OTnews August 2020 | Page 13

NEWS Changing Places toilets to be mandatory in new, large public buildings in England All large new buildings in England will have to include Changing Places toilets from next year. It means that new shopping centres, sports stadiums and arts venues will have to include them when they are designed and built, affecting an estimated 150 new buildings a year. There are currently over 1,400 Changing Places toilets in use around the UK. New large buildings in Scotland have been required to include Changing Places facilities since a planning law change last year. Changing Places toilets have more room than a standard accessible toilet, with specialist equipment such as an adult-sized changing bench and a hoist system. UK. They are needed by more than a quarter of a million people in the More funding is also being made available to install Changing Places facilities in motorway service stations, meaning that 87 of England’s 118 service stations will have Changing Places facilities installed. RCOT supported the change in England’s rules during a consultation process in order to promote social inclusion. Without access to Changing Places toilets, more than a quarter of a million people may not go out, will limit fluid intake, or will have to be changed on a toilet floor. Kerry Thompson, a Changing Places toilets user from Milton Keynes, said: ‘This is incredible news. Having access to more Changing Places toilets means freedom. For not just myself, but the 250,000 other disabled people and their families. Having this muchneeded change to building regulations guidance will make life easier and more fulfilling. It opens up a whole new world for everyone that needs these life-changing facilities. All these changes are helping myself and thousands of others to live the life that we choose, not one that is chosen for us.’ For more information including maps of open facilities visit: www.changingplaces.org. NEWS IN BRIEF DR KEE HEAN LIM ELECTED ON BAOT/RCOT COUNCIL Dr Kee Hean Lim has been announced as the new Council Member, International Affairs (World Federation of Occupational Therapists) following a ballot of members. Civica Election Services reported that 3,951 out of 32,938 members eligible to vote took part in the ballot. This represented a turnout of 12 per cent, a slight increase on the 11.9 per cent of members who voted in the last ballot. Dr Lim received 1,440 votes, Dr Yvonne Thomas received 1,322 votes (and as she obtained the second highest number of recorded votes is therefore elected as alternate to the WFOT member as per Council rules), Marjorie Gardner received 1,179 votes and 10 votes were ruled invalid. The new term of office will start at the AGM. BAOT/ RCOT Council congratulates Dr Lim on his election and thanks candidates for their willingness to serve the membership. FUNDING PROPOSALS INVITED AROUND SCOTLAND’S NEUROLOGICAL FRAMEWORK Funding proposals are being sought around Scotland’s neurological framework, which was launched in December. The new five-year framework included a commitment to £4.5 million of funding. NHS boards, health and social care partnerships and the independent sector can all apply. Proposals can be up to the value of £1 million, and applications should be submitted by 6 September at: www.gov.scot/publications/ neurological-framework-funding. DR YELIZ PRIOR A WONDER WOMAN IN RESEARCH Dr Yeliz Prior has featured in an NHS R&D North West video series about her work in research. Dr Prior, a senior research fellow at the University of Salford and an advanced clinical specialist occupational therapist at the Mid Cheshire NHS Trust, featured in the Wonder Women series and discusses what brought her into rheumatology, balancing research and her family life, and working as a woman in research. View the video at: https://youtu.be/e9miBXKnB-c. OTnews August 2020 13