Gareth Chandler

I am a dedicated student ready for practical experience in industry. I have a genuine passion for helping others and enthusiasm for learning by doing. I am hardworking, organised and take a proactive approach in all areas of my work to be as efficient as possible when working with vulnerable people facing challenges with their health.

Community Engagement Project 05-11

I attended a community engagement project as a practice placement at the Arc homeless day care centre in Norwich. This is giving me valuable insight into a variety of different individuals, the challenges they face and how this links to occupation. I talk to service users and have observed a wide range of occupational identities and performance.

Placement 1

10th Jan – 21st Jan 2022

I attended placement 1 at the East Coast Community Hub in Gorleston. This was a community-based setting dealing with a wide variety of conditions mainly associated with the discharge from care into home. I observed how to maintain professional and respectful when dealing with patients. I learned about falls prevention, intervention and began to understand the theory and clinical reason behind this. I also was given the opportunity to help with initial assessment and input the details onto system 1.

Placement 2

13th June- 8th July 2022

I attended placement 2 at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn. I had a split placement within the Hand Therapy and Rheumatology departments. These were in an outpatient setting dealing with a wide variety of acute and chronic conditions. I was able to perform initial assessments and intervention as well as splinting and a variety of therapeutic techniques used in treatment. Further to this I prepared a case study built upon my experience with a repeat patient which demonstrated my clinical based practice and theory to practice links. I also had the opportunity to develop an instruction manual for TheraBand use, which is now given to new patients attending the setting.

Placement 3

7th Nov – 16th Dec 2022

I attended placement 3 at Dereham Community Hospital in Norfolk on Foxley Ward which was elderly inpatient Rehabilitation. I was able to learn new skills involving manual handling as well as functional and cognitive assessment of patients. I was able to perform assessment and therapy independently in the final weeks of placement. I was able to implement my clinical reasoning for a varied approach to goal setting and planning a safe and effective discharge. I was also invited into the MDT team and by the end of placement felt comfortable feeding and gathering information to problem solve during our daily meetings. The placement helped me to understand the multidisciplinary approach to the discharge or transfer of care process which is often transferable to a variety of settings within the role.

Placement 4

17th April -9th June 2023

I attended placement 4 at Fulborn Hospital in Cambridgeshire. I was predominantly stationed on a secure dementia ward where I was able to hone my therapeutic use of self-skills to build rapport and provide intervention-based targeting of delaying symptoms and maintaining function. I was able to undertake eating and drinking and washing and dressing assessments as well as contribute to care plans. I really enjoyed constructing activity classes which were personal to patients and provided a meaningful occupation through which assessment and intervention could be implemented. I increased my knowledge base on dementias and the Mental Health Act which included sectioning and the rights contained within.

Placement 5

25th September – 3rd November 2023

I attended placement 5 at Great Ormond Street Hospital. I was involved in the therapy in several clinical areas including Cardiac, Long-Term Ventilation, International Care and Mental Health. I was able to initiate Ages & Stages assessments before producing developmental programs for sick children. I was able to plan suitable intervention and graded exercises when dealing with a range of impairment. I was able to undertake wheelchair issuance and maintenance tasks. I enhanced my knowledge surrounding complex and rare medical disorders to inform my practice. I was able to adapt my manual handing repertoire when working with younger babies and children and to recognise any concerns or red flags whilst doing so. I was able to make notes on EPIC software effectively to inform practice and take part in frequent MDT meeting expressing the OT aspects and goals of individual cases.