Occupational Therapy News OTnews May 2020 | Page 3

I t’s starting to look like rehabilitation is fast becoming the new priority in dealing with the impact of COVID-19 in the coming months. The provision of personalised and occupationally- focused rehabilitation has never been so important or more urgently needed, and with that in mind, RCOT has produced new online resources to support members during and after the COVID-19 pandemic (see page 61). And if you missed our chief executive Julia Scott talk about why occupational therapists are fundamental to rehabilitation in our latest video, you can watch it now at: www.rcot.co.uk/ rehabilitation. In the wake of RCOT’s Right to Rehab campaign, which was launched just before the outbreak of the virus, in this issue, Andrew Mickel talks to RCOT professional adviser Lauren Walker and a number of occupational therapists about the issue of rehabilitation post-COVID-19 (page 30). However, while rehab is undoubtedly high on the agenda at the moment, much of this issue still focuses on the innovative ways that occupational therapists have moved quickly to adapt services editor’s comment now, during the acute phase of the pandemic. For example, with the sudden onset of the COVID-19 crisis, how does a previously seamless service speedily adapt and reorganise its care? Kristabel Ewers and Kiri Irani explain how one multidisciplinary team has been prioritising and undertaking consultations and assessments, all while trying to protect both patients and staff from the spread of the virus. Turn to page 28 to find out. While on page 22, the team from a specialist independent provider of neurological occupational therapy services reflect on the journey they took to deliver remote services almost ‘overnight’, while remaining true to the values of occupation. Then, on page 40, Gemma Viccars, specialist occupational therapist in the Medicine for Older People Team at University Hospital Southampton, looks at the challenges and changes posed in preparing for and receiving a new wave of patients on the wards due to coronavirus. Despite this being an extremely anxious and emotive time, she is rightly proud of what the team has been able to learn and achieve ‘during this time of adversity’. We also hear from the adult social care Reigate and Banstead locality team in Surrey on page 25. A radical change to how they handle new cases, put in place before the COVID-19 crisis, meant they were readily able to shift assessments online during the pandemic. And finally, the ‘Everyday occupational therapy heroes’ feature last month was so well received, and so many people contacted us to tell their own stories, we have continued it this month in a second five-page focus starting on page 12. Tracey Samuels, Editor If you have any feedback about this issue of OTnews, or would like to contribute a short article or feature for a future publication, please email me at: [email protected]