Occupation

Abstracts
Posters
Masters in Service Improvement. I am committed to providing
meaningful engagement to improve the experience of patients
through their recovery.
P80
An exploration of the occupational therapy role in
vocational rehabilitation within a community mental
health team
Brown S, Whelan C, CNWL
The vocational clinic is run by two OTs in a Community Recovery
Team, the team works with individuals with severe and enduring
mental health problems. The purpose of the clinic is to assess the
client’s vocational needs and support them to access education,
training, volunteering or to pursue paid work. The OTs work
alongside an Employment Specialist (ES) to deliver vocational
interventions.
Research suggests that employment can contribute to an
individual’s recovery, however figures suggest that only 5%
of people with severe and enduring mental health problems
are employed (Blank et al 2011). As the current government is
focusing on getting people back into work, with an emphasis
on reducing welfare support for those who can work, it is vital
to further understand how OT can contribute to supporting
individuals to meet their vocational needs.
Williams et al (2015) defines vocational rehabilitation in
mental health as a form of psychiatric rehabilitation where
an individual’s recovery goals involve a specified employment,
education or training goal. Kennedy-Jones et al (2005) state
that OTs are appropriate providers of vocational rehabilitation
due to their knowledge of mental health and its impact
on occupational performance, their ability to analyse both
occupations and the environment and evaluate and match these
to job requirements. All whilst supporting clients in a holistic
manner. Davis and Rinaldi (2004) assert that the OTs ability
to understand and explore the client’s perspective is vital to
supporting them with their vocational goals. However, currently
there is limited evidence of the nature/type of vocational services
OTs are currently providing in mental health settings, which do
not use a supported employment framework. In addition there
is negligible evidence regarding the functions/roles OTs assume
to support individual’s with educational or training goals, nor
how OTs work alongside employment specialists, and how these
professions complement each other.
This poster will present results collected from a study that
aims to understand the current role and, responsibilities that
OTs assume in assisting service users with meeting vocational
goals. This is within the context of a large mental health Trust in
Central London.
The study will adopt a quantitative method and employ an
online survey method, using the Survey Monkey tool. The
sample group is 126 OTs working in mental health services
within the trust
The poster will present findings from the survey in order to:
• Discuss the OT role within the different services
• Review the OT specific assessments and interventions use
• Explore OTs’ practices when working in collaboration with
Employment Specialists.
• Inform practice and potentially further develop the vocational
clinic.
References
Blank, A., Harries P., Reynolds F., 2001. Mental health service
users perspective of work: a review of literature. British Journal
of Occupational Therapy, 74(4), pp.191–199.
Davis, M. & Rinaldi, M., 2004. Using an evidence base approach
to enable people with mental health problems to gain and retain
employment, education and voluntary work. British journal of
occupational therapy, 67(7), pp. 319–322.
Kennedy-Jones, M., Cooper, J., Fossey, E., 2005 Developing a
worker role: stories of four people with mints illness. Australian
Occupational Therapy Journal, 52(2) pp.116–126.
Keywords
Mental health, Practice development, Practice – present and
future, NHS
Contact E-mail Addresses
sarah.brown70@nhs.net
Author Biographies
Sarah Brown works as an Occupational Therapist and Care
Coordinator in a Community Recovery Team. She studied at
LSBU and graduated in 2012 with a Post Graduate Diploma in
Occupational Therapy. She will be returning LSBU to complete
the MSC component in September 2015. Her special interest is
Vocational Rehabilitation in Mental Health.
Caroline Whelan works as an Occupational Therapist and Care
Coordinator in a Community Recovery Team.
P81
The benefits of AHP collaboration to provide access
to therapy through music
Koziel J, Bruce K, Walker B, NHS Fife
A range of OT group work has been provided with varying
success in regard to outcomes and participation within a ward
setting for individuals with complex severe and enduring mental
health problems.
The power and versatility of music to involve all aspects of
occupational performance has been documented (MacRae,
1992) and its ability to engage this client group witnessed
by the occupational therapist, therefore it was felt that there
would be benefit from joint working with music therapy to
aid participation in meaningful occupation, build confidence,
establish routine, habits and responsibility. It was also felt that, in
line with key messages from The National Delivery Plan for AHPs
in Scotland (2012), using collaboration to improve health and
well being and drive innovation by drawing on different skill sets
to provide a more accessible service.
Following discussions between OT and Music Therapy a singing
group was piloted on a rehabilitation ward. This group is now a
well attended and popular group with individuals.
The singing group is structured so that all participants are
encouraged to take on roles and responsibilities and an active
part in the group whether this is to sing, listen or sit in the
company of others (this includes staff). Less structured than
other groups, it allows patients to come and go as they need
enabling them to build confidence on their own terms.
Using a Helpful Aspects of Therapy form, observation of
individuals’ presentation, and feedback from ward staff for
evaluation, it has been noted that there has been an increase
in confidence and participation for group members, willingness
to take on roles, and more awareness of others, with a positive
effect on the ward environment.
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