Consultant occupational therapy practitioner for Dorset HealthCare, Jennifer Stickney has been awarded Allied Health Professional (AHP) of the year.
Jennifer was awarded for her groundbreaking work which has helped reduce prison violence and re-offending rates.
Her scheme centres on developing and sustaining a healthy balanced lifestyle. Her work has also focused on developing an innovative settlement model to support prisoners during high-risk stages of custody such as entry into prisons and transitions within prison.
The programme delivered outstanding results in two pilot prisons and saw a reduction of prisoner incidents and re-offending rates. Due to this success the model will be rolled out to all prisons across the nation.
Jennifer said: “I feel enormously proud of the progress made in this area of work, which was achieved by my fellow occupational therapist Emma Holmes, I’m even more passionate about what lies ahead.”
She added: “My hope is that his award will help raise the profile and importance of occupational therapy within all areas of criminal justice, in custody and the community, and support continued innovation and improved outcomes for the people we serve.”
Professor Suzanne Rastrick OBE, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for England, said: “ Prisons are currently facing challenges around violence against staff and the delivery of effective rehabilitation to support resettlement.
“Jennifer’s work is a testament to the positive impact AHPs can have across diverse settings.”
For more information about the CAHPO Awards, visit http://www.england.nhs.uk/ahp/chief-allied-health-professions-officer-awards