NEWS
£300,000 research grant into
groundbreaking approach with veterans
A £300,000 grant will fund research into a developing occupational
therapy intervention carried out by veterans’ mental health charity
Combat Stress.
The grant will fund three years of research into the use of sensory
modulation, an intervention designed to significantly enhance the lives
and careers of veterans with severe mental health problems such as
post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression.
The grant, from Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund, follows previous work
supported by the Fund which helped integrate sensory modulation
into the treatment offered to veterans, and will pay for a research post
to gather evidence on its efficacy.
Jolandi du Preez, the charity’s lead occupational therapist, said:
‘Sensory modulation is a therapeutic intervention that engages a
person’s senses to change how they feel. It is an evidence-based
and highly effective therapeutic intervention to assist individuals in
the building of foundational coping skills to manage stress, regulate
emotions and enhance occupational functioning.
‘It is a “bottom up” approach that works by changing how
a person feels through sensory input. This in turn changes the
physiology of the body and in doing so creates a shift in how the
person feels.’
The goal is for sensory modulation to become part of the everyday
practice of occupational therapists to further allow veterans with
trauma-based complex mental health problems to lead fulfilling lives
and careers. The results are also hoped to encourage other veteran
service charities and public sector agencies, such as the NHS, to
adopt the practice.
Occupational therapist-owned children’s
centre featured in best practice showcase
The Starjumpz Children’s Centre in East Sussex has been featured in
the 2020 Parliamentary Review as a leading centre of excellence for
youth support in the health and social care sector.
The annual Parliamentary Review showcases around 15
organisations from the private and public sector every year, and is
directed to over 500,000 directors, chief executives and others in
leadership posts.
Jo Brett, the occupational therapist who owns Starjumpz, said: ‘We
are thrilled to feature in this year’s Parliamentary Review alongside other
organisations that demonstrate an outstanding contribution to their
sector and like us promote best practice and raising standards.
‘We are passionate about providing a holistic approach in integrated
mental health and wellbeing. The need for our services to support the y
and vulnerabilities as well as education and support for parents, teache
current cuts in the NHS.’
Jo recently introduced functional medicine to the centre, employing a
approach addresses the whole person and can help children and familie
health and resilience through tailored advice on nutrition and lifestyle.
Behavioural and play therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy and psyc
been introduced as part of the centre’s recent expansion.
6 OTnews June 2020