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Updated guidance on fit notes include primary care OT case studies
The Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) has recently updated its national fit note guidance for healthcare professionals .
This new version now includes two case studies from an occupational therapist running vocational clinics in GP surgeries . One case study is about the occupational therapist helping a person with Long Covid gradually and carefully return to work .
The other is about the occupational therapy interventions for a person with low back pain who is unemployed and wants to return to work .
RCOT Professional Adviser , Genevieve Smyth , told OTnews : ‘ Inclusion of the case studies is a win for RCOT . It took 12 months of influencing and liaison between the DWP and the occupational therapist who agreed to step forward and champion the profession .’
If you want to read more about the service , it ’ s in October ’ s OTnews , pages 38-39 , ‘ Expanding fit note provision across five GP surgeries in East London ’.
‘ RCOT also had input into two new guides about how to compete the fit note ,’ Genevieve adds . ‘ The step-by-step guide takes you through each section of the fit note in detail and the quick reference guide gives pointers and tips .
‘ RCOT hopes that alongside the fit note online training module , these new products will help occupational therapists issue high quality fit notes .’
Can you help inform a new study on good home environment design ?
Participants are needed for a study on the occupational therapy contribution to good home environment design , to support the participation and wellbeing of learning / intellectually disabled people .
Audrey Yong , a researcher and lecturer at the University of Brighton , would like to interview OTs about their work in environment designing and how they support the participation of intellectualy disabled people who struggle at home . They could be showing distress , such as self-harming , destructive , or sensory-related behaviour .
The findings could further inform the role of OTs in NHS England ’ s Building the right support plan , which maintains that learning / intellectually disabled people should have equal human rights to live satisfying , valued lives in homes , within their community .
The study will be in collaboration with Team Springwell . Questions asked will aim to find out more about OTs ’ knowledge and contribution in this area .
The interviews will be online with Audrey and a Team Springwell member ; and will take 60-90 minutes .
It is anticipated that the outcomes from this study will provide a deeper understanding of occupational therapists ’ contribution to home designing , which can contribute towards the evidence base of good practice and occupationalbased environmental solutions to sustain improved home living conditions for learning / intellectually disabled people .
This study has been approved by the University of Brighton Cross School research Ethics Committee and is supported by the RCOT Research Foundation . If you would like to participate contact a . yong @ brighton . ac . uk .
56 OTnews December 2023