Therapists at the Great Western Hospital are raising awareness of Occupational Therapy Week 2017 by offering local people an insight into their work.
Throughout the week, which starts on Monday 6 November, staff will be using social media to lift the lid on their profession, which supports patients with long-term conditions to carry out the everyday tasks that most people do without thinking about.
The week will come to a climax with the team letting keen Swindon residents know how they can kick-start a career in occupational therapy for themselves.
Sarah Kirwan, Occupational Therapist, said: “This week we will provide a good insight into who we are and what we do at the Great Western Hospital and sites in the local community.
“We also want to encourage anyone thinking about it as a career to think about their next steps and get in touch.”
Occupational therapy offers a lifeline to people who would otherwise struggle to live healthy, independent and satisfying lives.
Sarah King works on the Acute Stroke Unit at GWH and is one of the therapists who will be sharing her story.
She said: “I love the detective work involved in being an Occupational Therapist; understanding how a patient normally manages their activities helps me to treat them.
“I would recommend it as a profession to anyone because of the sense of fulfilment you get and the variety of settings you can work in.
“Every day brings new patients and new challenges.”
To celebrate the week, cake sales will be touring the wards at GWH on Tuesday 7 November and at the Orbital in North Swindon on Monday, with donations going towards Brighter Futures’ Radiotherapy Appeal.
There will also be information stands at the Swindon Intermediate Care Centre (SwICC), which is located next to GWH, and at the Orbital reception with staff encouraged to spread the word using #ValueOfOT on Twitter and Facebook.
Stay up-to-date with what’s happening during the week by following Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust on Facebook and Twitter.
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