Nicole’s Journey Home: From Support Worker to Occupational Therapist
As part of National Apprenticeship Week 2026, Nicole Kenyon, Cygnet’s very first OT apprentice, reflects on her career and the next chapter. ‘Ten years ago, I was a Criminology student filling out an application for a bank support worker position at Cygnet Oaks. I had no idea that this single interview would change the entire […]
It’s National Apprenticeship Week 2026!
At Cygnet, we believe that apprenticeships can be tailored to meet our unique needs. They provide a valuable opportunity for our dedicated and hardworking staff to acquire the skills and experience necessary to advance their careers and enhance the quality of care we offer to our service users. Our colleagues can access dynamic, role-specific pathways […]
Cygnet’s Occupational Therapy Conference 2025
Cygnet’s Occupational Therapy Conference 2025 – Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Elizabeth Lynk, Specialist Occupational Therapist at Cygnet Sherwood Lodge, shares her reflections on Cygnet’s Occupational Therapy Conference 2025, which took place on Wednesday 9th July. The blog includes video links to the presentations. Our regional team came together to watch the […]
Occupational Therapy Conference and Occupational Therapy Awards 2024
The 2024 Cygnet OT Conference Video – Part 1 On Wednesday 6th November we held our annual Occupational Therapy Conference and Awards. The theme of this year’s conference was ‘Neurodiversity and Occupational Therapy’ and we were delighted to welcome a variety of speakers from Cygnet, public and independent sectors, as well as service users and […]
How Occupational Therapists make a difference by promoting independence and wellbeing
As part of Occupational Therapy Week Christy Wong, an Occupational Therapist at Cygnet Hospital Woking, shares her reflections on promoting independence and wellbeing, and how Occupational Therapists make a difference. I have been working at Cygnet Hospital Woking for 18 months in two female acute wards. My role includes assessing patients’ occupational therapy needs, providing […]
How Cygnet supports their staff who are looking to start a family
Donna has been an OT for almost 17 years. She started out in the NHS and spent several years there before coming to Cygnet over 4 years ago. Within 4 months of joining, Donna was promoted to a Clinical Team Lead (CTL) and is a Band 8. We ask a self-confessed workaholic about her recent […]
What is a Preceptorship like for an Occupational Therapist at Cygnet?
To answer this question, we recently sat down with Stacey Chishiri – a newly-qualified Occupational Therapist working at Cygnet Hospital Derby Our Occupational Therapists at Derby use carefully selected, graded, and adapted activities to assess and develop function across the spectrum of motor, cognitive, and sensory processing skills, to promote the development and maintenance of […]
How being an OT within Learning Disabilities offers a career where you really make a difference to the quality of people’s lives
Katherine is the Head Occupational Therapist in Southampton What made you want to be an OT? I never intended to become an Occupational Therapist – I’d always wanted a career as a primary school teacher. When I was in my late teens, my mum became significantly unwell – she had an OT visit her at […]
Why I became an OT and why I joined Cygnet
Sheeba Devendran a Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist talks about why she became an OT and why she joined Cygnet What made you want to be an OT? I always wanted to work in a healthcare industry and aimed to undertake a career which involved genuine care for people. In our family, my brother chose to […]
The OT Life – Being a Band 7
What is life like as a Band 7 OT here at Cygnet? If you’re a Band 6 looking to take the next step, or a Band 7 wanting to do more, then our chat with Rebecca is here for you. Rebecca Griffiths, a Head Occupational Therapist tells us about life as a Band 7. She […]