Occupational Therapy Show

At the Occupational Therapy Show you can attend a CPD conference programme and see equipment, technology, services and assistive products used in occupational therapy practice, all with free visitor registration. The Occupational Therapy Show is a two-day annual exhibition and CPD conference for occupational therapy professionals, organised by CloserStill Media and held in Hall 6 at NEC Birmingham.

The 2026 show

You can attend free of charge on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 November 2026, and the event is CPD certified. Doors open at 9am on both days, closing at 5.30pm on the first day and 4.30pm on the second. You book a free ticket through the show website.

Day	Opening times
Wednesday 25 November 2026	09:00 to 17:30
Thursday 26 November 2026	09:00 to 16:30

CPD theatres and conference programme

You can choose from more than 100 hours of CPD sessions, keynotes and exhibitor demonstrations across the two days, as advertised by the organiser, with a Keynote Theatre and an Innovation Theatre among the named stages. Four CPD-accredited theatres carry sessions on clinical practice, leadership, research, innovation and emerging trends. Two further theatres are run by exhibitors and focus on products, practical case studies and examples from practice.

Features on the show floor

You can explore three features on the show floor, from career routes into case management to a place to meet.

• CMSUK Feature Zone. New for 2026, this is run with the Case Management Society UK to show how case management fits within interdisciplinary rehabilitation. It has a welcome and information area, a section on the history of case management and its role in coordinating care, a pathways area covering career routes into case management for occupational therapists, and an informal Coffee and Curiosity space. Members of the CMSUK Board of Trustees will be on hand, and short informal talks take place inside the zone.
• Elizabeth Casson Trust Feature Zone. This returns in a redesigned format centred on innovation, collaboration and the future of the profession. One visitor quoted on the show website singled out the Casson history stand.
• Networking Lounge. A meeting space sponsored by Volta Mobility.

Who attends

You can connect with peers, sector leaders and suppliers from across healthcare, social care, education, housing and independent practice. According to the organiser, the show is aimed at occupational therapists in the NHS, local authorities, private practice and community settings; clinical leads, service managers and heads of department; rehabilitation professionals and members of multidisciplinary teams; and students and early-career occupational therapists. The organiser describes the 2025 audience as thousands of occupational therapists and healthcare professionals. If you are comparing it with other events in the healthcare sector, you may find our guide to choosing your first UK trade show useful.

Exhibiting to decision-makers

As an exhibitor you reach decision-makers with budget and purchasing influence from across the UK, according to CloserStill Media, which calls the show the country’s largest occupational therapy event. More than 200 suppliers are expected in 2026, showing equipment, technology, services and assistive solutions. You can exhibit, sponsor a theatre, lounge, badge, lanyard, show bag or show guide, or join as a partner, and stand enquiries go through the Why Exhibit page on the show website. If you are a first-time exhibitor weighing up shell scheme or space only, you can also read our notes on building an exhibition budget.

Other healthcare dates nearby

You can plan around other healthcare shows the same season. Earlier in November, Nursing Live takes place at the NEC from 9 November 2026, and the Care Management Show follows at Excel London on 27 November 2026. CloserStill Media also runs Best Practice London at Olympia London from 2 March 2027. More events in the city are listed under Birmingham trade shows.

Getting there

You can reach the halls directly by train, as Birmingham International railway station is a five-minute covered walk from the NEC, linked by a bridge from the Piazza concourse, and London Northwestern Railway runs direct trains from London, Milton Keynes and Northampton. Birmingham Airport connects to the station by a free air-rail link that takes about 90 seconds. Drivers reach the site from the M42, M40 and M6, should follow event signs rather than the postcode once on site, and can save £5 by pre-paying parking online. Free shuttle buses run between the car parks and the halls on exhibition days. The NEC campus has seven hotels within walking distance.

Source: theotshow.com/about, theotshow.com/cmsuk-feature-zone, thenec.co.uk/events/occupational-therapy, thenec.co.uk/visitors/getting-here