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Types of Professional

Support Time Recovery Workers

What is a Support Time and Recovery Worker? A support, time and recovery (STR) worker provides practical support to adults and young people who have mental health challenges or a learning disability, aiding them in their recovery. STR workers are part of a multi-disciplinary team. STR workers help people deal with some of the other […]

Speech and Language Therapist

Speech and Language Therapists work with people who may struggle with communication as part of their mental health difficulties, for example if they have dementia. They usually work as part of multi-disciplinary teams alongside doctors, nurses, social workers, support workers, occupational therapists and psychologists. Speech and language therapists can also work with carers to support […]

Psychiatrist

A psychiatrist is a qualified doctor who specialises in mental health issues. They are trained to assess people’s mental health, make a diagnosis and prescribe medications and other treatments. Psychiatrists often specialise in different areas of mental health, such as eating disorders, older people’s mental health and child and adolescent mental health. Psychiatrists are always […]

Physiotherapist

Physiotherapists are health workers who support people of any age who are experiencing difficulties with moving part or all of their bodies due to injury, illness or disability. In mental health services, physiotherapists understand people’s psychological needs and the impact of physical health difficulties on emotions. Rather than focusing on the main area of injury […]

Pharmacist

Pharmacists are trained to give expert advice about the use and supply of drugs and medicines. They dispense medications prescribed by doctors, some might prescribe, and they ensure that laws, rules and regulations around medications are followed. Pharmacists will be able to advise doctors and other professionals about the use and effects of drugs and […]

Peer Support Worker

Peer support workers bring understanding, empathy and shared inspiration and hope to individuals accessing services. Peer support workers can help to support people both practically and emotionally by using their own lived experience to support others through their journey of mental health and recovery. One of the main benefits is also of mutual understanding of […]

Occupational Therapist

What is an Occupational Therapist within Mental Health Services? Occupational Therapists (OTs) work with people to establish or re-establish independence and meaningful activity; the word ‘occupation’ refers to anything that people do. Occupational therapists are interested in how people live their lives. They help people to become as able as possible wherever they live, and […]

Mental Health Social Worker

Social Workers recognise the importance of social factors for people’s wellbeing. They understand that things like housing, money, relationships and the impact of oppression and discrimination can significantly affect a person’s ability to lead a satisfying and safe life. Mental health social workers may provide a range of interventions such as therapy, advocacy, building community […]

Learning Disability Nurse

Learning Disability (LD) nurses have undertaken a nursing qualification specifically in learning disabilities. If there is a query as to whether a person has a learning disability (not a learning difficulty) then they may be referred to the learning disabilities team for assessment of their cognitive abilities. If a person attended a ‘special school’ and […]

Healthcare Assistant (HCA)

Healthcare assistants work under the guidance of qualified professionals, usually nurses, and are sometimes known as nursing assistants or auxiliary nurses. They are usually based in hospitals, surgeries and clinics, and will assist qualified staff in a range of duties such as carrying out basic health checks (such as taking peoples temperatures), ensuring consulting rooms […]

GP

  Real life experience I have personally had both good and bad experiences of contact with GPs. My bad experiences have generally occurred when the GP was invalidating or dismissive of my condition or concern. For example, when I told one GP about how my anxiety levels had been high, they replied by telling me […]

Dietitian

What is a Dietitian? Dietitians are the only qualified health professionals that assess, diagnose and treat dietary and nutritional problems at an individual and wider public-health level.  They are regulated by law and governed by an ethical code to ensure that the highest standard of care is always provided.  Dietitians will work with both healthy […]

Chaplain

What is a Chaplain? Chaplains are employed by the health service to give spiritual and religious care and can be Christian, Muslim, Hindu or from any faith. Chaplains are not Vicars, but they are recognised and authorised by their faith community as having the knowledge and experience to give this kind of care. They are […]

Art Therapist

What is Art Therapy? Art therapy involves making pictures, models, mosaics and other three dimensional work to express and explore inner conflicts, feelings and emotional difficulties. It is facilitated by an Art Therapist who is skilled in helping people to understand and interpret their artwork. In this way, art therapy is very different to being […]

Approved Mental Health Professional

Approved mental health professionals (AMHPs) are trained to implement elements of the Mental Health Act 1983, as amended by the Mental Health Act 2007, in conjunction with medical practitioners. They have received specific training at least at Level 7 on the National Qualifications Framework, such as a MSc Mental Health (AHMP) or PGDip in Mental […]

Applied Psychologist

What is Applied Psychology? Psychology is the scientific study of people, the mind and behaviour. Specifically, it explores how people think, how they act, and how they interact with their environment and with each other.  As psychology is not only an academic discipline but also a professional practice, this research can also help to develop […]