OTnews October 2021 | Page 10

NEWS
NEWS IN BRIEF
REFRESHED HEALTH CURRICULA GUIDANCE LAUNCHES
A refreshed version of the Allied Health Professions Public Health Curricula Guidance has now been launched . This guidance is applicable across the four nations and contains a number of helpful resources and tools . Visit : www . councilofdeans . org . uk / wp-content / uploads / 2021 / 09 / 13092021-Public-Health-Content-Within-the- Pre-Registration-Curricula-for-Allied-Health-Professions . pdf # AHPPublicHealth .
COLLABORATION IS THE KEY TO THE FUTURE OF HOME ADAPTATIONS
Lauren Walker , RCOT professional adviser , and member of the Housing and Ageing Alliance , has written a blog that highlights the critical role of home adaptations in the context of a new disability strategy , post-pandemic recovery , and further steps towards health and care integration . Visit : www . housinglin . org . uk /_ assets / Resources / Housing / HAA / Housing-Ageing-Alliance-Blog-Lauren- Walker-RCOT-August2021 . pdf .
RCOT COVID-19 SUPPORT FUND
Don ’ t forget that RCOT has been awarded funding by the COVID-19 Healthcare Support Appeal ( CHSA ) to support members who have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic . Funding is available for members who require further support following an application to UNISON ’ s ‘ There for You ’ funding ( www . unison . org . uk / get-help / services-support / there-for-you ), and for self-employed members ineligible for UNISON funding . Members can apply for a grant of up to £ 2,500 . Find out more at : www . rcot . co . uk / news / rcotlaunches-new-covid-19-support-fund-members .
TALK ABOUT CANCER , HELP SAVE LIVES
Learn from experts at Cancer Research UK about how you could save lives by talking about cancer prevention and early detection . The free , interactive , online course , Talking About Cancer , gives you the ability to learn at your own pace and on any device . This course equips you with the tips , tools and confidence you need to have these lifesaving conversations . Find out more at : www . futurelearn . com / courses / talking-about-cancer .
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR THE 2021 ELIZABETH CASSON MEMORIAL LECTURE
Join us and your occupational therapy colleagues online for the 2021 Elizabeth Casson Memorial Lecture on Wednesday 10 November 2021 . You will hear Dr Anita Atwal , Associate Professor of Interprofessional Working at London South Bank University , give this year ’ s prestigious lecture followed by a Q & A session . The lecture will take place online , so you can watch from wherever you are . The lecture is free to attend , but you must register in advance to access the live stream : http :// rcot . co . uk / casson-lecture .
NIHR collates evidence on innovative approaches to rehabilitation for people with longterm conditions
Rehabilitation aims to give people the tools they need to lead the fullest lives possible . In 2017 , the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) launched the Rehabilitation 2030 initiative , which laid out the increased need for rehabilitation due to an ageing population and increasing incidence of people with multiple long term conditions .
It urged governments to improve their rehabilitation offerings , however , since the COVID-19 pandemic rehabilitation services have decreased . This has affected people with long-term conditions , diminishing their health and wellbeing .
Earlier this year , several organisations published a national call to action on rehabilitation services ( www . alzheimers . org . uk / sites / default / files / 2021-06 / moving-forward-stronger . pdf ).
Irfan Ahmed , a public contributor , said at the time about the vital importance of rehabilitation : ‘ Rehabilitation has allowed me to reach my pre-illness condition . It helped with mobility so that I can become more active and enjoy life without discomfort after a period of being bedridden . Psychologically , I gained more self-confidence and the ability to cope psychologically with posttraumatic events .’
Now National Institute for Health Research ( NIHR ) Evidence is trying to support this call to action by collating some of the evidence on innovative approaches to rehabilitation for people with long-term conditions .
Lauren Walker , RCOT professional adviser , said : ‘ There is a need to explore approaches to rehabilitation that are centred on people , rather than conditions , and to make sure that everyone who would benefit from rehabilitation has access to it – no matter who they are or where they live .
‘ To do this it is necessary to work in a truly multidisciplinary way , making the best use of the skills that different members of the workforce bring , and to identify approaches that reach those most in need in an effective way .’
The NIHR Collection explores some approaches to deliver rehabilitation effectively and cost-effectively , including telerehabilitation , involving other staff members , training for professionals . It argues that implementing new research will enable us to ‘ move forward stronger ’ to address the unmet need for rehabilitation .
Read NIHR Collection : Rehabilitation : how can services meet demand ? on the NIHR Evidence website : https :// evidence . nihr . ac . uk / collection / rehabilitation-how-canservices-meet-demand /.
10 OTnews October 2021