Occupational therapists
As a Trust we employ over 285 qualified occupational therapists, one consultant occupational therapists and a large network of support staff. The role of occupational therapy is highly valued across the Trust. .
The diversity of services across the Trust offers a unique opportunity to start and expand your career at Nottinghamshire Health Care. Our occupational therapists work in a wide number of service areas, both inpatient and community services, with children right through to older adults with a range of physical, emotional and mental health needs. Some areas our occupational therapists work in are;:
- secure services
- intellectual disability
- mental health
- children and young people's services
- eating disorders
- community physical health
- stroke
- perinatal
- falls prevention
- palliative care
- fire service
Our occupational therapists are dedicated to working in partnership with our service users and families to enable them to have control of their lives and achieve their hopes and ambitions within their communities
There is a network of support for occupational therapists and opportunities to work as a permanent member of staff, on a fixed term contract or on our bank. We also facilitate people to return to practice. The Trust are committed to the development of the occupational therapy workforce and support all OT’s to become practice educators. We host student placements from the BSc, MSc and apprenticeship programmes from the University of Derby, Sheffield Hallam and University of Lincoln every year.
The Trust supports occupational therapists to present at internal and external conferences, to engage in research studies, to participate in formal and informal training and engage in a host of CPD activities. There are opportunities for shadowing colleagues in other areas and developing networks across different services and directorates to share best practice and learn new skills.
Career stories
Nikisha Ayre, Occupational Therapist
Pre-registration
Worked in an office, grandfather had a stroke and Nikisha was inspired with the Occupational Therapist who worked with him and their focus on what was important to him and what he wanted to achieve.
Nikisha applied for Assistant OT roles which she got, working with older adults, dementia, community mental health and forensic settings! With this experience under her belt she applied to Uni with the support of these teams and loved it!! Important placement in male mental health inpatient setting and realised this was her passion.
Preceptee experience
Importance of representation – for the profession but also the patient/ user groups. Identify and share culture, insight, motivation and what’s important. Rewards of getting cutlural needs met. So many experiences offered by the Trust, always looking to expand experiences, knowledge and skills.
Leadership
Importance of seeing BAME colleagues in different positions in the Trust to know where you can towards. Desire to promote OT as a career at schools, especially to those from black and ethnic minority groups.
Lessons
Representation and shared insight into culture are important and can really influence therapy outcomes for a person. Identifying what you share with someone can have a positive impact on relationship building, creating nad meeting personal aims.
Rob Wilson, Lead Occupational Therapist, Intellectual Disabilities Services
Pre-registration
Whilst completing a Tourism Management degree Rob signed up for Camp America working in a special needs summer camp, it was here that he worked alongside an OT who inspired Rob to change pathway.
On researching OT, Rob realised that it would make the most of his practical and pragmatic skills, but it would be a challenge overcoming his dyslexia. He didn’t let this hold him back and he As he didn’t have the grades at A level or GSCE his previous degree met the entry criteria. Support from family and own self-belief carried him through.
Preceptee experience
Rob’s first qualified post was in forensic setting. No rotational element. Challenged self to keep learning by taking on projects, secondments and internal promotions every year. Sideways step to community Intellectual Disabilitie services – skill consolidation and portfolio.
Leadership
Rob set up an Occupational Therapy service in a therapeutic community prison where no previous service had existed, He moved to Notts HealthCare Trust in 2017 – to a post that crossed community and inpatient Intellectual Disabilitie services. An opportunity arose for a secondment as the lead Occuptional Therapist for the large adult mental health occupational therapy service which he was successful at securing. With this experience and confidence under his belt, Rob then moved back to the ID service as Lead OT for IDD specialist services
Lessons
Don’t rush to be promoted – consolidate your skills, move around and learn what’s transferable! Be creative to reach your goals, if you find meeting the academic targets difficult, then invest your time in gaining practical experiences and skills.