Occupational Therapy News OTnews February 2020 | Page 46

FEATURE RETIREMENT
Finding a new occupation
in life
Helen Tomes reflects on the mixed feelings involved in resigning
her registration with the Health and Care Professions Council, after a long
and varied career, to fully embrace retired life
W
hen Helen Tomes downloaded and sent
off the form that would enable her to have
her name removed from the Health and
Care Professions Council (HCPC) register,
effectively meaning that she could no longer practise as an
occupational therapist, whether employed or privately, she
says she felt both ‘sick and elated’.
She explains: ‘[Since qualifying] I
have had unbroken service in my
profession, in one capacity or
another, for the last 33 years.
But now, as you have probably
guessed, I have retired.
‘One year to the day that
my last job ended, I wanted
to share some reflections on
what the first year in retirement
has revealed to me and what I
have done in response. For those
who like to view this through an
occupational therapy lens, for ‘revelation’
read ‘problem’, and for ‘response’ read
‘solution’.’
Revelation one, she admits, was that
‘danger lurked’. She says: ‘The risk of
identifying myself as a “has been”
is never far away. I have never
forgotten the shocking statistic
that 13 per cent of occupational
therapists who qualified would
leave the profession within
46 OTnews February 2020
the first two years of working and not return to practice – a
sobering fact told to qualifying students, in Liverpool, in 1986.
‘While I am immensely proud of my own efforts to redress
this balance, I want that chapter in my life to be closed now.’
She adds: ‘When I found myself overusing the phrases:
“When I was…” or “I used to be…” and even “In my day…”
let me assure you that people’s eyes really do roll and the
subject is quickly moved on.
‘If I am asked for a view based on my experience and
professional expertise however, that is an entirely different
matter. Sit back, I have a lot to say.’
Helen’s second revelation was that ‘clinical supervision is
still valuable’.
‘One of the greatest supports to my mental health and
motivation, while practising, was clinical supervision,’ she
reflects. ‘I am extremely lucky to have been able to continue
using the model of non-managerial clinical supervision with
the same supervision partner I have had for many years.
‘Occupational therapists believe occupation is central
to feeling physically and mentally fulfilled, but when you are
faced with a myriad of possibilities it is so easy to become
distracted, disinterested or despondent.
‘Clinical supervision has helped me focus on my new
direction and know I still have something to contribute in a
personal capacity.’
Finally, Helen’s third major revelation was that ‘pre-
retirement study days are great, but…’
She explains: ‘The one at RCOT was very inspiring, the
one in my own NHS trust very practical, however nothing
prepared me for my own, actual, day one to infinity life in
retirement.