OTnews August 2011
Welcome to the August 2011 issue of OTnews
The current climate for occupational therapists working as practitioners or educators, and within both the public and private sector, might be one clouded by looming financial cuts and threats to jobs and pensions, but the positivity, enthusiasm and commitment that the profession seems to thrive on was still very much in evidence at this year’s national conference, held in June in Brighton.
For all those members who were unable to get there, OTnews brings you all the highlights in a special 12-page spread. There were so many inspiring speakers this year it’s difficult to pick one stand out moment, but listening to actor Matt Ward tell a spellbound auditorium how his OT ‘saved his life’ has to come out top.
In other sessions, delegates heard that ‘participation in occupation is a basic human right’ and that ‘progressing [the profession] is reliant on confident practice and a higher calibre of new professionals’. This year’s debate (page 19) saw delegates look at the issues around assisted dying, with surprising results, while Unison stressed that in the current climate, OTs have to ensure they can maintain their care duties, or be supported to speak out if they feel they are unable to do so .
Finally, the clear message from COT’s chief executive Julia Scott, for all BAOT members and not just those in Brighton that week, was that no matter how hard things are in the public sector, under the shadow of the new Health and Social Care Bill, ‘now is not the time to cut and run’.
Moving on to features and a common theme this month is improving service delivery. Andrew Mickel visits the newly-refurbished neurological conditions support service, INS, in Twickenham, to find out what range of interventions are on offer. Then Sue Parkinson and Dr Mary Morley share the results of an important collaborative venture around indicative care packages for occupational therapy.
Finally, Berrywood Hospital and the Welland Centre are two acute mental health inpatient hospitals serving Northamptonshire. The adult acute OT services, managed by Sarah Wilson, have recently successfully implemented a full service delivery change based on the Vona du Toit Model of Creative Ability (VdT MoCA). Turn to page 36 to find out how.
- Building a supported future - Andrew Mickel visits a new neurological condition services
- No health without occupation - Sue Parkinson and Dr Mary Morley on PbR and OT clusters
- The journey to service redesign - Sarah Wilson and Beth Wright embed a new model into practice
- Addressing visual problems after stroke - Improving service provision for patients with sight problems
- Improving patient flow from admission to discharge - A pilot project to improve patient flow and discharge planning
- The Sukoon creative craft group - A collaborative approach to engaging BME service users
- Taking the plunge - Life as a client liaison manger; Helena Bryant reports
- Get renewed, get registered; don’t let it lapse - All you need to know about HPC registration, renewal and audit
- Make a change - Developing a meaningful occupation project for homeless men
