Hi, I am Matthew and currently work as an occupational therapist in an Assertive Outreach Team which forms part of a community mental health Team.
Matthew Ford
A day in the Life of an Occupational Therapist
In the Assertive Outreach Team, I work with a range of patients who have a mental health diagnosis. The Assertive Outreach Team was set up to work with people who have serious psychotic mental illness such as Schizophrenia and require more regular professional help than mainstream mental health service. I visit people in their own homes or on mental health wards if they have been admitted.
I work with a range of different professionals, Social Workers, Mental Health Nurses, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Sectaries and Receptionists.
My typical day
A typical working day I start at 9.00am and Finish at 5.00pm. When I arrive at work I speak with staff within the team, and we update each other of what happened the previous day and we plan what needs to be done for the day ahead and what patients we have planned to see. I may have patients booked in to complete an assessment with or to deliver an intervention with.
There are many different types of assessments I can use with the patients depending on what they are struggling with. An example would be a kitchen/cooking assessment. A kitchen assessment will say to me if a person is able to use equipment appropriately and safely, able to read and follow instructions and able to cook the food safely.
I will then use the assessment to plan an intervention. An example of an intervention may be to take a bus with a patient, as they have not done so before or have anxiety about taking the bus. I may complete an intervention called graded exposure that builds a person’s confidence and skills up to be able to take a bus by themselves.
I enjoy my job as I work with a wide range of people who have different needs, and it is rewarding to make a different to their lives.
Where else could you work?
There are many other areas of Occupational Therapy that you can work in depending on where your interest is. Here are some examples:
- Paediatrics (Children)
- Stroke
- Community resources
- Reablement
- Hand therapy
- Prisons
I would recommend a career in Occupational Therapy as it is rewarding to work together with a patient building a therapeutic relationship and seeing a patient reach their goals.