One of the NHS People Plan’s aims is to create an environment where people from diverse backgrounds can work in an environment that is compassionate and inclusive. This is a core aim because data from the NHS Workforce Race Equality Standard data has clearly shown that BAME staff are poorly represented at senior levels, have measurably worse day to day experiences of life in NHS organisations, and have more obstacles to progressing in their careers.
We need to explore in more depth issues facing BAME OTs and mechanisms to support career progression and Mentorship is suggested as a mechanism to facilitate personal and professional goals in a safe space. However, building trust may become more challenging when mentoring persons who are from a minority heritage. Mentoring is a tool that is frequently used to support career success, However, there is no consensus on what good mentoring should look like
As far as we are aware, no studies have examined the mentoring process, on outcomes such as career success for BAME Occupational Therapists or Allied Health Professionals. There is limited but emerging evidence that for mentors and mentees, the mentoring relationship is less successful when their beliefs, values, or interests were dissimilar or when the mentor and mentee match was imposed by an outside agency as opposed to resulting from an organic relationship.
The focus of this OTalk is to explore diversity in mentoring using the following questions:
Why did you have mentoring?
How were you and your mentor matched?
Did you achieve the outcome you wanted?
Is it important that the mentor and mentee are of the same race?
Is it important that the mentor and mentee are of the same gender?
Have you ever spoken about cultural and racial nuances?
Evidence your CPD. If you joined in this chat you can download the below transcript as evidence for your CPD, but remember the HCPC are interested in what you have learnt. So why not complete one of our reflection logs to evidence your learning?
The concept of “sensory integration” refers to the processing, integration, and organisation of sensory information from the body and the environment. It is how we experience, interpret and respond to the sensory information that we receive (Bundy & Lane, 2020). Our understanding of sensory integration is based on the work of Dr Occupational Therapist Dr A Jean Ayres (60s and 70s), and grounded in neuroscience.
Ayres defined sensory integration as “The neurological process that organises sensation from one’s own body and from the environment and makes it possible to use the body effectively with the environment.” (Ayres, 1972). It is based on neuroplasticity and the idea that our neurons and neural networks can change and adapt to new sensory messages, damage or dysfunction (Britannica Academic, 2022). It is assumed that this can occur from early childhood to later life, supporting our ability to adapt and maintain function within the context of our individual environment.
The Sensory Integration (SI) frame of reference helps us understand the interaction between the sensory systems including auditory, vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile, and visual systems. This helps us make sense of how children learn and play by using adaptive responses to integrate information and survive constantly changing sensory environments (Schaaf et al, 2010). This supports successful engagement in daily occupations, from washing and eating to managing more complex social behaviours and relationships.
An SI intervention includes therapeutic equipment to provide sensory opportunities, often with multiple sensations (eg. tactile, vestibular, and proprioceptive). Sensations are provided in a structured environment, graded to a greater or lesser intensity depending on the needs of each child. Sensory integrative abilities include sensory modulation, sensory discrimination, postural-ocular control, praxis, bilateral integration, and sequencing (Schaaf et al, 2010).
The intervention will differ depending on the identified sensory integration need, for example sensory modulation of the vestibular system (eg. swinging or rocking) may be used as a way to regulate other sensory systems. While developing skills through sensory discrimination may be used to improve skilled activity, for example tactile based interventions (eg. sensory bins) can support recognition of objects such as buttons for dressing. The outcome of successful sensory integration is the participation in daily life activities and will enhance fulfilment of the children’s roles and occupational needs.
References
Ayres A. J. (1972). Sensory Integration and Learning Disorders. Los Angeles, CA, Western Psychological Services.
Bundy, A. & Lane, S.J. (2020) Sensory Integration theory and practice. 3rd ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.
Schaaf, R. C., Schoen, S. A., Roley, S. S., Lane, S. J., Koomar, J., & May-Benson, T. A. (2010). A frame of reference for sensory integration. In P. Kramer & J. Hinojosa (Eds.), Frames of reference for pediatric occupational therapy (3rd ed., pp. 99-186). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Questions for discussion during the OTalk:
What is your knowledge of sensory integration practice?
