OTnews October 2021 | Page 25

8.9 % Therapy

11 %

16.9 %

Performance E-safety Socioeconomic Technical

13.8 % 16.4 %

Figure three : COG-OT usage in each topic area

mobile users and ‘ OT Practice ’ was the most popular topic area . The graph above shows the usage of each topic area .

We are also looking at trends , sharing the tool with wider groups of allied health professionals and occupational therapists across the UK .

COG-OT is funded until the end of this month , and is easily found through your usual internet search engine . We welcome all feedback – you can find our contact email in the ‘ Welcome ’ section of ‘ About COG-OT ’.

There are also films of how you can use the tool to support your practice and more information about e-safety .

Personal reflections ‘ Digital ’ has been a consistent part of my occupational therapy career : 10 years ago I was using remote monitoring systems to demonstrate activity routines for older people within their own homes ; five years ago I was part of a project that gave tablet devices to individuals and staff in an acute inpatient dementia setting ; and last year I was involved in a Natioanl Institue for Health Research project creating a digital tool to gather insights into feelings of safety on acute mental health wards and qualified as a clinical safety officer .

This project felt very ‘ OT ’, as it ensured we met the needs of the individuals and supported meaningful engagement and participation in its design .

When I first saw the RCOT Career Development Framework , I did not identify with the undulating line , but this project has taken me on those learning curves , developing my skills in all four Pillars of Practice .

I would describe my career level descriptors as a ‘ tentative seven ’; I now have futureproof skills for my career , reflecting RCOT ’ s aspiration of occupational therapists being equipped for the 21st Century ( RCOT 2019 ).

I would encourage occupational therapists to explore nontraditional roles and projects , where your occupational therapy skills can be used to create and inspire best digital practice in this post- COVID-19 ‘ new normal ’.

References

Barrett D and Heale R ( 2020 ). What are Delphi studies ? Evidence Based Nursing , 23 ( 3 ), p . ebnurs-2020-103303

NHS ( 2019 ). 16 . Make your service clinically safe – NHS digital service manual . [ online ] nhs . uk . Available at : https :// service-manual . nhs . uk / servicestandard / 16-make-your-service-clinically-safe [ accessed 9 August 2021 ]

NHS Digital ( 2020 ) DCB0160 : Clinical risk management : its application in the deployment and use of health IT systems . [ online ] NHS Digital . Available at : https :// digital . nhs . uk / data-and-information / information-standards / information-standards-and-data-collections-including-extractions / publications-and-notifications / standards-and-collections / dcb0160-clinicalrisk-management-its-application-in-the-deployment-and-use-of-health-itsystems

Royal College of Occupational Therapists ( 2019 ) What is occupational therapy ? OT explained . Available online at : www . rcot . co . uk / aboutoccupational-therapy / what-is-occupational-therapy

Royal College of Occupational Therapists ( 2019 ) Digital occupational therapy . Available online at : www . rcot . co . uk / practice-resources / occupationaltherapy-topics / digital-first-occupational-therapy

Royal College of Occupational Therapists ( 2020 ) The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on occupational therapy in the United Kingdom , survey report . Available at : www . rcot . co . uk / news / impact-covid-19-profound-finds-rcotsurvey

The Lloyds Banking Group Digital Skills and Inclusion team ( 2021 ) UK Consumer Digital Index 2021 . Available at : www . lloydsbank . com / assets / media / pdfs / banking _ with _ us / whats-happening / 210513-lloyds-consumerdigital-index-2021-report . pdf

Gemma Wormald , clinical and digital change leader , Digital Change and Systems Team , Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust , email : gemma . wormald @ nhs . net

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