Meet the New AHP Team – Alice, Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapy takes a ‘whole-person approach’ to both mental and physical health and wellbeing and enables individuals to achieve their full potential’ (Royal College of Occupational Therapists, 2019).

My name is Alice Gair. I am thrilled to have recently joined the Allied Health Professional (AHP) Team on the Unit following maternity leave. My background is in community children’s OT, with a speciality in sensory processing and integration, I am also project lead for our community service development The Sensational Thinking Project © and one of NHS England’s Clinical Entrepreneurs. I have extensive hands on experience working with children from birth to 19 years of age with a number of diagnosis and medical backgrounds, including those that were born prematurely.

My experience in community has afforded me the opportunity to recognise first-hand the impact of early follow up and intervention on long term development, so I am very excited to bring this perspective to the unit. I am looking forward to using my specialism in sensory integration to enhance the healing environment for both you and your baby, as well as working on bridging the gap to support you on the often tricky transition from the unit to home through follow up care, and promoting the parent/carer occupation in caring for your baby.

Recognising the reciprocal nature of physical and mental health and how we need to nurture this to promote the best outcomes for your baby and the family unit is fundamental to our professional values and standards of practice.

What does an Occupational Therapist do on the Unit?

In the specialist area of Neonatal Care the Occupational Therapist’s (OT) role is to support the development of your baby and your emotional wellbeing as a family unit. We aim to achieve this through neuro-behavioural, neurodevelopmental and sensory assessment, facilitating family centred developmentally supportive care, empowering you in your occupations and engagement on the unit and in the transition home to lessen the incidence of long-term developmental concerns (British Association of Perinatal Medicine, 2010).  Basically, we are taking a preventative role in your baby’s care and want to support you in positive caring activities with your baby so that as a family you can live independent and fulfilling lives. You can spot us wearing the green trousers!