Issue 7January2018
Welcome to our January issue of South East Region Committee e-Newsletter!
The South East Region Committee is an eclectic group of occupational therapists who volunteer their time to support activities of the Region, managing to build some great friendships and have fun along the way.
We want to support occupational therapists from across the South East Region through enabling networking, CPD and sharing innovative ideas and practice.
Over the past few months we have been developing our social media presence, aiming to support conversation and share interesting opportunities. If you are not yet linked up please look at our Facebook page:
and Twitter feed:
We are looking for members to join the Committee and help support members in the Region. We also want to hear from you current stories, thoughts, questions and challenges that are happening locally. Please contact us and let us know by emailing .
SPOTLIGHT
This month we reflect on setting up local support groups for occupational therapists in Tunbridge Wells, attending The OT Show and celebrating Occupational Therapy Week. We would also like to invite you to the next RCOT Roadshow 2018 and encourage you to take part in a competition to receive free tickets to the RCOT Annual Conference in Belfast.
Enjoy!
CPD EVENTS
Forthcoming Tunbridge Wells Networking Meeting on 18th January 2018:
This is an informal meeting for those occupational therapists wishing to meet fellow professionals to network, share ideas and CPD opportunities. Book your free ticket by following the link:
Please see below for information of the previous meeting:
"In August 2017 I set up this opportunity for all occupational therapists and students in the area passionate about occupational therapy and keen to widen their horizons in supportive and welcoming environments. Our first meeting generated attendance from five occupational therapists and one student. The initial feedback has been very positive and we very much hope to expand our numbers in the future.
Something absolutely fantastic, unexpected and incredibly rewarding came out of this experience. The lovely Sally Witts, First Year Ocupational Therapy Student at Canterbury Christ Church University, who joined our first meeting, got involved in helping me introduce the Patient Engagement with the Help of Animals Programme at Ticehurst PrioryChild and Adolescent Mental Health Services(CAMHS). Sally and her lovely Pet Assisted Therapy (PAT)dog, Dexter, have been visiting young people at Ticehurst Priory since October and the outcome has been fantastic. Patients are encouraged to cuddle, stroke and walk with Dexter. As a result greater engagement is reported among young people.
It’s no secret that stroking, talking to and walking a dog has been linked to helping with mental health and wellbeing before, due to it creating a range of different relaxing benefits. Research has also found that interaction with pets can encourage patients to open up more about their feelings. We have had so many positive comments about our Patient Engagement with the Help of Animals Programme. Thank you so much Sally and Dexter! Here are just a few testimonials:
'Sally and Dexter are always met with tons of enthusiasm when they arrive on ward. Dexter’s calm and intuitive nature is both therapeutic and endearing to the needs of the young people. He and Sally are always welcome!' -Luke Hibbert - Occupational Therapy Assistant, Ticehurst House
'The young people are always so excited when they know Sally and Dexter are visiting. It really does brighten their day, whether they just want some comfort from a cuddle on the sofa with Dexter, or to get out on a nice dog walk and a chat. The PAT dog sessions are led by the needs of the young people, which Sally is so understanding of.' -Daisy Henchy, Occupational Therapy Assistant
By Viktoriya Gallacher
Locum Occupational Therapist and Member of South East Region Committee
Ticehurst Priory
RCOT Roadshow 2017/18 -Leadership – Working to the top of your game!
Date: 14th March 2018
Time: 8.30am-12.15pm
Venue: Arundel Suite, Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton, BN2 3EW
We are now taking bookings for this free event. To book a place, please email with your BT number and full name.Booking closes on 1/3/2018.Places will be offered on a first come, first serve basis. No parking available.Refreshments will be provided.
Regional Committee Meeting:
We alternate meetings using a video web-based platform and meet at convenient for all members locations face to face. If any other members would like to attend our meetings please contact the Committee or check our webpage on the RCOT website for dates.
We are aware the Region covers a large geographical area and we would like to encourage members to set up local groups in their area. Please contact the Committee for further information and funding support.
