Senior Practice Learning Facilitator
Class of 2003
Occupational Therapy
If you studied your undergraduate programme at York St John University or founder colleges, did you go on to postgraduate study?
No.
Why have you chosen this photo as your YSJ snapshot?
I have chosen 2 pictures of myself ‘now’ and ‘back then’ when I was an Occupational Therapy student on the in-service Occupational Therapy programme led by the late Anne Candelin.
As an Occupational Therapist, I am naturally reflective and the comparison of the two pictures have led me to reflect on my career journey – particularly where I thought my career would take me ‘back then’ in comparison to where I am ‘now’.
The ‘back then’ shows me on a work based placement, which I remember vividly and being full of enthusiasm for my future in OT – with aspirations to be an OT lecturer one day. The ‘now’ picture shows me in a rare occasion of being in clinical uniform. I am currently working in a practice placement quality and governance role, rather than a lecturer role…near enough though to my early aspirations.
Although 24 years apart, and now bearded and grey, I still hold the same enthusiasm and pride in being an Occupational Therapist as I had to become one ‘back then’.
What are your fondest memories of York St John University?
I have so many fond memories of my time at York St John…most revolve around my peers who I studied with and the lecturers who taught us. Many of the lecturers are now retired and sadly some, both peers and lecturers are no longer with us. However, their influence continues to inform my practice and those fond memories come to mind and conversation with the colleagues and learners I work with as I go about my daily work activities.
The fondest of memories are those of my graduation day. My peers and I had been in new graduate roles for around 9 months by the time graduation day arrived. I remember the eager conversations with peers we hadn’t seen for months, following 4 years of study together, now sharing the enthusiasm of life as a qualified OT in practice. I still recall the pride we all felt as we paraded around York centre in cap and gown with our families. Graduation at York Minster has to be the fondest of memories…I can still picture the moment the doors of York Minster were flung open, the daylight radiating into the Minster as we paraded outside and the feeling of ‘we did it!’ as family and friends applauded.
Why did you choose York St John University or founder colleges?
At the time, York St John’s delivered the only ‘In-Service’ Occupational Therapy programme in the region for Occupational Therapy support staff to work and study to become registrants. Colleagues had undertaken the same programme at York St John’s and their positive accounts of study there were influential in me chosing the in-service route instead of a full time route in any number of more local universities including York St John’s.
At the time, a number of my registered colleagues also delivered lectures at York or were Lecturer Practitioners so I had absolute confidence that the teaching would be amazing.
What have you been doing since completing your studies?
Since graduating, I have worked in traditional NHS, clinical occupational therapy roles, working as a rotational practitioner, through to senior clinician roles and then in clinical and team leadership roles. More latterly I have held dedicated education roles as a Senior Practice Learning Facilitator in 2 NHS Trusts, concerned with the quality and governance of practice placement provision.
Outside of NHS practice, I have also worked in non-traditional roles in personal injury management & the insurance sector and as an associate in a private Occupational Therapy practice.
As Occupational Therapists, we are dual trained in both physical and mental health practice, this has enabled me to also work in mental health settings and to apply mental health skills within my daily practice outside of mental health roles.
Throughout the last 18 years I have been a practice educator, supporting student occupational therapists on clinical placement in my work settings. I have also had the opportunity to return to York St John as a clinician/assessor supporting the academic team in assessing student occupational therapist at the close of modules.
My educator role has also enabled me to guest lecture in other university occupational therapy programmes and to contribute to programme reviews & developments.
As a Senior Practice Learning Facilitator, I am now able to apply my occupational therapy skills in assuring the students of all non-medical professions experience high quality clinical placements. This involves working directly with students and their practice educators, local and regional university colleagues and Health Education England.
I will shortly be commencing a post graduate senior leadership programme and hope that this leads to me being able to champion Occupational Therapists as senior leaders within the NHS and social care sectors.
None of the above would have been possible without the resilience, inspiration and encouragement instilled in me and received whilst studying at York St John’s. Studying as an in-service learner was not always the easiest, but I was taught to believe in my ability. I was challenged and nurtured by academic staff and encouraged to do the same for others to enable their journey as my patients, clients and learners.
My time at York St John has enabled and continues to enable a fulfilling career as an Occupational Therapist.
What one piece of advice would you give to a current student, or one about to graduate?
Take your time and be present in each moment…don’t rush to that senior role. Grow experience in a range of settings and specialties and work with a range of mentors and coaches to enable yourself to be the most effective, inspiring and influential occupational therapist you can be. That might mean taking unexpected roles and routes through your career and being mentored by a range of experts (not just fellow occupational therapists)…above all enjoy the rich journey occupational therapy takes us on.