Senior Occupational Therapist, Mental Health Rehabilitation & Recovery

HSE

Biography

Liz Dunleavy is a Senior Occupational Therapist with over 20 years’ experience across mental health services, spanning inpatient, community and residential settings. She has specialist expertise in complex mental health rehabilitation and recovery, service development, and the creation of healthcare environments that support recovery, independence and meaningful participation.

Alongside her clinical practice, Liz has a particular interest in project management and the role of the built environment in enhancing service-user experience and outcomes. She has led and contributed to a range of service-improvement and environmental projects, incorporating trauma-informed and sensory-informed design, service-user engagement and co-design, environmental risk assessment, and multidisciplinary collaboration with Estates and other key stakeholders.

Liz is currently a member of the design team for the redevelopment and relocation of a high-support residential mental health service, incorporating both high-support and independent living accommodation. She brings an Occupational Therapy perspective to the design process, with a focus on creating environments that promote autonomy, recovery, safety and sensory wellbeing. She is also leading a wider project across Dublin South mental health residential care facilities to strengthen trauma-informed and sensory-informed environments and support preparedness for Mental Health Commission.

Liz holds a Professional Diploma in Project Management from UCD and has a particular interest in bringing together Occupational Therapy, service-user co-design and project management to create healthcare environments that are inclusive, functional and responsive to the needs of the people who use them.