We are in the process of finalising the details for the next Committee meeting and The Roadshow so please check Twitter and Facebook for further announcements:
LOCAL ACTIVITIES AND SHARING KNOWLEDGE
OT Show 2017 - Birmingham:
"I attended the OT Show 2017 alongside my Team at the Ticehurst Psychiatric Hospital. I practise as a Physical and Mental Health Occupational Therapist and the OT Show presented me with an opportunity to widen my knowledge, learn and with speak with inspiring colleagues.
The highlight of my day was the talk delivered by Michael Iwama who passionately talked to delegates about Kawa Model. It was equally lovely to see and chat to Stacey Abraham, Membership Engagement Officer, colleagues I worked with in the past, and colleagues I continue to work and collaborate with today".
By Viktoriya Gallacher
Locum Occupational Therapist and Member of South East Region Committee
Ticehurst Priory
Occupational Therapy Week - News!
"To celebrate Occupational therapy (OT) Week between 6th -12th November, the occupational therapy staff at Prospect Park Hospital in Reading, decided to promote our profession by setting up joint ward cooking sessions, raising awareness using a stall near the hospital entrance to the wards and constructing a board to display information about occupational therapy.
The cooking sessions were aimed at engaging the patients in meaningful and purposeful activity through baking healthy scones and carrot cakes. None of the patients or staff had cooked these recipes before so it was a new experience for us all. By engaging in this activity it enabled the patients to have a positive social environment, to maintain independent living skills and develop new skills. After the session was completed, the patients report a high level of satisfaction and achievement (and the food was extremely delicious too!!).
The aim of the occupational therapy stall was to promote occupational therapy by providing information both verbally and written about RCOT and what occupational therapists provide as a service on the ward. We explained the day to dayactivity timetables run on the wards, common misconceptions and the diverse and ever changing nature of occupational therapy as a profession.
Many staff members and patients came to chat with us to gain some useful knowledge about what we do as a profession. To continue with promoting occupational therapy after Occupational Therapy week, a display board was constructed with various resources from Occupational Therapy Week that will continue to provide awareness of occupational therapy within the Hospital.
For meoccupational therapy is centred around theory which aims to focus on the patient’s level of motivation, routine and the skills and performance capacity of the patient. In a mental health setting, motivation and ability to maintain daily living skills are a few of the key elements that are impacted by mental health. This is why we admire my profession and believe occupational therapy can make valuable contributions to promoting person-centred practice using a holistic approach to promote recovery.
By promoting occupational therapy in our workplaces it helps to bring awareness of occupational therapy to the wider population, to show the importance of the profession. Occupational therapy is unique in its practice as we can work across such a broad range of settings with a variety of different people of different abilities. An example of how valuable occupational therapy is within services is shown by the success of occupational therapists being placed within ambulance services and emergency departments; reducing unnecessary admissions by up to 80% (Occupational Therapy - Improving Lives, Saving Money campaign 2016). By promoting our profession more, having events like Occupational Therapy week we are showing the value of occupational therapy across more settings and making a bigger impact".
By Cheyenne Roberts and Jessica Omenya
Ocupational Therapists - Prospect Park Hospital, Reading
References:
RCOT, 2016. Occupational therapy proves crucial for reducing hospital admissions in England.. Accessed:
COMPETITION TIME!!
The RCOT Annual Conference is a fantastic way to network, learn andenhance yourcontinuing professional development (CPD). We want to give all our members a chance to go to conference which is why we are giving away 3 free tickets to next year’s conference in Belfast! We will be giving away a member’s ticket and two student member tickets.
To reflect on our time at conference we have used the adobe spark programme. To enter the competition, we are asking that you make an adobe spark video telling us why the conference will benefit your future occupational therapy practice. It is very easy to use and you can be as creative as you like!
Please send the entries to . Please state if you are applying for a full members or student member ticket. All entries must be in by January 31, 2018.
Lifelong Learning Grants (LLE):
Do not forget that the Committee have a number of Lifelong Learning (LLE) grants available to support members who would like to do a short course, attend a workshop or go to conferences. Apply here: .
Share Your Knowledge!
Looking to share your passion for occupational therapy? Let us know what you know!We love hearing what occupational therapists in the South East have been doing. We work in such diverse roles, it is great to get an insight into the breadth and depth of the profession in the Region.
How to keep us in the know? You can write about "A Day in Your Life of...... " for this newsletter, share your thoughts on a continuing professional development (CPD) event, tweet us at @SE_RCOT. Get in touch at .
