REPORT MENTAL HEALTH
Occupational therapy and
activity-based intervention in
PICUs in the context of COVID-19
Dr Wendy Sherwood reports on the launch event for the National
Association for Psychiatric Intensive Care and Low Secure Units
Occupational Therapy Network, and shares new guidance on delivering
and managing occupational therapy and activity-based intervention in
PICUs in the context of COVID-19
In March this year, the National Association for Psychiatric Intensive Care and Low Secure
Units (NAPICU) Occupational Therapy Network was launched at a meeting in
London, facilitated by Dr Wendy Sherwood, NAPICU executive committee
lead for occupational therapy, and Becky Davies, clinical lead for Croydon
and Complex Care, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
(OTnews, January 2020, page 16).
NAPICU is a not-for-profit charity organisation committed to
developing and promoting the specialty of psychiatric intensive
care and low secure services, improving patient experience and
outcomes, and promoting staff support and development.
The occupational therapy network is a new initiative, the
purpose of which is to: share good practice and service
development initiatives; develop knowledge of the role and
contribution of occupational therapy in PICU and low secure
services; explore the evidence base for occupational therapy
intervention; and promote staff support.
The launch day featured group discussion on the roles
and realities of practice in adult and child and adolescent
mental health services (CAMHS) PICUs and low secure
units, occupational therapy assessment and outcome
measurement and intervention.
An overview of the limited evidence base was
provided by Wendy Sherwood, prompting attendees to
address the need for research, ideas for which they had
posted on a research board during the day.
The last session of the day discussed what people
perceived NAPICU should aim to achieve for PICU services and
occupational therapy nationally.
Ultimately, therapists want to enhance the occupational therapy
profession’s and wider multidisciplinary team’s awareness of an
occupational therapist’s role within a specialist service, and to ensure
quality and parity across PICU occupational therapy nationally.
The network has also developed a document that sets out
practice issues and guidance on delivering and managing occupational
therapy and activity-based intervention in PICUs in the context of COVID19 – Managing acute
disturbance in the context of COVID-19 – which is freely available on the network’s page within the
specialist networks section of the NAPICU website.
52 OTnews August 2020