Rafal Brisam

To provide a signposting service to patients across the Cardiff GP Practices to access community support groups and services to meet their social and wellbeing needs. Also, a qualified mental health first aider and supported self-help/ active monitoring mentor in providing interventions to patients.

Duties

• Provide 1-1 supported interventions underpinned by CBT
• Provide support sessions in GP practices including face to face, telephone, and video calls
• To make referrals on behalf of patients and empower patients to make referrals for themselves
• Liaising with different organization and services in support of patients and their needs

Providing guidance, encouragement, and practical assistance to individuals in care. Patients at St Teilo are provided with day-to-day support and assistance in improving their quality of life as well as their mental health. Patients can access therapy in the hospital such as art therapy classes and beauty salon. Access to their local community is an essential part of their pathway to rehabilitation. This usually involves accompanying the patient out to the community for appointments or shopping. Furthermore, I also take the responsibility of providing nursing staff and psychologist with support and patient assessment. Assessments are completed after team observations and one to one observation with patients. Multi-disciplinary inputs are usually provided by a team that consist of a Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Occupational Therapist, Social workers, and Nurses. They will provide individual centred care plans that are determined by individual's needs. As a Support worker, it is essential to provide care and assistance to people in our care that would guide them to recovery and independence. The skills I have obtained from previous voluntary work has aided me in providing emotional and physical support to improve their lifestyle, which has provided a positive difference to the people in my care.

Duties

•Providing 1-1 observations
•Providing patient assessment
•Offering enhanced care with a flexible learning approach for all the people in our care
•Providing guidance & encouragement through physical & emotional support
•Learning about individuals' specific needs & provide help in the most appropriate way
•Assisting with medical & welfare needs
•Reporting on medical & welfare needs as required Safeguard
•Maintaining a safe environment for all

My time with the team has cemented my desire to further pursue a career in Psychology. Working alongside Clinical Psychologists, enabled me to build my skillset and knowledge to a level that granted enough confidence to support patients from different backgrounds. Due to my bilingual skills, I had the opportunity to aid my team with patients of different cultural backgrounds, that had been restricted upon the work due to language barriers. Growing up in a community where mental health conversations were restricted and dismissed, I understood those patients effectively and drove my passion further. I was given the opportunity to assist those with learning disabilities and patients suffering from depression and anxiety.

During my time with the team, I have observed many assessments and formulations that were carried out by the psychologist and had the privilege to take part in various assessments. Many of the assessments required summarised reports, which I am now able to create independently. I was invited to attend multi-disciplinary meetings and contributed to those meetings alongside service users, social workers, Psychologists, Speech Therapists, and Doctors.

During my time with the Cardiff Mental Health and Learning Disability team, I was allocated patients for a supervised one to one session. I have experienced some difficulties and challenges with some patients due to cultural differences. Thus, under supervision, I was able to develop my techniques to overcome these challenges which required research.

As much as there is great importance in providing support in every aspect, the importance of supporting the quality of life for the people with learning disability is equally important. Having meaningful relationships, having a safe and stable home, being healthy, having a meaningful purpose to their days, and having choices in life. All these qualities are essential in providing them with independence and choices to create a profound life.

I was able to learn valuable skills in relation to building empathy with patients, gathering information and undertaking research effectively, and the importance of interpersonal skills for healthcare professionals. I also exercised my interprofessional communication skills by resolving patient queries through liaising with other healthcare professionals.

Tasked with most of the office works and depending on the workload or day, duties differ and vary.

Duties
•Assist in organise events
•Send invitations to organisations and people
•Assisting with office work e.g., typing, Photocopying, shredding, stationery, filing
•Shadowed support workers in dealing with vulnerable individuals
•Various admin duties
•Shadowed helpline co-ordinators

Volunteered in community-based settings as well as office work. Majority of my work was office based in supporting clinicians with work. Although, I shadowed many professions such as Clinical Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, and Nurses, I was able to have a better understanding of their role and their potential aim and targets. I was able to learn vital knowledge and skills of them by allowing me to observe. By doing so, I was able to understand the work that is required but also aid in preparing materials for their sessions. Furthermore, I exercised my IT skills by providing research material, spreadsheets, and the creation of posters. My time at Ludlow has allowed me to understand the efficiency of each role, and I was able to identify what psychological profession I would like to become and what I need to develop my skills further.

Duties

•Assisted in office work e.g., research based, creating posters and plans, photocopying, computer research
•Attending care and support meetings
•Attending multi-disciplinary meetings
•Shadowing professional roles
•Support with accessing the community
•Support and assisting with daily preparations

Volunteering in managing activities and organising trips for children, as well as organising events and providing children with educational support as well as sporting activities.

Duties

•Preparing weekly activities
•Encouraging and supervising activities
•Organising events
•Providing support and advice
•Organising fundraisers
•Assist in organising trips
•Provide educational support and advice
•Provide sport activities
•Assist in homework activities, gardening, and art activities

Dealing with customers, making sales as well as managing general duties.
Duties

•Providing a helpful customer service
•Working on the till processing sales and returns
•Stock processing and preparation includes sorting, steaming, and pricing
•Visual Merchandising e.g., creating stylish windows and displays
•Replenishing stock on the shop floor
•Administrative tasks e.g., stocktaking

Shadowing the Pharmacist in dispensing and handing out medicines. Dealing with customers and making sales, as well as proving general customer service. Furthermore, assisting pharmacist with healthcare and lifestyle advice to customers.

Assist Teachers in helping and supporting children with special educational needs. Also, in the preparation of the daily routine in the classroom and engaging in learning activities to support and help children from nursery to class six. From observation, I have discovered children with special educational needs have a difficulty interacting with other children and thus, their lack in social skills. Although, it was challenging, the work achieved at the end of the school day has been very rewarding.

Duties

•Supervise and support educational craft activities, sports, and games
•Aid children with their reading and listen to them reading
•Preparing classrooms for the lessons as well as clearing away after the end of a lesson
•Putting together displays of the children's work
•Providing extra support for children with special educational needs
•Supervise outdoor outings and aid in school trips
•Assist Teachers in managing class behaviour
•Looking after children who are unwell or upset
•Leading classes to assemblies with the help of the Teachers