An Occupational Therapy Programme for a Psychiatric Day Hospital: Voice of Occupational Therapy Practitioners and Patients

Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners play a critical role in supporting recovery from disruptions in occupational performance caused by mental illness, particularly within psychiatric day hospital settings. Despite this, there remains a notable absence of published evidence‐based guidelines to inform the development and implementation of OT programmes in private psychiatric day hospitals in South Africa. This study aimed to evaluate an existing OT programme in such a setting, with the goal of informing the development of context‐specific, evidence‐based practice guidelines. A qualitative research design was employed to explore the perspectives of both OT practitioners and patients who participated in the programme. Data were collected through in‐depth interviews and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four key themes emerged: (1) the competent facilitator with expertise in group dynamics; (2) the therapeutic group as a cohesive and healing entity; (3) the patient as a unique individual within the recovery process; and (4) the integration of evaluation, intervention and outcomes within a coherent therapeutic process. Findings demonstrated the therapeutic potential of group‐based OT led by skilled facilitators, underscoring the importance of integrating clinical reasoning, patient‐centred care and group dynamics expertise into programme delivery. The study contributes to the body of knowledge advocating for structured, evidence‐based OT programmes in psychiatric day hospitals, tailored to both the therapeutic goals of practitioners and the recovery needs of patients. This research provides a foundation for the formulation of evidence‐based guidelines that can strengthen OT practice in private psychiatric day hospital contexts, thereby promoting mental health recovery through structured and purposeful occupation.