Occupational Therapy News OTnews February 2020 | Page 20

FEATURE TECHNOLOGY Doing things differently Part of the series of articles focusing on technology, members of the Technology Enabled Care team at North Somerset Council share their current projects and how they are having a positive impact on participants This TEC series has focused in on the leadership of projects that seek to embed technological innovation for the purposes of service improvement and client experience. It is apparent from the examples that members have shared with RCOT that leadership is required at all levels. A member of the team who is an enthusiast about technology is in an ideal position to work alongside those who access services and staff to experiment with settings and features of technology, while your service leads have an important role in supporting wider change management interventions, such as the procurement of different technologies. There are a wide range of opportunities for occupational therapists who are looking to develop their wider leadership skills as well as those that focus specifically on technology innovation. These include: funding for continuing professional development, research and education through the Elizabeth Casson Trust and RCOTs annual awards for learning, development and research; digital fellowships, such as Tolpol, NHS Digital Academy and the NMAHP digital health and care leadership programme in Scotland; and informal opportunities, such as joining RCOTs digital network, as well as an allied health professions-wide digital forum hosted on FutureNHS collaboration platform. Contact Suzy England at RCOT to discuss or share a digital project: [email protected] • • • © GettyImages/mikkelwilliam 20 OTnews February 2020 A great deal of reflecting occurs in the Technology Enabled Care (TEC) team at North Somerset Council (NSC). This might be considered unusual, but when you know the team consists of three occupational therapists it is not such a surprise. ICES contract and team manager Laura Cresser, TEC co-ordinator Jane Blinco, and TEC project lead Fiona Shergold, come from a variety of backgrounds and are guided by their personal values, occupational therapy skills and processes. They acknowledge that regularly reflecting on their work, either individually or as a team, is an important part of staying real and true to their shared enthusiasm for occupational therapy. The team is currently managing seven diverse TEC projects (see page 22), with aims and interventions that vary in complexity. The primary driver for each is to improve services for clients, ensuring the focus remains firmly on individuals and not on the technology itself. The TEC team is supported by the head of contracts and commissioning at NSC, who is passionate about innovative TEC solutions and how they can support people in their everyday lives. Influences Technology and innovation are reshaping every aspect of modern life, presenting new possibilities for prevention, care and treatment. There are several national drivers influencing TEC innovation at a local level. The RCOT strategic intentions position the profession for the 21st century and enhance the profile of the profession to a range of audiences, while the government’s digital strategy sets out how government will redesign its digital services so well that people prefer to use them. In addition, while digital transformation of the NHS is a long way off, the NHS Long-Term Plan anticipates that technology will ensure people have more control over the care they receive and more support to manage their health, to keep themselves well and better manage their conditions, while assisting carers in their vital work. Considering these drivers against a back drop of rising demand and decreasing resources, NSC acknowledges TEC interventions are an important part of its vision for adult social care. This aims to promote wellbeing by helping people in North Somerset to be as independent as possible for as long possible. The council feels that it is essential to make the most of new technologies and ensure that the systems, processes and services are there to support this.