Professional Roles - Occupational Therapy
Professional Roles - Occupational Therapy
Informed
Jody is an activities co-ordinator working with the OT team in a day centre. She noticed that one of the people attending the groups is very thin. She attends regularly for company, but doesn’t stay for the lunches, or arrives after lunch time. She has never attended any centre days out or festive events. Jody discusses what she has noticed with the OT’s in her team in supervision, and during one of the regular reviews they discuss their concerns with the patient. The patient shares that she has always struggling with her eating, and this has become more of an issue since her husband died. She is open to the team discussing this further with her GP as she has found them and ED services helpful in the past.
Skilled
Craig is a newly qualified OT. He has been working with his client who has depression. The client has been struggling with his finances and whilst working on budgeting with him, Craig notices that he is struggling financially. The client has been food shopping daily and most of his outgoings are on food. This leads to a conversation with the client who shares that he has been bingeing in the evenings and this has become more and more out of control. Craig is able to speak to him about triggers and what helps and they arrange for him to be seen by the team psychiatrist for review.
Enhanced
Sophie is an OT working in the CAMHS service. She has been carrying out autism and sensory assessments with a young person. During this process she identifies that the young person has sensory difficulties and fears around certain foods. The parents have had concerns for a long time about her eating habits and low weight. Sophie is able to identify some safer foods with the child to start to work on messy play with food and food chaining with the dietitian to support the young person to expand her palate and gain weight.
Specialist
Holly is an advanced OT working in a Specialist Eating Disorders Unit. She provides individual and group interventions to patients on the ward who experience occupational dysfunction. This includes specialist assessment and working jointly with the advance physiotherapist to support rehabilitation of low weight patients. She engages with community services and carries out home visits to help patients build new daily structure without their eating disorder. As part of her role, she provides support, training and supervision to her ‘non ED specialist’ OT colleagues in inpatient, outpatient and mental health settings.