REPORT AWARDS
Lyndsey Barret Sarah Bodell Dr Deanna Gibbs Elisabeth Pilgrem
Merit Awards 2018 These awards, introduced a decade ago, are open to all RCOT members with a minimum of two full consecutive membership years, who are recognised by their peers in the occupational therapy community for excellence in their sphere of work and for making a significant contribution to the profession.
This year, Merit Awards have been given to four members: Lyndsay Barret, Sarah Bodel, Dr Deanna Gibbs, and Elisabeth Pilgrem.
Lyndsey Barret is director and senior occupational therapist at Sport for Confidence. A pioneer who uses occupational therapy principles to work beyond the traditional scope of practice and extend the boundaries of the profession at both local and national levels, in 2015 she co-founded this unique social enterprise, which forms partnerships between occupational therapists, health professionals, and leisure centres and sports clubs in Essex.
Sarah Bodell, director of occupational therapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Salford, is passionate about the occupational therapy profession and its future. She is driven by the unwavering belief in, and commitment to, occupation as fundamental to wellbeing and health.
Sarah’ s accolade comes for her work on online learning and promoting the power of online social networking for personal and professional development, which has had a major impact on the connection of occupational therapists around the world in the social media arena.
She co-founded OT4OT, a free knowledge sharing and networking environment for professionals that promotes technology and reaches 18,000 followers worldwide, and co-developed and facilitates the Occupational Therapy 24- hour Virtual Exchange( OT24VX), as well as co-designing Occubuzz. In addition, Sarah has created the first online masters programme in Advanced Occupational Therapy.
She said:‘ I was totally surprised and overwhelmed to discover I had been awarded a Merit Award, having been secretly nominated by my peers. I have worked with some amazing people over the years, and it is thanks to all of them that I find myself in the position of being able to work on the things I love, and be celebrated for it.’
Dr Deanna Gibbs, research consultant – nursing, midwifery and allied health professions, Barts Health NHS Trust, Honorary Research Fellow, City University London, and trainer – Newborn Behavioural Observations
( NBO) at The Brazelton Centre UK, has made a profound contribution in the highly specialised field of neonatal occupational therapy practice.
She is currently one of the most active researchers in neonatal therapy in the UK and works to build effective research collaboration to increase understanding of this complex area of practice, and to highlight the unique contribution that the profession of occupational therapy has in the delivery of neonatal services.
Deanna played a key part in the establishment of the Neonatal Forum, under the auspices of the RCOT Specialist Section – Children, Young People and Families, and had an important and essential role as part of the RCOT guideline development group, in the publication of the NICE accredited document Occupational therapy in neonatal services and early intervention practice guideline.
Maintaining and adapting occupation to ensure the quality of life of patients is, for Elisabeth( Lisi) Pilgrem, an occupational therapist at Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care, central to the profession of occupational therapy, and she has spearheaded the use of social and therapeutic horticulture in palliative care for many years.
In the last few years, Lisi has become the recognised authority in social and therapeutic horticulture and is regularly approached for her expertise. She demonstrates and teaches the importance of the occupational therapist’ s unique skills of task and activity analysis, and grading and adapting activity.
She has influenced charities and her work has been recognised by Hospice UK, the National Garden Scheme and Thrive.
Lisi has helped establish a national interest group for social and therapeutic horticulture in palliative care( STH4PC), where members are able to share ideas and best practice, with the aim of increasing patient participation in social and therapeutic horticulture in the hospice, and to examine how this works as a model for other hospices in the UK.
‘ I am delighted to receive this award affirming that social and therapeutic horticulture is recognised in our profession,’ said after the ceremony.‘ I hope this will inspire colleagues, both nationally and further afield, to use nature as an occupation supporting people with advanced or terminal illness to live well, promoting quality of life and wellbeing.’
16 OTnews October 2018