Occupational Therapy News OTnews February 2019_Joomag | страница 28

FEATURE SERVICE DEVELOPMENT
Repeating their success
For services looking to put occupation at the heart of their
practice, the team advises making the decision strategically, but
delivering from the ground up.
Says Elizabeth: ‘The first thing is people have to really want
to subscribe to change, so I’d say strategically looking at your
RCOT’s position statement on occupation-centred
practice is available at: www.bit.ly/2FSTS9j. Read
more about changing services while retaining an
occupation focus at: www.bit.ly/2Mqy7iy.
‘They feel much more confident about what they are uniquely
bringing to patients; they are thinking more creatively about
treatment interventions as well and not just going through the
acute washing and dressing, transfers [and] getting them out of
hospital.’
The all-staff sessions have also continued to illuminate how
the approach can work in all services.
A paediatric presentation followed a case from an acute
intervention through the community pathway, demonstrating how
the approach helped the patient right across their care.
Another example explained how the approach helped a totally
disengaged patient with low mood in critical care to engage with
therapy and life skills again.
‘Staff who still questioned if they could be occupation-
focused came away with an ability to challenge that belief,’ says
Nicole. ‘The hope is to repeat the live seminars annually to help
keep staff up to date and to boost morale and identity.’
services. Where do you want to see your services going? Where
do you see the threats? And how does that affect what you
offer?’
Adds Nicole: ‘I agree the management side is key, but then
identifying champions – people within the service who are going
to champion this – and that being of all levels. One of the things
we try to do is engage staff.’
‘I wasn’t driving this at all,’ adds Elizabeth. ‘It’s the clinical
specialists and occupational therapists who have really been
driving this. We discuss this a lot in our strategy, but it’s been
driven by the therapist leads.’
It has taken a careful mix of culture shifts and practical
changes to put occupation at the heart of practice at the service,
but the results show what a huge difference it can make.
Andrew Mickel, OTnews journalist, email: andrew.mickel@rcot.
co.uk
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28 OTnews February 2019