Vikki Barry

Vikki joined the University in October 2015 as a Lecturer Practitioner in Occupational Therapy and became a full time Lecturer in March 2016. Vikki qualified as an Occupational Therapist after studying at York St John University and progressed onto her first rotational basic grade post within Huddersfield and Calderdale NHS Trust. She worked in different services including outpatient rehabilitation, inpatient services for people with dementia and a short time in stroke rehabilitation before specialising in mental health. Vikki gained a Senior position in an inpatient forensic psychiatric unit within South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. Vikki then worked in a Community Mental Health Team for Older People in Huddersfield for a number of years providing specialist occupational therapy assessment and treatment alongside being a care coordinator. Vikki completed her Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy in 2011 at Leeds Metropolitan University. Vikki has a passionate interest in the occupational needs of people seeking asylum alongside occupational identity and occupational justice. She completed and gained her PhD in August 2025 entitled: A narrative inquiry exploring how the occupational identities of individuals seeking asylum in the UK shift over time. Vikki is also co-supervisor for 2 part time PhD students. Vikki is passionate about quality student teaching and learning and has a strong interest in how students respond to teaching strategies and how to ensure research is fully integrated into teaching and learning. Vikki is the Course Leader for the BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship Programme and is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She also is co-chair of the Occupational Therapy Integrated Degree Apprenticeship Forum and previously the Regional Communciations and Social Media Lead for the Northern and Yorkshire Royal College of Occupational Therapists Regional Committee.

• Occupational needs of asylum seekers
• Occupation and the interrelationship with health
• Occupational identity
• Occupational justice
• Narrative inquiry and creative research methodologies
• Occupational needs of individuals with mental health problems
• Service user involvement