PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES
Supporting occupational therapists during the pandemic
Inclusion . Me has launched a series of briefing notes and good practice documents designed to support occupational therapists during the pandemic on topics such as the Coronavirus Act , the importance of clinical reasoning and proportionate assessments , paediatric social care legislation and the potential benefits and pit falls of proportionate care within social care .
Authors include members of the Inclusion . Me team , Michael Mandelstam and Deborah Harrison .
The briefing note Coronavirus , social care , law and occupational therapists considers the pressures on local authorities , and on occupational therapists in particular , in the light of coronavirus .
Manual handling , single-handed care , occupational therapy and the law summarises the legal aspects of manual handling , focusing in particular on what is commonly referred to as single-handed care – as it stands in 2020 and beyond in England .
Single handed care . What works ? This summarises what works when implementing and successfully embedding singlehanded care within a local authority , focusing on : the key elements essential for success ; describing solutions to the common pitfalls ; complexities of commissioning , strategies , engagement of the workforce , and training .
Disabled children : social care , equipment , home adaptations and occupational therapists is a briefing paper on legal aspects of equipment and home adaptations provision for disabled children – with occupational therapists in mind .
Commenting on the publications , the managing director of Inclusion . Me and independent occupational therapist , Matthew Box said : ‘ As we all know too well , we unfortunately find ourselves living in a time of change and uncertainty resulting from the pandemic .
‘ As an occupational therapist working within the multi-verse of local authorities , I was personally finding it difficult to keep abreast of , and internalise , how the continual changing landscape that this new remote world has created affects our professional scope of practice and impacts the work we conduct within social care on a daily basis .
‘ Juggling budgetary priorities , discharge to assess practices and keeping on top of waiting times and quality of assessment can sometimes feel overwhelming and I wanted us to bring together a collection of resources to help support our team , and every occupational therapist working within social care , and for them to be guided by and reflect on .
‘ I believe it ’ s essential our occupational therapists , and the profession as a whole , understand the impacts these will topics can and do have on us all , whilst keeping alert to their everevolving nature .’
Copies of all these free documents can be downloaded from the Inclusion . Me website : www . inclusion . me . uk / news .
Sensory integration and sensorybased interventions added to updated RCOT Informed Views
RCOT has expanded and updated its range of Informed Views , which provide a considered view and direction from RCOT on a contemporary topic . The topics covered now include :
• Hospital discharge service : Policy and operating model ( England-only );
• Rehabilitation ;
• Social prescribing ;
• Medicines mechanisms ;
• Sustainability ;
• Nursing and Midwifery Council ( NMC ) standards for education of future nurses ; and
• Sensory integration and sensory-based interventions . Anne Keen , RCOT professional adviser , says : ‘ When you need to get to grips with the context of a particular field of occupational therapy , our Informed Views are the perfect primer on what you need to know . They are structured to provide context to a current topic affecting occupational therapy , explain implications for occupational therapy practice and RCOT ’ s view on the subject , and are updated annually to make sure you have the up-to-date information you need .’
Find the Informed Views at : www . rcot . co . uk / rcot-informed-views .
SIE produces new resource to support people providing and accessing therapy during pandemic
According to a new report by Sensory Integration Education ( SIE ), professionals working with people with sensory difficulties believe the toughest challenge presented by the pandemic restrictions is being unable to deliver face-to-face therapy or support .
The report , Sensory challenges during a pandemic : Providing and accessing therapy , explores how
professionals working with people with sensory difficulties , individuals with sensory difficulties , and the parents or carers of people with sensory difficulties , have coped during the COVID-19 pandemic , particularly in regard to the ability to deliver or access therapy for sensory difficulties .
Access the full report at : https :// bit . ly / 2Mag0l1
OTnews February 2021 59