Julie Hughes,  Independent Occupational Therapist.

 

What is my goal for you as an Occupational Therapist (OT)?

 

• I want to enable children and adults to participate in their expected and valued occupations of daily life. 

 

• I want to increase your ability to enjoy a life that offers you purpose, satisfaction and the ability to reach your full potential – whatever that looks like to you!

 

• I want to improve your health and well being. This includes your ability to cope confidently in your own environments e.g at home, in school, at work or in your community.

 

​​What do Occupational Therapists do?

 

• OTs are skilled professionals who must study a science based degree. They are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) in order to practice in the UK. They follow a Professional Code of Conduct and use the best research evidence to guide their practice. This means that they are able to work independently of other people who may be involved in your care (e.g. your GP).

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• They are interested in your ‘occupations’. These include the things you need to do such as getting dressed, going to school or work. They also include the things you enjoy doing such as playing, spending free time, and socialising with others. They are the things that make us feel ‘who we are’ and ‘who we want to be’.

 

• They assess what the difficulties are through discussion, observation and the application of their training and experience. They help determine how the difficulties are impacting on your ability to do your everyday tasks, your roles and on your well being. The assessment will form the basis of the therapy tailored to suit you. 

 

• Therapy  involves deciding how to improve the situation. The OT will provide practical support, advice and guidance to assist your recovery and to overcome any barriers that prevent you from doing the occupations that matter to you. The OT may help you to learn new skills or change the way that you do things. They may suggest the use of equipment or changes in your home, school or work place. They may offer to teach people around you so that these people better understand your needs. They will also encourage you to set goals and to recognise when you have improved so that you know longer need their help!