Sorry, it came out so cryptic in the end, if I could edit it I would, but no edit button.

In my hospitalizations I had occupational therapy. We would make crafts, birdhouses, paintings, clay things, whatever the place had in the closets at that particular hospital. I didn't read the definition of occupational therapy so I may be off base but that is what they called it in the hospital....nothing to do with an actual "occupation" or job.
---plywood

Is occupational therapy, therapy geared towards re-integrating patients into the community in a practical, social, occupational, etc way? If so, then yes - it is used in UK outpatients a lot. Or am I misunderstanding?

Yes, thats what I was after Plywood. Just don't understand why I haven't heard much mention of it on the net. It does get mentioned a lot in Oz. Both In and out of the mental health system. Although chances are now that I will start to see and hear it mentioned more now.

I think the definition and the name maybe a little confusing and my only real understanding of it is only from a patients perspective. I just know its all related to rehabilitation on some level. So thanks for both your replies it has settled my inquisitive mind.

My daughter has had OT on and off throughout her whole life. It pertains to the fine motor skills, or the lack there of, as where PT (physical therapy) deals with the gross motor skills. When she has a Catatonic episode, she looses the ability to feed, dress...all ADLs..the OT helps get her back on track. It can be done any number of ways, like those mentioned by plywood. Working with clay, 'play dough', using tweezers to pick up tiny objects, all would be OT.
Oddly enough, she was 'dismissed' from OT, 'because she wasn't showing enough progress'...Now that was just as backwards as it comes to me! ...Isn't that why she was getting the OT in the first place?? Oh well, guess I wasn't a 'high dollar' client! lol
Hope that helps some.Sorry to ramble!

@Mamaofone I tend to agree with you that it all comes down to dollars and cents. It's also fine by me to get a little off topic at times as often do it myself.