2,020 people with learning disabilities or autism are currently inpatients in UK hospitals (September 2024)
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1,065 people with learning disabilities have been continuously in a hospital setting for over 2 years (September 2024)
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900 are in active out of area placements in acute mental health services in England (March 2024)

Spotlight on Occupational Therapy

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This week (7th -13th November 2022) is Occupational Therapy Week, and this year the Royal College of Occupational Therapists are launching a campaign to raise the profile of the profession, called ‘Lift Up Your Everyday.’  This campaign is about giving people the knowledge to make changes that will have a positive impact on their lives.  We asked our Occupational Therapists (OTs) to share their experience of working as an OT at Gray Healthcare.

Elizabeth Salt, Head of Rehabilitation

‘Being an Occupational Therapist at Gray Healthcare is an incredibly rewarding experience. Seeing the consistently positive impact of Occupational Therapy for the people we support is inspiring and a real testament to them and the wonderful Occupational Therapists I work with. We are also privileged to be able to welcome students into this environment and provide an experience of truly occupationally focussed intervention.’

Katherine Simpson, Clinical Lead

‘Being a Clinical Lead at Gray Healthcare is great because I use my qualification as an Occupational Therapist to work with the people we support in creative, person-centred ways that create truly life changing outcomes. I feel honoured that the people we support welcome me into their lives to work alongside them and their staff teams. Sometimes goals are huge, sometimes they are tiny steps – one thing for sure is we will always work together for success.’

Mia, Occupational Therapist

‘I really enjoy working as an OT at Gray Healthcare as it’s a very active job which allows me to be very creative in the work that I do. I enjoy being a part of people’s recovery journey and helping each person succeed with their individual goals! I love that we enable individuals to live independently in their own homes their own way!’

Christine, Occupational Therapy Student

‘Being on placement as an occupational therapy student is a fantastic experience. I feel I have made a huge difference to the lives of the people we support and their families, by providing them with the tools they need to live a meaningful life. It’s been an amazing opportunity to see how Gray Healthcare provide support which empowers the individual, and has their values and needs at the core of the service.’

Lindsay, Occupational Therapy Student

‘My placement at Gray Healthcare has been inspiring and empowering, it has shown me that there is a completely different side to working in mental health – one that doesn’t involve restraint. As an occupational therapy student, I have been able to not only support people to live in the community when previously they may not have been able to, but I have supported them to identify and achieve meaningful life skills and complete fun activities to improve their quality of life.’