Occupational Therapy News OTnews February 2020 | Page 10

NEWS
Dr Jane Melton made MBE in New Year Honours
The director of therapies at
Gloucestershire Health and Care
NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Jane
Melton, was awarded an MBE in
the New Year Honours list for her
work in mental health and learning
disabilities services.  
Jane qualified from the Welsh
School of Occupational Therapy in
Cardiff in 1987 and she spent her
Dr Jane Melton MBE
early career working in Wales and
Wiltshire before spending most of her career in Gloucestershire. 
She rose through the ranks to become the first consultant
occupational therapist in inpatient mental health care, and
went on to hold various senior leadership and executive roles
at 2gether NHS Foundation Trust.
Using collaborative leadership, Jane has worked in
partnership with local communities, and has held strategic
leadership responsibilities for AHPs and other therapies, social
inclusion, service experience, communication and research.  
In her academic pursuits, Jane was also one of the first
practice-based occupational therapists to hold a university
fellowship and has contributed towards research and education
in many universities, nationally and internationally, as well as
publishing extensively.
Jane has received both a Merit Award and, in 2012, a
Fellowship Award from RCOT for her exceptional service, including
for work as chair of RCOTSS – People with Learning Disabilities
and as a member of RCOT Council, and has recently been
appointed as a trustee of the Elizabeth Casson Trust. 
Jane said: ‘I’ve been extremely fortunate in my occupational
therapy career to support people to achieve their goals in their
day-to-day activities. It has also been a pleasure to influence new
opportunities for AHP colleagues to get involved and lead new
ways of working. Helping people to achieve is always a joy. 
‘I’ve also been fortunate to lead an initiative to tackle mental
health stigma in Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. We’ve done
this as whole community of effort and it really seems to have
gained a momentum of its own. 
‘The other work I’ve been pleased to steer is the integration
of research relating to the Model of Human Occupation
into occupational therapy practice. I’ve always worked in the
NHS, but have enjoyed great partnership with universities,
notably Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, the University
of Illinois, Chicago and more recently with the University of
Gloucestershire.
‘I would like to share this honour with all my occupational
therapy colleagues, community partners and with the people
with lived experience who have helped shape and lead our
developments in health and care practice to make life better.’
Jane will collect her honour at Buckingham Palace later this year.​
Quote of the month
‘Helping people to achieve
is always a joy’
Dr Jane Melton MBE
Royal visit for occupational therapists in Kent
Her Royal Highness The Princess
Royal met with occupational
therapists at Maidstone Hospital in
December.
The Princess Royal, who is patron
of RCOT, met with representatives
from across Maidstone and Tunbridge
Wells NHS Trust when she visited for
the official opening of a new helipad.
Occupational therapists explained
the growth and development of the
services, as well as the challenges
of staffing and recruitment, and the
recent introduction of occupational
therapy apprenticeship posts.
A display also showed the value
of single-handed moving and handling aids, and a new shared
therapy assessment tool to promote joint working between health
and social care in West Kent.
10 OTnews February 2020
Lizzie Allen, clinical lead for trauma and orthopaedics, said: ‘It
was a wonderful opportunity to talk to The Princess Royal who
took time to ask about the different roles and how our service
supports the patients in our hospitals.’