and multidisciplinary staff and a special educational needs ( SEN ) teacher . These are being launched on our inhouse training platform to enhance reach to all staff . This is being done alongside workshops for those who are practical learners .
I ’ ve also delivered sessions to our practical training unit , which has incorporated sensory awareness and trauma informed care into its sessions on managing aggression and violence . These are delivered to all clinical staff .
Sensory awareness has been delivered to maintenance staff to raise their knowledge and awareness of their impact on the environment . I ’ m due deliver to health and safety colleagues and will then collaborate on how this is integrated into onsite health and safety checks . One participant commented : ‘… it was so eye opening and thought provoking ’.
Knowledge sharing
A local sensory network and associated MS Teams has been developed to capture existing good practice and enhance knowledge sharing . This is for those with general interest in using sensory approaches and interest in the sensory environment .
There are pockets of excellent practice regionally and nationally , although there is no active central network that can be identified for adults .
An OT sensory network has been developed to aid those with a more specialist interest and support and we are developing our understanding of the occupational therapy role in sensory awareness and how it fits alongside sensory integration .
Training has been offered to identified wards at LYFPT and Advonet will share their environmental assessment .
We have run one-off workshops and knowledge raising with some of our ‘ bridge ’ teams , such as the intensive home treatment team , to support transferability from inpatient to community . And I am in the process of building connections with local providers and for learning disability and autism to see what can be shared .
We are also looking at how we can extend regionally and perhaps nationally , as there has been interest from other NHS partners and areas of practice .
Finally , I am developing a reference document based on scaling up guidance for other places that wish to embed a similar approach and promote sensory friendly inpatient experiences . Services can then adapt this to their needs and ultimately enable enhancement to the service user experience , which is what it ’ s all about really .
Above left ( left to right ): Freddy Lindh , Helen Baldwin and Dawn Boucher
Above right : filming a training video
December 2023 OTnews 33