Occupational therapy

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Authors:

Teena Clouston, Lecturer in Occupational Therapy & Health and Social Care Management
University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff. CloustonTJ@cf.ac.uk

Lyn Westcott, Programme Manager & Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy,
University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff. WestcottL@cf.ac.uk

Steven Whitcombe, Lecturer in Occupational Therapy,
University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff.mailto:WhitcombeS@cf.ac.uk

 

General note

Occupational therapists are concerned with human occupation in its widest sense. This means that for a person with mental health issues, the occupational therapist is concerned with how these problems impact on the occupational diversity of daily life including the ability for self care, leisure and/ or productive pursuits such as employment.

Practice in mental health recognises the relationship between wellbeing and occupational balance.


1. Undergraduate teaching.

All Occupational therapy programmes in the UK are written by individual programme teams. These must however conform to the requirements of the College of Occupational Therapists (1998, 2003), the Health Professions Council (2003), the European Network of Occupational Therapy Educators (Howard and Lancee 2000) and the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (2002). These include a minimum standard of professional knowledge and skills including considerations for mental health.

All curricula aim to produce generalist occupational therapy practitioners that are fit for practice and purpose (COT 2003), including those able to practice in mental health settings reflecting the profession's long tradition of practice in this area.

Curricula are moving toward a modular structure. Modules may be determined by subject area alone e.g. behavioural sciences, or can be grouped according to other criteria e.g. elements of the life cycle. This second type of module may be more generalist in its approach linking mental health issues to physical wellbeing.

Some programmes utilise problem based learning to deliver part or all of their curricula. In these programmes, mental health issues will be explored in the context of a case study or trigger. These are designed to facilitate investigation and debate on occupational balance and psychological wellbeing.

The World Federation of Occupational Therapists specifies that all Occupational Therapy students undertake at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice placement (Hocking and Ness 2002). This should include some mental health experience in a social or health care setting under the supervision of a practitioner.

Mental health is generally integrated throughout all levels of the curriculum.

2. Range of post-graduate and post-qualifying course likely to have a mental health component

The advent of regulation through the Health Professions Council (2003) has drawn into statute for the first time the need to demonstrate active continuous professional development. As consequence practitioners in mental health need to demonstrate and evidence personal and professional development following registration. This includes both informal and formal learning. Evidence of formal learning and post-grad qualification is increasingly valued within the career structure and necessary to achieve the most senior positions such as consultant occupational therapist.

The pattern of post graduate and post registration opportunities in mental health training is highly variable from area to area. Occupational Therapists tend to choose programmes of 2 types

  • those that are professional specific e.g. linking professional philosophy to mental health practice
  • those that are interest specific e.g. family therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy.

Opportunities may rest with availability in a given area and financial constraints.

3. Key issues in learning and teaching about mental health in Occupational Therapy

  • A holistic understanding of mental health problems.
  • Person centred focus away from diagnoses towards the implications on Occupational performance because of mental health problems
  • Joint working and partnership agenda in mental health practice.

 

4. 'Cutting edge' areas of practice, development and research.

  • Development and application of occupational science in mental health settings.
  • Implications of new legislation on the practice agenda for occupational therapists in mental health (e.g. reform of the Mental Health Act)
  • User involvement in practice, training and curriculum development.
  • Interprofessional working challenging traditional patterns of service delivery e.g. moves towards primary care COT(2002)
  • Mental health promotion in primary care.

Journals

Websites

References

College of Occupational Therapist (2003) - Standards for Education. Pre-Registration Education Standards C.O.T. London

Hocking C and Ness N.E. (2002) - Revised Minimum Standards for the Education of Occupational Therapists. Perth. World Federation of Occupational Therapists.

Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (2000) Benchmarking Academic Standards. Gloucester QAA

Howard R.S., Lancee J. (2000) Occupational Therapy Education in Europe Curriculum Guidelines. Amsterdam. ENOTE

College of Occupational Therapists (1998) Curriculum Framework Document for Occupational Therapy Education leading to Eligibility for State Registration. London. C.O.T.

College of Occupational Therapists (2002) From interface to integration: A strategy for modernising Occupational Therapy Services in Local Health and Social Care Committees. A Consultation. London: C.O.T.

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