Curriculum Information

Students will develop and apply knowledge and skills to enable sustained occupational engagement and participation relevant to adults through adopting a framework of universal, targeted and specialist interventions.

Occupation for adults’ health and wellbeing. The shifting landscape towards prevention, early intervention, rehabilitation, vocational and partnership approaches. Immerging and changing practice within health, wellbeing, and social care adult services.

Students will have the opportunity to explore a variety of contexts in which occupational therapist work with the adults including wellbeing hubs, primary care settings, workplaces, prisons, charities, social services, and social care etc.

Legislation, policies, and models/frameworks that inform practice will be used to contextualise contemporary occupational therapy practice.

Building on the Level 4, appropriate models of practice and assessment tools will be explored in relation to assessment of adults’ occupational needs and expectations. Each will be explored for validity, reliability, and an appreciation of how these inform the occupational therapy intervention process.

Students will be introduced to Vonda du Toit Model of Creative Ability (VdTMoCA)

Example assessments-
Self-assessment Quality of life
Allied Health and Work Report
Standardised neurological and cognitive assessments
Arthritis impact measurement scales
Barriers to employment and coping efficacy Scale
Beck depression inventroy

Key Frames of Reference that underpin occupational therapy intervention will be critiqued and utilised, where appropriate, to inform interventions.
Example Frames of Reference:
Cognitive
Biomechanical
Psychodynamic approaches
Neuro-developmental
Occupational Adaptation Frame of Reference
Other Frames of Reference will be explored in the context of the case studies/triggers

Embedding personalised care by focusing on people’s strengths and assets, balancing risk, and choice, and supporting people to connect, maintain or engage in occupations. Leading, advising, and enabling interventions.

The need to target interventions to those at risk or already experiencing physical or mental health difficulties and providing specialist interventions will be explored, together with the need to take a partnership approach to capitalise on the workforce.

Key transitions in adulthood and how these impact on occupational performance – for example, school or college, employment/unemployment, leaving home, parenthood, adopting caring responsibilities etc.

Managing, supporting, and educating for change in adulthood for individuals, family, groups, and communities. Communicating with different populations, for example service users with learning disability, audio, visual, neurological, memory deficits etc.

Understanding of underpinning occupational science and human subsystems* that impact occupational engagement in adults.

Analysis and evaluation of interruptions to occupational engagement in adulthood will inform interventions.

Designing and implementing asset based, person-centred interventions to maximise occupational performance and meet goals of individuals, groups and communities in self-care, productivity, leisure, to enhance wellbeing. Providing the right intervention in the right place.

The use of appropriate digital technologies in interventions to enhance occupational engagement and promote wellbeing (VR, Artificial Intelligence, gaming, etc).

Environmental design to promote inclusivity.

Evaluation and measuring outcomes of intervention, including for example, TOMS, MOHO EXplor, OCAIRS, MOHOST

The role of the occupational therapists and AHPs (Allied Health Professions) in the world of work, unpaid work, and unemployment and in reducing the disability employment gap. Managing the demands of work and maintaining a health work life. Vocational–focused interventions to self-manage the workplace and promote positive and inclusive organisation change. AHP Health and Work Report to enable employment. Occupational Health to support the health and wellbeing of staff.

Different local, national, and global contexts will be explored to highlight occupational justice, equity of opportunity, legislative and policy influences on international occupational therapy practice

Safeguarding in the context of adults. Wales as a Sanctuary of Refuge. USW as a University of Sanctuary. Balancing choice and Risk.

Working in multiagency partnerships to promote an inclusive environment to support access to education, society, mainstream and specialist services and community resources. Connecting people to their community, family, and friends.

Planning and running group sessions to meet the identified needs of a population of adults.

Developing group work skills, communication, and reflection on the therapeutic use of self.

Compassionate Leadership in making personalised care a reality, through early intervention, empowerment, and partnership to innovate.

Evidence-based practice and the development of clinical reasoning skills based on this evidence will be developed throughout, through engagement with triggers/Case Scenarios.

* Human subsystems examples: -
Mental health disorders (psychosis, depression, bipolar), sensory disorders (Asperger's) learning disabilities (Down’s syndrome) and physical health conditions (including heart disease, spinal injury, and chronic fatigue).