OTalk Upcoming Talks -Every Tuesday at 8pm #OTalk:
#Otalk is a weekly Twitter chat, designed to enable discussion about occupational therapy and the broader academic discipline of occupational science. It is organised by a group of occupational therapists and facilitated by guest hosts and supported by the #OTalk team.
Follow at @OTalk and join in.
COT NEWS
Introducing a new publication for 2018… the RCOT guidance Embracing risk; enabling choicehas been published today on thewebsite:
Please note, this resource replaces the 2010 Risk Management.
Attached is the postcard if you need extra info for promotional activities. The postcard also includes details about how to access the Keeping Records guidance, highlighting the important link between these two key topics.
The guidance is free for members to download at: Print versions can be ordered - there is an order form on the webpage.
Help Us Shape the Future for Occupational Therapists - Technology Enabled Care
Tuesday 6th February 2018, 09.30 – 16.00 -The Royal College of Occupational Therapists, London, SE1 1LB:
FREE FOR RCOT AND TSA MEMBERS
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists and TSA, the industry body for technology enabled care (TEC) services, is running a networking and scoping event around the use of TEC within occupational therapy practice.
This day is appropriate for all occupational therapists whether they are already involved with TEC, or just have an active interest in this area.
For further information, please visit To book your place, please register your details at:
If you have any questions, please
Adapting everyday environments – Getting it Right for People with Dementia
28 February 2018 -Carnegie Conference Centre, Halbeath Road, Dunfermline, KY11 8DY:
Alzheimer's Scotland and the Royal College of Occupational Therapists are bringing together occupational therapists working in housing, social work andservices for people with dementia to consider how they can deliver Scotland’s third Dementia Strategy and the ambitions set out in Connecting people, connecting support.
Cost:RCOT members: £30 Non-members: £60
How to Apply:
- Register your details:
- Email or call: 0207 450 2329 to confirm payment details. Payment can be made by completing the downloadable flyer and emailing to Ashleigh or providing details over the phone.
- Confirmation of your place will be sent by email once payment has been received.
Consultation - Transforming Children and Young People’s Mental Health Provision: a Green Paper (DH, DE) -England only
This Green Paper builds upon the vision set out by the Government in 2015’s Future in Mind and 2016’s Five Year Forward View for Mental Health.The consultation sets out an ambition for earlier intervention and prevention, a boost in support for the role played by schools and colleges, and better, faster access to NHS services. Government reforms are aimed at supporting local areas to adopt a collaborative approach to mental health issues. Elements of this approach include schools and colleges appointing a Senior Lead for Mental Health, the creation of new Mental Health Support Teams, and the trialling of a four week waiting time for access to specialist NHS mental health services. The Government will roll out the new approach to at least a fifth to a quarter of the country by the end of 2022/23, starting with a number of trailblazer areas, operational from 2019.
If you have views, evidence or case studies that you would like to be considered for the RCOT response, please sent to by 16th February 2018.
The consultation closes on the 2nd March 2018.
Resources for Professional Development Support:
We are pleased to report that an exciting new Hub entitled Resources for Professional Development Support has gone live and is replacing our previous Mentorship scheme. The Hub is a curated list of mentorship and coaching services available throughout the UK. These resources have been collected with the aim of helping you in your professional development. Further information can be found here:
Please feel free to pass this information to your networks.
Occupational Therapy - Improving Lives, Saving Money Campaign - The Value of Occupational Therapy for Children and Young People:
Building on the successes of the "Occupational Therapy - Improving Lives, Saving Money" campaign, The Royal College of Occupational Therapists will be focusing a workstream on the value of occupational therapy for children and young people over the next year.
For more information visit:
In September this year we published a concise report Fire and Rescue services; the value of working in partnership with occupational therapists. The report is endorsed by the National Fire Chief Council and the College is working with the Council to raise awareness of the potential benefits to Fire and Rescue Services. It was well received at the Kings Fund annual conference recently with stakeholders interested in seeing another area where occupational therapy can improve lives and save money.
All reports can be accessed on the Improving lives, saving money microsite here:
Please see RCOT at Facebook and TwitterGet tweeting! and
CONTACTS
Committee Chairman:Emma Davies
Email:
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Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
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