Published on: 25 October 2024
An NHS Occupational Therapist who works with local children with life limiting conditions has recently been presented with a Merit Award by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists. 
Jan Nicholson, Advanced Paediatric Occupational Therapist at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, took home the honour in recognition of her exceptional work and dedication for over 40 years of service in the profession. For 38 of those years, Jan has been helping children with developmental delay conditions to learn new approaches that will help them achieve basic activities and get the most from life.
The Merit Awards recognise a significant achievement by Royal College members at any stage in their career. They are often a first step towards a full Fellowship. The award recognises the person’s contribution to the profession on either a local or regional scale, in a specialist field of practice or in a diverse area of practice.
Jan was particularly celebrated for her dedication to children's Occupational Therapy and to the promotion of Occupational Therapy as a profession during an NHS career exceeding 40 years.
Jan has been involved in a variety of research that have been published as well as presenting a lot of her work at conferences and training days, both on a local and national scale. Jan has also welcomed the opportunity to initiate and to be involved in development projects, both in creating specialist equipment for children and in service development.
Some of Jan’s accolades include the Public Servant Award and the Jenx Award for showcasing innovation. She was also llisted as one of the top ten Occupational Therapists in the UK by the College of Occupational Therapists.
Becki Priest, Chief Allied Health Practitioner (AHP) and Deputy Director of Practice and Transformation at Derbyshire Healthcare, said: “This is an extremely impressive achievement for Jan and everyone in the Trust is very proud of her. Families in Derby and Derbyshire are very lucky to have benefited from 41 years of Jan’s service and we hope that she remains with us for years to come, so young people can continue to reap the rewards of her expertise in the field of children’s Occupational Therapy. Jan continues to excel in her area of work and serves as an inspiration to other Occupational Therapists.”
Jan Nicholson, Advanced Paediatric Occupational Therapist at Derbyshire Healthcare, said: “To receive this award after a career of 41 years – 38 spent in children’s services – is a huge validation for paediatric Occupational Therapy. My thanks go to my colleague Susan Krause for nominating me, and to the colleagues, other professionals, children and families with whom it has been a privilege to work with.”
You can read a full list of award winners who received awards on the Royal College of Occupational Therapy website.
