Awele Odeh wants to inform more people about the role of an approved clinician and to inspire more of us to apply for the training . Is this the new clinical career progression opportunity for occupational therapists , she asks ?
A n approved clinician ( AC ) – sometimes also referred to as multiprofessional approved clinician MPAC ) – is a person approved by the appropriate [ regional ] authority to act as an approved clinician for the purposes of the Mental Health Act .
A responsible clinician ( RC ) is the approved clinician who has overall responsibility for a patient ’ s case . In simple terms , responsible clinicians are ‘ recruited ’ from a pool of approved clinicians .
Health Education England ( HEE ) states : ‘ An RC can : grant and revoke section 17 leave ; renew detention ; initiate holding powers ; discharge from detention ; discharge onto community treatment orders ( CTOs ); extend , revoke and discharge CTOs ; and oversee guardianship orders ( HEE 2020 ).
However , an occupational therapist in role as an RC while undertaking the above tasks , can take leadership of care in a holistic manner . This can be achieved by working with the multidisciplinary team and the client , focusing on their functional needs and provision of interventions that focus on their strengths , addresses their needs and works towards promoting their independence .
30 OTnews November 2022
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