Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW) is celebrating the next cohort of apprentices to qualify as occupational therapists.  

This year, five members of staff completed the Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship.  

The course is designed to support employees already working in occupational therapy support roles to become registered professionals.  

The two-year degree apprenticeship offers paid employment and education through a combination of learning and working across Trust services. In conjunction with Northumbria University, apprentices are given the opportunity to earn and learn.  

Lorna Bell works in the North Cumbria Community Learning Disability Team. She worked as an assistant practitioner before starting the apprenticeship.  

She said: “Completing the apprenticeship has been incredibly rewarding. The apprenticeship has provided me with valuable learning opportunities, strengthened my clinical practice and prepared me for the next stage of my career.” 

On finishing the apprenticeship, Shelley Ramsay said: “Qualifying as an occupational therapist feels quite surreal! It has been challenging at times, occasionally exhausting, but one of the most rewarding experiences. I’ve learned so much, not only about occupational therapy, but about myself and the kind of practitioner I want to be. 

“I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have so many people support, teach and encourage me, and I’m genuinely grateful to everyone who has played a part. Being able to learn while continuing to work in services has been invaluable, allowing me to connect theory with real practice and develop my professional identity along the way.  

“I’m incredibly proud of how far I’ve come and excited to begin the next chapter of my career. It’s certainly been a journey but absolutely worth it!”  

Ashleigh Lightfoot works in a community treatment team in north Cumbria. She said: “The apprenticeship has been challenging but an incredibly rewarding experience, giving me the opportunity to learn on the job while developing my skills and confidence.  

“There have been plenty of ups and downs. It has taught me how important it is to be wise with my time and find a balance between work, studying and personal life. Meeting others on the course and having support throughout has made the journey much more enjoyable and worthwhile.”  

Julie Morrow, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer at CNTW, said: “The apprenticeship is a great opportunity to develop our staff. It provides a strategy for growing and developing our own workforce, providing them with the opportunities to learn and succeed whilst improving recruitment and retention.  

“This is the fourth cohort of staff to complete the apprenticeship and I couldn’t be prouder of the hard work and dedication they have all put in.”  

Annette Connor, Apprenticeships and Career Developments Lead at CNTW's Academy, said: “We're delighted to continue to offer this internal apprenticeship. This opportunity not only supports career development and progression of staff but also strengthens the workforce by developing talented individuals who bring valuable experience, skills and knowledge, benefiting the quality of patient care." 

This was the Trust’s first apprenticeship offered to allied health professionals (AHPs). CNTW has since supported staff onto apprenticeships in dietetics, speech and language therapy and arts psychotherapy.