World Occupational Therapy Day is held annually on October 27th. The theme set by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) for this year’s event is ‘Opportunity + Choice = Justice’.
Each year the day highlights the invaluable contributions of Occupational Therapists worldwide, aiming to promote and celebrate the profession internationally.
Here at Northern Healthcare, our Occupational Therapists (OTs) take a leading role in the recovery pathways of the individuals we support. To mark World Occupational Therapy Day, we caught up with three of our OTs to hear about what attracted them to the profession and what they enjoy most about their roles:
Why did you choose to become an Occupational Therapist?
“I always knew I wanted to work within the health and social care sector, I had initially considered Nursing or Physiotherapy however when exploring Occupational Therapy further, and speaking to qualified OTs, I knew that it sounded like the career for me. I applied for the course and went to study at York St. John University 2013-2016, where I gained my first post in adolescent mental health/education.“
What do you enjoy about being an Occupational Therapist?
“I love being able to spend time with individuals, really getting to know them and exploring their interests and goals for the future. Seeing someone build their skills within the community and develop their independence is really rewarding.”
Why did you choose to become an Occupational Therapist?
“When I was younger, I took a year out travelling, and for part of this time I was a nanny for a young girl with learning disabilities and autism. As part of my role, I spent time with an Occupational Therapist who showed me strategies she had put in place to help the girl build skills and develop independence. I found it so fascinating, and after already knowing I wanted a career in healthcare I knew occupational therapy was the right role for me.”
What do you enjoy about being an Occupational Therapist?
“The variety of the role, every day is different! There are also so many different career paths to take in occupational therapy, and having those options is really exciting. I love learning about people. Getting to know the residents is my favourite part of the job.”
Why did you choose to become an Occupational Therapist?
“My career in occupational therapy began when I commenced working in a low secure hospital as the sports and leisure technical instructor. I had previously worked in the leisure sector and hadn’t worked with an Occupational Therapist before. I was able to learn about their role and how incorporating meaningful occupations into everyday life can be a factor in a person’s rehab and wellbeing.
“I went on to study at St Martin’s College, Lancaster (University of Cumbria) in 2004 and have worked in mental health since, including medium secure forensics and locked door rehab.“
What do you enjoy about being an Occupational Therapist?
“Making connections, developing therapeutic relationships, sharing occupations such as gardening, walking and cooking and providing opportunities within the Northern Healthcare environment for residents to engage in the activities they enjoy. Within supported living, we have time to see residents progress to reach their optimal potential.”
In this video Vicky discusses the role of our Occupational Therapists in supporting our residents on their journey to greater independence and improved quality of life:
All residents within Northern Healthcare can access Occupational Therapy based on their individual needs identified within the clinical pathway. The pathway ensures consistency across our services in delivering high-quality support to our residents. The pathway also aims to improve the communication of professionals, give clear markers of improvements for residents and produces outcome measures to demonstrate clinical effectiveness.
Read More
The role of Occupational Therapy data in mental health support and treatment
