Occupation

Abstracts
Posters
rehabilitation and the elderly, since studied and gained additional
qualifications in Manual Handling, Vocational Rehabilitation
Ergonomics and Psychology. Deborah has extensive experience
and knowledge in the field Manual Handling and as a Work
Place Adviser across the Social care, Health and Education
sectors.
Deborah recognised the link between workplace health and
sickness absence developed strategies and receiving the Leading
the NHS in Workplace Well-being award.
P144
What is the effect of an enhanced occupational
therapy service for acute brain injury?
Shaw E, Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Introduction: Acute brain injury patients should have access to
specialist OT assessment (COT 2013). An OT was introduced into
a nurse led acute brain injury team to address growing concerns
about patient safety and a shortfall in service provision (RCP
2003).
This new role was developed to provide an acute assessment
of brain injury alongside nursing staff and to demonstrate how
unique OT skills could contribute to improving standards of care.
Methods: A literature review, benchmarking and national
guidance informed the development of the OT service to acute
brain injury patients. An audit was designed to measure the
benefit of OT and understand the impact on patient outcomes.
In one UK teaching hospital trust data was collected over a sixmonth
period from medical records and a clinical database. The
data was analysed using excel and descriptive statistics.
Results: During the audit period re-admission rates were
improved by 2% and 37% more patients received written
discharge advice and outpatient follow-up appointments. New
training was provided to the multi-disciplinary teams managing
acute brain injury patients and specific OT skills enhanced the
current service provision.
Conclusion: The audit demonstrated that Occupational Therapy
had a positive effect on patient outcomes. OT provision was
delivered in line with COT and National Guidance. Investing
in OT provided an opportunity to promote the role of OT in
brain injury and prevent unnecessary admissions to neurological
rehabilitation, relieving pressure on a finite service.
Implications for OT and service users: COT acute brain injury
guidelines can demonstrate efficiency and improve quality
of care. OT in a nurse led service can complement existing
provision. A strong business case was developed for increased
funding to create an OT post in the Acute Brain Injury
Team. Measuring clinical outcomes provided robust data to
demonstrate to hospital managers the value of additional
resource investment.
References
College of Occupational Therapy, 2013. Acquired brain injury – a
guide for occupational therapists, London. Available at: www.
cot.org.uk.
Royal College of Physicians, 2003. Rehabilitation following
acquired brain injury National clinical guidelines, Available at:
http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/
rehabilitation-followingacquired-brain-injury.pdf.
Keywords
Occupational therapists, Audit, Practice – present and future,
NHS
Contact E-mail Addresses
elizabeth.shaw@sth.nhs.uk
Author Biographies
Elizabeth Shaw is an Occupational Therapist at the Northern
General Hospital, Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation
Trust. She was seconded into the Acute Brain Injury Team.
P145
Elizabeth Casson Trust: supporting your
development as a leader in occupational therapy
Turner A, Anderson P, Elizabeth Casson Trust
Introduction: Elizabeth Casson, founder of the Dorset House
School of Occupational Therapy in Oxford, formed the Elizabeth
Casson Trust in 1948. One of the founding purposes was the
provision of education in occupational therapy (Elizabeth Casson
Trust 2015).
In 2014 the trustees agreed to review their activities and produce
a strategy that reflected the current post-graduate funding
needs of UK occupational therapists. This was to ensure the Trust
provides funding to facilitate activities that will best support the
profession’s Continuing Professional Development needs.
Method: A range of occupational therapy, health related
literature and presentations were reviewed. An inductive
analysis elicited two major themes. All existing activities were
reconsidered against these to reflect changes to the context in
which the occupational therapy profession currently operates.
Results: The strategic intentions arising from these themes are
to:
o Help develop and promote the evidence base of occupational
therapy to increase the understanding of the efficacy and unique
contribution of occupational therapists to those people with
occupational needs within the UK
o Help develop leaders in occupational therapy with the
capability of taking the profession forwards within the context in
which it needs to operate.
Impact: The refocusing of the strategy has enabled the Trust
to focus its funding on those areas evidenced as necessary
for UK occupational therapists’ current developmental needs.
It has enabled applications for funding to be judged against
strategic intentions. The Trustees are pursuing the development
of projects that benefit from major funding investment and
partnership with national organisations.
Implications for occupational therapy: Currency in the Trust’s
funding focus allows occupational therapists to undertake
development activities that may otherwise be denied due to
austerity measures within statutory and non-statutory sectors.
References
Elizabeth Casson Trust (2015) Elizabeth Casson Trust. [Online].
Available at: http://www.elizabethcasson.org.uk/www.
elizabethcasson.org.uk/Home.html (Accessed: 16/09/2015)
Keywords
Occupational therapists, Practice development, Leadership
Contact E-mail Addresses
ec.trust@btinternet.com
Author Biographies
Annie Turner, Emeritus Professor of Occupational Therapy, has a
particular interest in the history and philosophy of the profession
and topics arising from these, including professional identity and
the future directions of the profession.
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