Service user feedback forms used by the wider service have also captured overwhelmingly positive experiences and our aspiration is to conduct focus groups with caregivers to explore their lived experience of occupational therapy intervention even further .”
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Service user feedback forms used by the wider service have also captured overwhelmingly positive experiences and our aspiration is to conduct focus groups with caregivers to explore their lived experience of occupational therapy intervention even further .”
Outcomes to date
The outcomes to date have been measured using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure ( Law et al 1990 ), which has demonstrated consistent improvements in both performance and satisfaction .
Service user feedback forms used by the wider service have also captured overwhelmingly positive experiences and our aspiration is to conduct focus groups with caregivers to explore their lived experience of occupational therapy intervention even further .
Our longer-term ideas include developing a caregiving course ( to be delivered virtually and face to face , in order to meet the different needs of caregivers ) and to provide sessions at existing groups run by our third sector organisation .
We are very conscious that further resource is a challenge to secure and therefore collaborating with existing teams is a potential development opportunity . However , in order to meet the occupational therapy requirements , the pathway is not sustainable in its current form .
Planning cover for annual leave has been challenging and we are aware that any unplanned leave may pose a clinical risk to those on the pathway . Further business cases to articulate the additional resource recommended is underway .
The opportunity for caregivers to benefit from occupational therapy is now a reality in East Lothian and we are incredibly passionate about the impact this could have on a personal level for each caregiver and their loved ones .
However , the potential for this service to impact health and social care provision in the future is also extremely exciting and must be explored further if we are to fully acknowledge the invaluable and critical role caregivers have in supporting our health and social care systems .
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East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership ( 2023 ) East Lothian Carer ’ s Strategy 2023-2026 . Available at https :// bit . ly / 3T3AbkF [ accessed 29 November 2023 ].
Law M , Baptiste S , McColl M , Opzoomer A , Polatajko H Pollock , N ( 1990 ) The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure : an outcome measure for occupational therapy . Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy . Revue Canadienne d ’ ergotherapie , 57 ( 2 ): 82 – 87 . DOI : https :// bit . ly / 46EOkbj
Words CAT BROWN , Specialist Occupational Therapist , and ALI BUCHANAN , Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist , East Lothian Rehabilitation Service ( ELRS ) alison . buchanan @ nhslothian . scot . nhs . uk
38 OTnews December 2023