Role of an AP in MDT meetings

[Daisy10]

Hi everyone,
I've been in my first AP post for short while as an AP in a private LD residential company. My role consists mainly of data collection and analysis and staff training, although as I work across the homes I do see our residents often and feel I know them fairly well. Often I'm asked to come to MDT meetings but feel that I have little to contribute and am therefore unsure my purpose of being there - therefore I can find them a bit awkward! I was just wondering what other AP experiences are of attending MDT meetings? Do they feel that this is an important part of the role? Should I be trying to contribute more to these meetings?
Thanks in advance!

[Speaker]

This very much feels like something you need to discuss in supervision and maybe with the wider psychology team as expectations very much vary from service to service and between supervisors. As an AP, even if I wasn't doing direct work with an individual, I would try to change the focus of discussion from 'deficits' and more medical terminology to strengths and more psychological understanding. I also found it helpful to pick up on the dynamics of teams and how 'stuck' they felt with certain cases. IMO APs can be a valuable asset in an MDT, but I've been supported by supervisors in regards to expectations/boundaries and feel thats vital.