RCOT has been commissioned by Health Education England (HEE) to produce a blended learning programme for occupational therapists working in perinatal mental health.
Perinatal mental healthcare provides support to mothers throughout pregnancy and to one year post-natally, when they are at high risk of developing a serious mental illness or exacerbating existing conditions.
The project will begin with a survey to understand therapists’ education and training needs and the survey findings will inform the development of a blended training programme. The training package will include e-learning resources and a series of regional events this autumn.
Dr Sally Payne, RCOT professional adviser for children and young people who will lead on the programme’s development, said: ‘The expansion of perinatal mental health services has seen a rapid increase in the occupational therapy workforce, but we know that profession-specific training has not kept up with that growth. We are delighted to receive this funding and look forward to helping meet the burgeoning need of new and experienced professionals alike.’
The new training forms part of RCOT's growing support for perinatal occupational therapists. A successful networking day with 55 perinatal occupational therapists was held in March, and a new clinical forum is being developed as part of the Specialist Section – Mental Health. For more information, email: louise.cusack@rcot.co.uk.