Occupational Therapy News OTnews July 2019 | Page 10

NEWS
NEWS IN BRIEF
MEMBER AMONG NOMINEES FOR
HEALTHCARE IT AWARD
Julie King, an assistive technology occupational
therapist at Edinburgh Health and Social Care
Partnership, has been nominated for a prestigious
Digital Health Award. She is nominated for the
chief nursing information officers’ award for her
work to introduce person-centered approaches
to introducing technology to support independent
living. Winners are selected by 3,500 digital health
leaders and the winners will be announced on 18
July. There is more on her work in August 2017’s
OTnews and more on the awards at: www.bit.do/
digital-health-awards.
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
CONTRIBUTE TO UPDATED
GUIDELINES FOR THE PROVISION
OF INTENSIVE CARE SERVICES
Two occupational therapists have contributed to the
updated Guidelines for the provision of intensive
care services. Lauren Maher and James Bruce
from the RCOTSS – Trauma and Musculoskeletal
Health’s Critical Care Forum contributed to the
section on occupational therapy’s role. The
document sets a standard for all critical care units
to have access to occupational therapy services five
days a week, and for all patients to have access to
seven-day rehabilitation. The new document builds
on 2015’s first edition which became a definitive
source for planning, commissioning and delivering
adult critical care services. Read the guidelines at:
www.bit.do/GPICS.
NORTHERN IRELAND DOCTORAL
FELLOWSHIP AWARD SCHEME
OPENS
Applications are now being accepted for doctoral
fellowship awards through Northern Ireland’s
Health and Social Care Services (HSCNI). The
scheme is open to anyone employed by HSCNI,
the community, voluntary or not-for-profit sector
in health and social care or as independent
contractors. Awards are available for a maximum
of three years full-time or six years part-time.
The closing date is Friday 11 October. For more
information, visit: www.research.hscni.net/
fellowship-awards.
10 OTnews July 2019
Let us see the most appropriate
professional, says Scottish public
An inquiry into primary care in Scotland has heard the highest priorities
from the public on what needs to change, and seeing the most
appropriate health professional even if they aren’t a GP is high on the
priority list.
2,549 responses were received by the Scottish Parliament’s
health and sport committee. Other priorities included a greater focus
on prevention rather than treatment, including the introduction of a
universal health MOT; mental health treated as a priority, with the NHS
working with schools and employers; and more flexible and streamlined
appointment systems, including routine access to weekend and evening
appointments.
A greater use of technology was also high on the list, including
all-encompassing electronic patient records, email access to health
professionals, video consultations and online appointment scheduling.
The committee will now take the findings to health professions before
making its final recommendations to parliament.
Faster adaptations report rolls out
across the UK
RCOT’s new guide, Adaptations without delay – A guide to planning
and delivering home adaptations differently, has launched in all four UK
countries.
The guide includes a framework to reduce delays in the delivery of
adaptations by providing tools that support a proportionate response.
The guide contains a decision-making framework that outlines new ways
of working that includes the different levels of complexity of a situation
and the most appropriate response.
Following the launch, Adaptations without delay was considered in
the Welsh Assembly, with the report’s sponsor Dawn Bowden and Julie
James, the minister for housing and local government, discussing how
occupational therapists and the right adaptations could help people.
Read the report at: www.rcot.co.uk/adaptations-without-delay.
Update on medicines management
In an article published in May’s issue, ‘The management of analgesia’,
which described a project at Poole Hospital (OTnews, May 2019,
page 40-41), it was not made sufficiently clear that occupational
therapists can only administer Prescription Only Medications (POMs)
under a prescription, a Patient Specific Direction (PSD), or a Patient
Group Direction (PGD). Pharmacy only medicines (P medicines) and
General Sales List (GSL) medicines may be administered without a
prescription, PSD or PGD under a locally agreed protocol.
More information can be found at https://bit.ly/2G7FJEz and
https://bit.ly/2XX7QR8.
For further information on occupational therapists’ current
responsibilities, please refer to our good practice briefing on Medicines
management (https://bit.ly/2NLu2tp). RCOT is also planning to publish
a detailed report on our current and potential future role in medicines
mechanisms, due out soon.