A showcase for occupational therapy
RCOT ’ s annual conference 2021 is just around the corner , and here we take a look at some of the recently-announced plenary sessions
Annual conference is RCOT ’ s flagship event , and a showcase for the profession . Taking place wholly virtually this year , on Wednesday 30 June and Thursday 1 July , conference this year has four overarching themes : equality , diversity and inclusion ; impact of occupational therapy ; new ways of working ; and rehabilitation and recovery .
A number of plenary speakers have now been announced , and on day one of the conference , in a session titled ‘ Freedom to lead the life I value – and have reason to value ’, Alexis Quinn , Manager of the Restraint Reduction Network , will present her personal experience of the systemic pressures that exist in both the inpatient mental health system and the community for autistic people .
A school teacher of over 10 years , former professional athlete and now author of the ground-breaking memoir , Unbroken , Alexis will challenge the current paradigms for caring by giving a first-hand narrative of the damaging sensory , communication and language barriers that routinely exist in places that care for people .
Activists all have a story or defining moment that propel them into action . Hers began with a crisis after she birthed her first child and her youngest brother died . She asked for help from services , responded autistically to the ‘ help ’ and was detained under the Mental Health Act for three and half years , before escaping to Africa .
Alexis will speak of her extraordinary experiences , daring journey in the mental health ‘ system ’ and explain how occupational therapists can help . She will suggest how occupational therapists can emphasise people ’ s capabilities and forge new ways of working that promote the freedom to lead the kind of lives autistic people value – and have reason to value .
Opening the second day of conference , Professor Sir Michael Marmot , Director of the Institute of Health Equity ( UCL Department of Epidemiology and Public Health ), will talk about social justice and health equity .
Sir Michael has been Professor of Epidemiology at University College London since 1985 , and has led research groups on health inequalities for nearly 50 years . With a long and distinguished biography , he is the author of The health gap : the challenge of an unequal world , and Status syndrome : how your place on the social gradient directly affects your health .
He is also the adviser to the World Health Organization Director- General on social determinants of health , in the new WHO Division of Healthier Populations , and is the recipient of the WHO Global Hero Award .
Taking action to reduce health inequalities is a matter of social justice , Professor Marmot believes . In his plenary session , he will say that , in developing strategies for tackling health inequalities , we need to confront the social gradient in health , not just the difference between the worst off and everybody else .
There is clear evidence when we look across countries that national policies make a difference and that much can be done in cities , towns and local areas . But policies and interventions must not be confined to the health care system ; they need to address the conditions in which people are born , grow , live , work and age , he will stress .
His talk will focus on the fact that the evidence shows that economic circumstances are important , but are not the only drivers of health inequalities . Tackling the health gap will take action , based on sound evidence , across the whole of society .
And finally , also on the second day of the event , Professor Bruce Hood , Chair of Developmental Psychology in Society , University of Bristol , will talk about ‘ The science of happiness : evidence-based approaches to leading a better life ’.
Professor Hood has been a Bristol University Professor since 2000 . He undertook his PhD at Cambridge , followed by appointments at UCL , MIT and Harvard . He researches child development and has published four popular science books ; Supersense , The self illusion , The domesticated brain and Possessed . He also co-hosts the BBC podcast The Happiness Half Hour .
In his plenary presentation , Professor Hood will explain his work on establishing the highly-successful university course , ‘ The Science of Happiness ’ and why we can all benefit from developing better strategies to cope with adversity .
He will explain some of the theory as well as some of the neuroscience , but also provide some valuable practical advice about how to improve mental wellbeing .
For all of the up-to-date session information , and to book your ticket , visit : www . rcot . co . uk / annual-conference and see also page 9 .
14 OTnews May 2021