What is the role of sensory informed approaches for OT practice?
How can Occupational Therapists use sensory informed approaches in practice?
What are the barriers to implementing this approach and how can we overcome these?
Evidence your CPD. If you joined in this chat you can download the below transcript as evidence for your CPD, but remember the HCPC are interested in what you have learnt. So why not complete one of our reflection logs to evidence your learning?
Many of our #OTalk Research chats have focussed on the challenges of engaging with research and development (R&D) as a clinical practitioner when there is no explicit research component within our roles or titles, and no dedicated time, resources or support made available. The barriers to research engagement for occupational therapy clinicians are well documented. Yet the HCPC requires that all registered practitioners are able to demonstrate the safe delivery of evidence based practice. With the increasing requirement for occupational therapists to deliver safe and effective care along with unprecedented demands on our resources this arguably presents an even greater need for occupational therapists to be able to demonstrate confidence and competence in their research skills as part of their core business alongside clinical practice. Occupational therapists have shown no end of innovation during the last two years but how are we acknowledging, sharing and disseminating this new knowledge?
So how do we demonstrate that we use a wide range of research skills within clinical practice? I was recently invited to address a group of clinical occupational therapists about their role in research, development and innovation within practice. This initially felt like quite a daunting task as I fully appreciate the demands of clinical practice and the apparent lack of time to fit anything else into your working week. So I began to think about research, development and innovation within the context of the four pillars of practice, nothing unusual there you might say, and rightly so!
However as I began to explore the specific HCPC criteria within the context of the four pillars of practice it quickly became apparent to me that as clinical practitioners we are accessing evidence and developing knowledge routinely throughout our work. I was very positively encouraged by this concept as I started to build on it. I subsequently chose to apply the HCPC requirements within the following framework:
Clinical Practice
• 12.1 be able to engage in evidence-based practice, evaluate practice systematically and participate in audit procedures
• 12.6 be able to evaluate intervention plans using recognised outcome measures and revise the plans as necessary in conjunction with the service user
• 14.22 recognise the value of research to the critical evaluation of practice • E2.1 know the importance of evidence and research to deliver safe and effective services
Facilitating Learning
• 14.13 be able to use research, reasoning and problem solving skills to determine appropriate actions
• 14.24 be able to evaluate research and other evidence to inform their own practice
• E2.2 constructively question own and others’ practice to create opportunities to generate new knowledge
Leadership
• 12.2 be able to gather information, including qualitative and quantitative data, that helps to evaluate the responses of service users to their care
• 12.3 be aware of the role of audit and review in quality management, including quality control, quality assurance and the use of appropriate outcome measures
• 12.4 be able to maintain an effective audit trail and work towards continual improvement
• 12.5 be aware of, and be able to participate in, quality assurance programmes, where appropriate
Evidence, Research and Development
• 14.11 be able to analyse and critically evaluate the information collected
• 13.7 be aware of the principles and applications of scientific enquiry, including the evaluation of treatment efficacy and the research process
• 14.23 be aware of a range of research methodologies
Feedback from the presentation about the use of this approach was very encouraging and I’m keen to explore this further within the chat. I would be interested in understanding if this is something that would be helpful for you in your own situation. Have you considered research, development and innovation within this context in relation to your own role? Are you like me and didn’t even realise that we do most of these things without even noticing that this level of thinking and critical reflection is taking place? And how many of you are contributing to the development of new knowledge without any sharing or dissemination?
Lots of questions as always for our discussion. However in order to keep it focussed on the night here are some questions that you may wish to consider in advance of the chat:
1. Do you consider research, development and innovation to be part of your core business within your current role?
2. When considering this framework, does it impact on how you think about research, development and innovation in relation to your role?
3. Is this there anything that you might find helpful about this framework within the context of your own practice?
4. If you were required to submit your evidence to the HCPC, how would you evidence your contribution to the evidence, research and development pillar?
5. What would enable you to feel that research, development and innovation is core business?
6. Are there any topics that we could discuss in future #OTalk Research chats that might help with these challenges?
Evidence your CPD. If you joined in this chat you can download the below transcript as evidence for your CPD, but remember the HCPC are interested in what you have learnt. So why not complete one of our reflection logs to evidence your learning?
