Kim Fleming
Highly Specialist Occupational Therapist in Prosthetics
Based at Woodend Hospital, Aberdeen
After I qualified (from Robert Gordon’s in Aberdeen), I began my working life with the NHS in Aberdeen, spending 6 years here before heading for London where I spent several years before coming back to Aberdeen in 2001. Other than time off for maternity leave, I have been here ever since! I got a big shock when I moved to London and it made me realise how well we are catered for in Aberdeen. Most people would probably think it would be the other way about, but the supervision and training is far better here. Also, in my opinion, the community set-up, and the discharge set-up is better here from an OT point of view. It’s friendlier too – although the social side of working in a hospital in London is great, here we have a very cosmopolitan environment, good pubs, not much unemployment, low crime, etc, and we have far more access to outdoor life and the countryside too. Basically it’s a good way of life and that’s why we decided to move back up here. We moved here because we wanted to have a better quality of life and a relaxed atmosphere in which to bring up our family.
I work part-time and am able to use the hospital’s nursery accommodation. The facilities are really good, with a fantastic garden where the children are encouraged to get out and play, and the staff looking after them are very supportive of young children.
Professionally, it’s very good at the moment, we’re lucky we have computer based, multi-disciplinary notes on computer so I can see what my colleagues who are working on the same patient are doing, which is better for us, and better for the patient. This is a much more integrated system than many OTs have elsewhere in the country.
My colleagues are brilliant, and we have very close working relationships with the Physios. I’m based out in our own Unit, separate from the OT Department as such and really enjoy the multi-disciplinary way of working. It is very much the way ahead and Grampian is at the forefront of this in my specialty.
I was pleased to get back into NHS Grampian, to very familiar surroundings and a very supportive work environment. I just think you’re treated very well here.
