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Education

18th December 2018 by BAPO

Promotional Videos

SIHED is working hard to continue to promote our professions and in conjunction with the NHS campaigns team have created some promotional videos.

You can see these going out on Facebook and Twitter this week or you can download them @ https://campaignresources.phe.gov.uk/resources/campaigns/77/resources/4284

These can be used at any careers event or within NHS trusts to encourage people to consider P&O as a career.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Education, News

30th October 2018 by BAPO

Online workshop on #advancedpractice

BAPO members have been sent an Invitation to join an online workshop on #advancedpractice

Below is a Letter from Beverley Harden, the AHP Lead for Health Education England

I am writing to announce the launch of an online workshop on multi-professional advanced and consultant practice and to ask you join the discussion.

The workshop will run, initially, for a period of two weeks until Friday 16 November. During that time we are keen to get as many people involved in the discussion so that we can develop a much clearer understanding what is happening across health and care in advanced practice now, but even more importantly, what needs to change. Your views are critical to help Health Education England, NHSE and NHSI and others develop this role, working with employers, healthcare professionals, educators and trainers, professional bodies and regulators.

Participating is easy; simply register at the following site (https://advancedpractice.clevertogether.com) and get thinking! You can observe the discussion, post ideas or comments, or simply press a voting button to express support for an idea already up there. It really is that simple. What’s more it’s anonymous and moderated by our partners, innovation agency, Clever Together.

Please could you share widely across your networks, your communications teams and encourage people to ALSO sign up to https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/advanced-clinical-practice/virtual-reference-group to stay updated after the workshop.

More background information is set out below, but once again, we’d really appreciate your participation so please do get involved.

With best wishes,

Beverley Harden

HEE AHP lead and National Lead for Multi-professional Advanced and Consultant Practice

 

Background

Why is this debate so important? The health and care system in England is evolving rapidly to deliver innovative models of care to meet the developing needs of individuals, families and communities. There is a growing consensus that if high quality patient care is to be sustained in the future, new and emerging roles will need to play a crucial part in the NHS.

One such group is likely to be those working at an advanced level of practice, experienced clinicians* who meet the four pillars of the Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England or the ’in development’ Multi-professional framework for consultant practice in England. This online workshop has been designed to enable us to listen to the views of all stakeholders as we in Health Education England seek to play our part in developing the workforce of the future.

The NHS (in England) Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England described the high-level imperative for a new approach to development and assurance for advanced clinical practice. This has been reiterated by many other individuals and organisations, such as the Nuffield Trust in their recent report looking at acute medical care in small hospitals. Advanced practice roles are seen across all areas of care e.g. in diagnostics, mental health, acute care, urgent and emergency care, rehabilitation, primary and community care, cancer, maternity, children’s and young people the list goes on.

But we need to take this further. We know we need to understand better the needs of employers, what the opportunities, risks and issues are for service, as well as any barriers which may exist to the development of these roles, including access to, and assurance of, the right education and training.

 

*In this context ‘experienced clinicians’ refers to all registered healthcare professionals, except registered medical professionals/doctors.

 

Our aims for this online workshop

  • Develop a better and more detailed understanding of the opportunities for advanced clinical practice and especially the needs of patients and how these roles can help NHS and other employers
  • Identify the challenges in developing advanced clinical practice in the workplace and what further assurance is needed in their education, training and supervision
  • Consider whether some form of supporting infrastructure is needed to develop advanced practice further, what its purpose would be and what roles it should undertake

 

How will the debate work?

  • The platform acts as an online workshop, where some broad questions are asked but in which participants lead the debate on what they see as important for advanced practice.
  • Participants’ contributions are anonymised. This ensures a safe space which allows for real conversation and innovation as peers judge ideas on their merit, not their author.
  • We’re seeking your views, experience and evidence. These can be on any topic or issue related to advanced clinical practice.
  • We invite you to rate and comment upon the contributions of your peers, too. This is really helpful in assessing whether issues are isolated, or whether they are reflected across organisations or systems.
  • As with a physical workshop, there may be strongly different views. Please respect the right of those with views differing from your own to express them.
  • This debate is designed for anyone with an interest in advanced practice but especially: patient representative organisations; healthcare professionals; NHS employers; other employing organisations; professional bodies; regulators; and arms-length bodies.
  • This is an independent debate: Clever Together has been asked to complete a thematic analysis to reveal priorities for HEE’s consideration.
  • Colleagues at HEE will report back on how they use the results of this debate to help steer and guide their planning and change programmes.
  • You will be able to see how your voice has been heard and how your inputs have been used, and by who (IT IS NOT A “BLACK HOLE” SURVEY).
  • Finally, although HEE’s remit is England only, we welcome feedback from everyone, we are keen to learn from experience across the UK or internationally.

Filed Under: Education, Executive, News

1st September 2018 by BAPO

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Awareness Month 2018

Charity calls on Orthotists to help it find the missing 20,000!

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Awareness Month 2018

 

Charcot Marie Tooth UK is A charity that supports people with the little known, genetic, neurological disorder called Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) is using its September CMT Awareness Month 2018 to raise awareness of the condition and its symptoms among orthotists

Leading neurological expert, Professor Mary Reilly, estimates around 23,000 people in the UK have CMT, which can cause uncontrollable pain, chronic fatigue and deformities in the hands, lower legs and feet, leading to balance problems and falls.  The charity, Charcot-Marie-Tooth UK only knows of 3,000 with the condition and believes that some of the 20,000 remaining are still undiagnosed and suffering in silence – it is asking orthotists to help find them.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth is named after the three scientists who discovered it.  Steadily progressive, it causes muscle weakness and wasting in the lower legs and feet, leading to problems like hammer toes, restricted mobility, and uncontrollable pain.  The hands and fingers are also affected, making tasks needing fine motor skills, such as fastening shoe laces and buttons, very difficult.  Although CMT is not life-threatening, for many, it will impact on and significantly reduce the quality of their lives, with some people even ending up as wheelchair users.