Psychosis and schizophrenia are mental health problems that affect how a person thinks, feels and behaves. They can make it hard for the person to think clearly and tell the difference between what’s real and what’s not. The person may act differently or lose interest in things and other people.
The main symptoms are called ‘psychotic’ symptoms. These are:
hearing voices and sometimes seeing things that are not really there (called a hallucination)
believing that something is real or true when it is not (called a delusion); such as, believing they are being watched or having their thoughts monitored.
NICE (2014) defines psychosis and schizophrenia as a major psychiatric disorder (or cluster of disorders) that alters a person’s perception, thoughts, mood and behaviour recognising that each person will have a unique combination of symptoms and experiences.
Schizophrenia Awareness Day is practiced on a global scale to break down the stigma and prejudice that affect individuals with these experiences.
Questions that will be discussed during the #OTalk are:
1. What’s your awareness of schizophrenia/ psychosis? And where has this come from?
2. Can you share any good educational resources that you aware of in relation to schizophrenia or psychosis?
3. Do you think people with schizophrenia/ psychosis experience any stigma? Does choice of language used influence this?
4. How could you/ have you challenged stigma about schizophrenia/ psychosis?
5. What role do you think social media plays or could play in awareness around schizophrenia/psychosis?
Evidence your CPD. If you joined in this chat you can download the below transcript as evidence for your CPD, but remember the HCPC are interested in what you have learnt. So why not complete one of our reflection logs to evidence your learning?
Dr Lisa Taylor (@drlisataylor) – Associate Professor in Occupational Therapy School of Health Sciences and Associate Dean in Employability Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of East Anglia Norwich. Lisa has a passion for employability with student transitions being a key part of UEA’s employability strategy.
Ruth Laws (@ruth_laws)– recent MSc preregistration graduate from UEA – now working as a band 5 occupational therapist within Suffolk. Whilst at UEA Ruth completed her MSc dissertation on student transitions, supervised by Lisa. Ruth has presented her work at an international conference, and then completed her elective placement with the Health Education England (HEE) Reducing Pre-registration Attrition and Improving Retention (RePAIR) team, having developed a keen interest in the transition from student to newly qualified practitioner.
Lisa and Ruth have a shared interest and passion in graduate transitions and how to make the flaky bridge of transition more stable!
The transition from student to newly qualified professional can be challenging, and is a period reported and explored withing the HEE RePAIR project, being described as the flaky bridge. In recognition of the difficulties newly qualified occupational therapists (NQOTs) face, the Elizabeth Casson Trust funded the project Year 1: Thriving not Surviving to develop a series of resources to support NQOTs. Preceptorship programmes have also been developed by many organisations with the aim to support graduates in their transitions. However, as Ruth found out in her dissertation, these programmes can have a dual impact. The programmes can provide both positive and negative contributions to the transition from student to NQOT, including aiding professional development and fostering a supported, structured environment, but also being confusing, complicated, frustrating, and stressful.
We would like to use our #OTalk to explore the experiences of the flaky bridge from all perspectives tonight for a rich discussion. We would love contributions from all health and social care professions, including students, HEI academics, careers and employability staff, recent graduates, clinicians, employers and statutory bodies and policy makers. We have put together a series of questions to capture the main considerations, offering insights as to how we can help stabilise the transition from student to graduate health care professional. We hope that you will join in this important conversation.
What do students, higher education institutes and employers need to know and be prepared for, to aid graduate transition into the workplace?
Based on your experiences, what resources, support, and advice has helped graduates transition into the workplace?
How could placement-based learning experiences better prepare students for the transition into the workplace?
What experiences do you have of preceptorship? How can this experience be maximised for all involved?
How could an online peer assisted cross-professional support network/community for new graduates work in conjunction with the more formal individual preceptor packages?
Evidence your CPD. If you joined in this chat you can download the below transcript as evidence for your CPD, but remember the HCPC are interested in what you have learnt. So why not complete one of our reflection logs to evidence your learning?
OTalk 