to the list on the Fellowship Board at the Royal College headquarters in London.”

Professor Bannigan will receive her accolade at the Royal College’s award winners’ ceremony in the Autumn.

She said: “I am over the moon and quite humbled by this honour, especially when I read the words of the people who nominated me.

“Whilst I have been honoured personally, I could not have achieved what I have without the people who have supported and worked with me throughout my career. I am inordinately grateful to be part of a profession that makes a difference to people’s lives.

“It is hard to articulate what it means, I don’t think it has sunk in yet. That said, I have looked at the names on the Fellowship Board at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists so many times and I can’t quite believe that my name will be added list of illustrious names already there.”