St Patrick’s Mental Health Services (SPMHS) has partnered with Trinity College Dublin’s Department of Occupational Therapy to offer clinical placements for students in the Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy (Honours) programme.
First-hand experience for future occupational therapists
Occupational therapy aims to contribute to wellbeing, independence, and satisfaction in daily life. The main goal of occupational therapy in a mental health setting is to support those experiencing mental health difficulties to participate in the everyday activities that matter to them.
The clinical placements facilitated by SPMHS will offer students practical, first-hand experience as occupational therapists, while also supporting the delivery of high-quality mental health services. Students will apply their academic learning at Trinity to real-world scenarios, preparing them to become skilled occupational therapists equipped to support those experiencing mental health difficulties.
Examples of work undertaken by occupational therapists here at SPMHS include:
- exploring lifestyle changes and setting goals to support recovery
- developing skills to help service users live more independently
- finding ways to make daily activities easier or more enjoyable
- developing balanced and satisfying routines
- identifying social supports and outlets
- preparing service users for discharge from hospital and to stay well at home.
Key benefits for students
The clinical placements at SPMHS will involve the following components:
- Practical experience: Students will engage with service users with varying mental health needs, applying recovery-focused approaches that go beyond diagnosis to support everyday functioning.
- Skills development: Students will enhance their occupational therapy skills, gaining first-hand experience in evidence-based therapeutic interventions, assessment, and treatment planning.
- Multidisciplinary learning: Working alongside a multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, and other clinicians, students will develop their ability to provide holistic and integrated care.
- Specialist areas: Students will have the chance to work in specialist areas including addiction, older adult mental health, young adult mental health, eating disorders, and more.
Building a stronger future together
Speaking about the partnership, Sherrie Buckley, Occupational Therapy Manager at SPMHS said: “St Patrick’s Mental Health Services and Trinity College Dublin have a longstanding history of collaboration, and we are delighted to expand our partnership through the facilitation of clinical placements for occupational therapy students at Trinity."
"By providing students with practical experience in mental health settings, we not only support their professional development but also help to strengthen the quality of care we provide to those experiencing mental health difficulties. This partnership will help to ensure that future occupational therapists are better equipped to work with individuals experiencing a mental health difficulty, fostering a well-trained, compassionate workforce that is committed to supporting people in their mental health recovery journeys and empowering them to live fulfilling lives.”
Dr Michelle Spirtos, Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Trinity College Dublin, said: “We are delighted to solidify our collaborative relationship with St Patrick’s Mental Health Services. This formalised link with the Occupational Therapy Department will provide excellent opportunities for practice education placements for our occupational therapy students. Mental health practice is an important area for the profession, and the Occupational Therapy department in St Patrick’s Mental Health Services has excellent areas of expertise. We look forward to our students having the opportunity to experience this.”
SPMHS is proud to continue its role as a teaching hospital, working with universities to provide training and education for students across various mental health disciplines, including nursing, medicine, and pharmacy.
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