National recognition for Occupational Therapy Assistants

The Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) team on Haytor and Salus ward, on the Devon Partnership NHS Trust Torbay Hospital site, has received national recognition for their work using the Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability(VdTMoCA). Wendy Sherwood, the principal of ICAN-UK, the VdTMoCA training provider, sponsors an annual award for an Occupational Therapy (OT) support worker who contributes to the development of the VdTMoCA approach in clinical practice.

The Haytor and Salus team’s achievement is significant as this is the first time a prize has been awarded to a team rather than an individual. Liz Thomson, the OT Manager for the Torbay Acute Wards, nominated her team for the award because she wanted to recognise the contribution of everyone within the group.

The team has collectively won £600 for their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) or purchasing resources to support CPD.

Liz Thomson says: “This is a brilliant achievement for the team and all their hard work in implementing this new model. As the Occupational Therapy Manager, I could not be prouder of how the team has embraced implementing the VdTMoCA, which is completely new to them. The team has been open to exploring this model in practice and how it can support and enhance the service offered by the occupational therapy team. A big congratulations goes to Kelly Barkhuizen, Gaby Randle, Steve Grant, Lori Davis, Lucy Turnbull and Tim Bounsall.”

Alice Zitter, the OTA on Delderfield ward in Exeter, received the individual award this year for her significant contribution to the work of the Delderfield OT team in developing and embedding the VdTMoCA approach to OT practice on their ward. Alice has won a £200 prize to support her individual professional development.

These awards, both individual and team, are a significant acknowledgement of the amazing contribution made to people’s care by occupational therapists across Devon Partnership NHS Trust.

To date, around 150 members of the OT team have undertaken the three-day online training with the International Creative Ability Network (ICAN) to develop a working knowledge of the VdTMoCA in theory and practice.

One of the key features of ICAN’s VdTMoCA training is the commitment to a ‘whole team’ approach, involving not just registered OTs but also OTAs and Technical Instructors.

Devon Partnership NHS Trust commissions and delivers mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services across Devon.