This course is designed to equip Occupational Therapy staff with the skills and knowledge required to provide an enhanced level of therapeutic people handling to clients, their carers and families.This course is for Adults & Communities Occupational Therapy staff only.

Course Outline

The Policing and Crime Act 2016 introduced changes to the Mental Health Act s135 & s136, in particular the length of time that a person can ordinarily be held for and what now constitutes a public place. These changes, together with the introduction of waiting times standards for people experiencing a mental health emergency, are intended to focus attention and resources on earlier intervention, and minimising delays.  This course is aimed at helping AMHPs understand the implications of for their practice and consider how to make best use of Police Colleagues' resources.

Course Outline:

Autism and Asperger’s syndrome may both be defined as a ‘mental disorder’ within the terms of the Mental Health Act, but the way these spectrum disorders present, and the impact they can have on how an individual communicates can be misinterpreted or exacerbated by the actions of others, and this needs to be a key consideration for any AMHP undertaking a Mental Health Act Assessment with a person affected by these conditions. This AMHP programme looks at the impact Autistic spectrum disorders have on the individual and their social interactions, and the impact this can have on both the person’s presentation and the complexity of the assessment task.

Course Outline:

While deprivation of liberty safeguards have been associated largely with adults several recent court rulings have highlighted that deprivation can occur at any age and for those working within children and young people’s disabilities teams this is an issue in acute focus. Whether a child meets what is known as ‘the acid test’ for a deprivation is a complex issue, taking into account the child or young person’s competence or capacity, the scope of parental responsibility and the level of supervision and control that is in place. 

This programme will examine the use, and impact of, the MCA and DoLS with Children with disabilities and aims to support children and young people’s practitioners think about how and when the MCA should be used and when a court authorisation for a deprivation or best interest determination might be required.

AMHP’s will gain a better understand common themes and presentations which exist within co-occurring substance use in mental health. AMHP’s will be assisted in identifying risks, how they may present, how to respond, the impact on people and their families, and services and interventions available. It will also update participants on current policy, research and statistics relevant to substance use in mental health services.

At the end of the course delegates will be better equipped to explore within the profession and with other disciplines, the potential weaknesses in current psychiatry and potential alternatives, notwithstanding the financial constraints of austerity.  Delegates will be clearer about their own perspectives on psychiatry and critical psychiatry.