RCOT Annual Awards for Learning , Development and Research
The following members have received financial awards ( funding ) to support their learning , development and research activities .
The AMPS-ESI UK and Ireland Award is given to support a practice development or research activity in a topic related to occupational therapy , which demonstrates the use of one of the AMPS ( Assessment of Motor and Process Skills ) tools .
Shane Roberts , an occupational therapist with primarily mental health experience , has received this year ’ s award . With a strong research and practice interest in addressing health inequities and inequalities faced by patients , he has used the grant to help provide person centred , yet standardised assessments .
The AMPS tool will enable Shane to provide culturally-specific assessments , while also maintaining a holistic person-led approach . In the future , this will also allow Shane to increase accessibility to healthcare assessment and interventions .
He said : ‘ I feel really honoured to have won the award . As an ethnic minority , gay individual , I have always had to fight multiple challenges and overcome multiple barriers . This award is an affirmation that I can go forward as an ethnic gay person and break those barriers .’
The Innovation Award provides funding towards innovative or development projects aimed at supporting the future of the profession and professional practice and Kate Binnington has received the 2022 award .
Kate has worked as an occupational therapist since qualifying in 2007 with an MSc in occupational therapy ( pre-registration ). Kate worked for many years at the Leeds Personality Disorder Clinical Network and currently works as an independent occupational therapist , having set up an occupationally-led social enterprise supporting those with and without mental health difficulties to access meaningful occupation in a safe and welcoming social setting .
Kate hopes to expand the scope and awareness of occupational therapy into more diverse areas and provide a service to those who would struggle to access occupational therapy through traditional routes .
She said : Receiving the award was such a great surprise . It means that we can run a pilot group that will not only enable us to offer an occupational therapy process to the group members , but also means we can spread the word about the value of occupational therapy to third sector organisations and the local community .
‘ I hope that by demonstrating the value of occupational therapy we can widen the representation of our profession to those outside of health and social care settings .’
The International Activity Award supports an individual member ’ s active participation in an overseas activity . This may include virtual / online participation , and this year saw two awards given out .
Sharon Davenport is an experienced occupational therapist and practice educator , working in adult social care practice for Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust . She also works as a casual lecturer at the University of Liverpool and is a Clinical Visiting Tutor at Coventry University .
Sharon has recently completed her post-registration MSc in advanced occupational therapy and funding from the award supported her to attend the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress 2022 in Paris , to present a poster on ‘ An introduction to the Therapy Outcome Measure ’.
Sharon said : ‘ I am very grateful to RCOT and I was able to use the award to attend the WFOT congress 2022 to present an e-poster . This was an exciting and unique learning opportunity and I feel more connected to my profession now .’
Laura Ann Rossiter graduated from the University of Southampton in 2020 and has worked in various research posts at the university . Projects have investigated cancer-
Kate Binnington
Laura Ann Rossiter
Sharon Davenport
58 OTnews November 2022