Occupational Therapy News OTnews October 2019 | Page 26

FEATURE AWARDS
RCOT ANNUAL AWARDS FOR
LEARNING, DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH
The AMPS-ESI UK and Ireland Award is given to support a practice development or research activity in a topic related to
occupational therapy, which demonstrates the use of one of the AMPS (Assessment of Motor and Process Skills) tools.
Jo Virgo, an occupational therapist with East Sussex County Council’s mental health intermediate care
outreach service, used the award to undertake online AMPS training.
She said: ‘Access to this valid and reliable evaluation tool will be used to establish the efficacy of
a new innovative community mental health intermediate care service for older people. We hope to
demonstrate how the service improves occupational performance, thereby reducing the need for
ongoing social care or admission to long-term care.’
The Barbara Tyldesley Student Award was first made available in 2015 with funding from The
Constance Owens Trust, in memory of their late trustee, Barbara Tyldesley. The award supports participation
in an approved overseas practice placement, Erasmus Exchange Scheme, or global health project.
Katherine Blanchard won the award and used it to complete a three-month Erasmus placement in
a paediatric setting in Lisbon. She said: ‘I am very grateful to have been offered this opportunity, and
the Barbara Tyldesley Award has undoubtedly been a huge and unforgettable factor in enabling me to
undertake this amazing placement experience.’
The Innovation Award provides funding towards innovative or development projects aimed at supporting the future of the
  profession and professional practice.
Sally Scott-Roberts, a lecturer at Cardiff University and independent occupational therapist, won the
award and said: ‘It was a lovely day and I was honoured and thrilled to receive an award. Because of
the award I had the pleasure of working with occupational therapy students to deliver a domestic life
skills intervention project with a group of neurodivergent young people, for a week in July. This project-
based practice education experience was considered to be invaluable by the occupational students
and the young people all met their individual goals – a successful week all round!’

The International Travel Award supports a professional member’s active participation in an
overseas activity.
Wendy Cumines, a lecturer at Cardiff University and independent occupational therapist, will use the
award to fund her sabbatical visit to Vietnam to deliver teaching sessions and clinical supervision to
the first-ever occupational therapists at Ho Chi Minh University. International volunteers are essential to
support practice placements as no locally-trained occupational therapists currently exist in Vietnam.
The Institute of Social Psychiatry Award provides support for a research activity in a topic relevant
to occupational therapy and mental health, which also demonstrates a relevance to social psychiatry.
Victoria Wilkinson, a lecturer at the University of Bradford, won the award and said: ‘I would like
to thank the RCOT and the Institute of Social Psychiatry for the award as it enabled me to conduct
preparatory research into a contemporary area of practice for occupational therapy. This research has
helped me devise my PhD application, which I aim to begin later this year.’
26 OTnews October 2019