Sally’s a passionate and vastly experienced occupational therapy leader, and she’s been on an incredible journey with us, working across a range of roles during her 12 years of service.
Sally talks about her career highlights, influencing positive change for our residents and exciting new opportunities within her team.
In my role, there are two key rewards that really provide that job satisfaction: the first, is seeing people grow and develop within our service. Things like our apprenticeship schemes with occupational therapists and social workers, overseeing grading progression and seeing people progress into different roles and branch out. The second part, and our reason for being in this job, is supporting the residents of Oxfordshire to achieve the outcomes that matter to them.
I started developing the ‘Home First’ system three years ago and since then we’ve seen our reablement outcomes for people going through the service improve significantly. We’re now seeing approximately 75 per cent of people reaching full independence and the stories that come back from our colleagues are really empowering.
Through the Oxfordshire Way we’re bringing sustainable independent living to our residents. We have such a rich network of community and neighbourhood resources to support people and we can really tailor support for each individual.
We’re always keen to support people to meet their goals in a way that is unique to them, considering where they live and what will bring the most value to their lives, whether that’s through connecting people to social opportunities or helping them rebuild their independence.
Do you want to make a difference to someone's life? If so, why not join our adult social care team.
Both our social work apprenticeships at Oxford Brookes University, and our occupational therapy apprenticeships at Coventry University offer a lot of practical training. They’re both established courses and fantastic opportunities to be paid a really good wage while you study.
Apprentices gain a professional registration and then have their career pathways mapped out for the future. First-hand experience gained while you’re studying for a professional qualification gives our apprentices a brilliant advantage. If I could have done it like that, I absolutely would have done!
The benefits of the apprenticeships as an employer, is that it means we’re always bringing new ideas into the business. Our apprentices are building practical skills from day one and that means when they qualify, they’re up to speed with the demands of the service and confident in their abilities as a practitioner.
Personally I’ve been on a real journey with the council. We’re trailblazers in our field and we’re making changes that are benefitting the right people every single day. If someone can see the good work that you’re doing and believes in you, then opportunities will always open up for you.
Due to our continued investment into adult social care, Sally’s team is growing and she’s now recruiting for a variety of roles including: occupational therapists, social workers and team managers.
