Occupational Therapy News OTnews October 2019

NEWS Rollout of apprenticeships continues with latest recruits in Leicester and London The introduction of occupational therapy apprenticeships is continuing apace, with apprentices getting to work in London and Leicester. Two have been taken on by Leicester City Council, in partnership with Coventry University, in one of the first local authority schemes in the country. Zahira Ravat and Heidi Askam work in the city council as care management officers and were selected as part of an application process earlier this year. Two further candidates have also received conditional offers for the 2020 intake of the course. Leicester deputy city mayor for social care, councillor Sarah Russell, said: ‘By offering staff the chance to qualify as occupational therapists, we are helping to “grow our own” skilled workforce, rather than having to rely on external providers. ‘It also means that by investing in these apprenticeships, we are offering staff the chance to train while also helping recruit much- needed skilled workers.’ The first apprentice in London has also been put in post, with Coventry University partnering with West London NHS Trust. Megan Heaphy became interested in the profession after volunteering with an occupational therapy team in an east London hospital. She now works as an occupational therapy assistant, helping patients with complex personality disorders, and as an apprentice will split her time between university and Broadmoor Hospital. Megan said: ‘I am really excited to be starting my occupational therapy apprenticeship, and to be the first in London to do so is just the icing on the cake. It is a real privilege to be looking after patients and by undertaking this apprenticeship, will give me that further experience and training to be able to deliver even better care.’ Helen Lycett, West London NHS Trust’s AHP lead, who played an integral role in building the partnership, said: ‘Working on an occupational therapy apprenticeship Megan Heaphy is hugely important for those who want to progress their careers in this field of healthcare. ‘Partnerships like ours with Coventry University are essential as it enables us to share our expertise and resources, unlocking the potential of those willing to be successful occupational therapists.’ Zahira Ravat (second left) and Heidi Askam (fourth from left) work in the city council 6 OTnews October 2019 Members urged to share the small changes that create a big impact this Occupational Therapy Week Members are getting ready to share the stories of how small changes have helped create big impacts ahead of Occupational Therapy Week. Occupational Therapy Week takes place from 4 to 10 November, with a theme of ‘Small Change, Big Impact’. RCOT is encouraging members to share their stories to show the powerful impact that occupational therapy has on people’s lives and the communities they live in. Members can submit their stories to the RCOT website. All the stories shared will be displayed on a website on a story wall, bringing together best practice and new ideas from across the country. Examples of the type of story we are looking for include a breakfast group created to bring patients together on a ward in Grampian that helped tackle the lack of stimulation and create a positive impact on mood, function and wellbeing. In Belfast, a teenage wheelchair user was struggling to participate in PE lessons until an occupational therapist introduced them to wheelchair basketball, leading to them playing the sport internationally. And in East Lancashire, a high attendance at accident and emergency of older people who had fallen was tackled by setting up a dedicated falls response car service, helping people to stay at home and making significant financial savings. Karin Orman, assistant director for professional practice, said: ‘The stories we have gathered from members so far demonstrate the diversity of occupational therapy, but also how fantastic our members are at creating a big impact from small changes. ‘Occupational Therapy Week is the ideal time to share how your work has had an impact on the lives of people and the communities they live in. What was the challenge you addressed, what did you do and what difference did it make? ‘We have added lots of resources to the Occupational Therapy Week website to help you tell your story, including materials you can tailor with your stories, from posters to social media posts and press releases. Use them to tell your stories to colleagues, local decision makers and the public, and don’t forget to keep a record of all your activity for your continuing professional development portfolio.’ Find out more information, download resources and share your stories at: www.rcot.co.uk/otweek. You can also share your activity on social media with the #OTWeek2019 hashtag.

Occupational Therapy News OTnews October 2019 | Page 6