Janice Woods
Janice Woods is an occupational therapist assistant at Wester Moffat Hospital – which provides long-term care for elderly patients.
Her role is vital in the treatment and recovery of people from serious illness.
However, it also provides one example of how health care has changed in the 60 years since the NHS was born.
Janice, from Airdrie, explained what was involved in her work and it differed to what would have happened in 1948.
She said: “A major part of my role is to maintain the spirit and morale of patients in order to help with their recovery.
“Much of the day-to-day work as an occupational therapist assistant involves a lot of one-to-one work with people in the hospital, reminiscing with them, using music and movement to improve both their physical and mental health.
“It is a vital part in the care of patients at Wester Moffat but it is a role which would not even have existed in the early days of the NHS.
“The work of occupational therapists and support workers is vital for the recovery of patients.
“It has been shown that if people are kept active and they maintain a positive outlook then they recover from illnesses quicker.
“Although we do physical exercises with them we also hold concerts, which I help organise, do some work in our raised gardens and run other activities.
“In 1948 there wouldn’t even have been occupational therapists.
“The physical needs of patients would have been met but not the social needs.
“If someone is down I would make sure I go and speak with them. It might be a case of trying to find out what is wrong or even just having a conversation with them but this would not have happened 60 years ago.
“That’s why the volunteers’ tea room which recently opened is such a big thing for the patients and their relatives at Wester Moffat.
“It gives people a place to go, have a cup of tea and either have a quiet moment to themselves or speak with the volunteers or other people there.”
Janice believes the role of occupational therapists and support workers will become increasingly important in the future of the NHS with the move to providing support for people in the community rather than keeping them in hospital.
She said: “More people are now treated in the community rather than in hospitals and that’s been a positive move.
“Whereas before some patients would have been just kept in hospital because they would have trouble looking after themselves, there has been a big move towards supported living in the community.
“A major part of an occupational therapist’s job is encouraging and supporting people so they can keep their independence.
“I think in the future there will be a continuing move towards people living in the community with assistance from the NHS/social work rather than just being treated in hospitals and so occupational therapists will become increasingly involved in that kind of work.”