A NEWLY qualified occupational therapist is hoping her new profession will hit the right notes.

Sarah Morton has been appointed to her first job in the NHS, after graduating from the university of Cumbria.

The three-year course is accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and approved by the Health Care Professions Council

Her appointment with Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust will see the 30 year old work with patients at hospitals in Hexham and Haltwhistle.

Sarah had initially pursued a career in music, but choose to study at the University of Cumbria as a mature student.

Her placements saw her travel around the UK, and included working on Susan’s Farm in Houghton, a north Cumbrian farm known for its support of vulnerable adults and teenagers being educated in alternative provision.

Sarah also spent time with a community mental health team in Dumfries, working on rotations in hospitals in north Cumbria, and two months working in a Community Adult Therapy Services (CATS) team on the Isle of Man.

Sarah explained that completing and getting on the course had been challenging.

She said: “I had to go and do A-levels again before doing my degree because I only had a BTec in music which wasn’t acceptable for entry requirements.

“I got my A-levels and then I was able to go forward

“Two months on the Isle of Man was a challenging placement.

“It demonstrates how my placements have been varied and that they can only bode well for me for the future.”