CMT UK’s chief operating officer, Karen Butcher said: “People with undiagnosed CMT may have been referred to an orthotist and we would really like them to be more aware of CMT so patients can get a quicker diagnosis if the GP has missed it.

One of our members was only diagnosed two years ago at the age of 78, having gone through most of her life never knowing why she was always in pain and tripping up and falling; she is only getting the help she needs now, at this late stage.

Orthotists should look out for patients presenting with corns, callouses or hard skin on their feet, which comes about when people have to walk on a different part of their foot due to muscle wastage in the legs.  There could also be a change of shape in the foot such as a high arch or flat foot and hammer or claw toes.  Patients may also mention other classic signs of CMT such as clumsiness, pain, balance problems leading to unsteadiness, trips and falls and chronic fatigue.

These signs don’t necessarily mean the patient has CMT, but it is a good indication and if CMT is suspected, then they should be told to visit their GP who can refer them to a neurologist who is able to undertake a full assessment, including nerve conduction tests, to make a diagnosis.

While CMT is currently incurable, early, accurate diagnosis can improve the lives of those with the condition as it can be managed more effectively, and proper genetic counselling can be received so the risks to the next generation can be learned.

We would also appreciate it if orthotists would refer anyone with CMT to our charity so we can offer advice on how to manage the condition as well as information on benefits, jobs and family issues.

Professor of Clinical Neurology and Consultant Neurologist at UCLH, Mary Reilly, is also Patron of Charcot-Marie-Tooth UK.  She explains: “CMT has many different characteristics, but commonly there is weakening and loss of muscle and reduced sensation, predominantly in the feet and legs, but also in the hands and arms in the advanced stages of disease.  These lead to a range of orthopaedic complications, leading to a variety of mobility and dexterity problems, and sometimes scoliosis.

CMT does not describe a single disorder, but a group of conditions. It is important to determine exactly what kind of CMT someone has, in order to improve their quality of life and this can only be done once a diagnosis is considered in a patient.  Anecdotal evidence from CMT UK tells us this takes much longer than we would like and many people put up with CMT for a long time thinking they are clumsy or have funny feet, suffering in silence when they could be receiving help and support.

As a Professor of Clinical Neurology, whose main clinical and research interest is inherited neuropathies like CMT, I have first-hand experience of how useful and critical the input from Charcot-Marie-Tooth UK is to this patient community. The charity provides an excellent information resource for patients and everyone we see in the clinic is given its details to access its literature, website resources and online discussion forums.”

Charcot-Marie-Tooth UK offers advice on how to manage the condition as well as support with benefits, jobs and family issues.  It says that while CMT is currently incurable, it can be managed effectively, so the right referrals to the right clinicians are crucial to improve the lives of those with the condition and proper genetic counselling should be received so the risks to the next generation can be learned.

CMT Awareness Month is being launched by charity Charcot-Marie-Tooth UK on Saturday 1 September 2018.  Last year, the campaign received an unexpected boost when former Girls Aloud star, Cheryl Tweedy, posted on Instagram about the condition, which affects her friend’s son.

Find out more at www.cmt.org.uk or contact 0300 323 6316

Filed Under: Education, News

18th August 2018 by BAPO

NICE in Action – webinar series

Launch of NICE into Action webinar series for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs)

 

Evaluating, improving and evidencing the impact of AHP services in health, care and wellbeing is a priority for AHPs into Action, so we are delighted to share the launch of the NICE into Action webinars.

 

This series of four free webinars from NHS Improvement, NICE and NHS England will help AHPs to:

  • understand and engage with NICE’s work
  • influence guideline development
  • take structured approaches to implementing guidelines and using quality standards
  • support greater uptake of NICE guidance to improve care and outcomes for patients and service-users.

 

The webinars will take place once a month, over lunchtime:

  • An AHP’s guide to NICE – Monday 10 September, 12.30 – 1.15pm
  • The role of NICE quality standards – Monday 15 October, 12.30 – 1.15pm
  • Implementing NICE guidance – everyone’s business – Tuesday 13 November, 12.30 – 1.15pm
  • NICE and you as a professional and practitioner – Tuesday 11 December, 12.30 – 1.15pm

 

Further information on each session is available via the hyperlinks above. The webinars have been designed to complement each other as a series, or accessed as standalone sessions – we hope people will gain the most value by taking part in them all. They can be joined live or viewed afterwards, and registration for each webinar is also via the links above.

 

For more information about CAHPR see their website

Filed Under: Education, News

14th August 2018 by BAPO

Health Education England / NIHR BRIDGING SCHEME

Are you a Nurse, Midwife, Allied Health Professional, Pharmacist or Healthcare Scientist?

Have you completed or are about to complete a masters level degree or a PhD?

Could you be looking to undertake a PhD or a post-doctoral level fellowship?

Do you want to make a difference through undertaking high quality clinical research?

 

The HEE/NIHR ICA bridging scheme offers a 12 month post-doctoral programme with an individual award of up to  £34,000 and up to £10,000 for the 6 month pre-doctoral programme. It is envisaged that the award will make a contribution towards salary backfill costs, training modules, travel expenses and access to high quality academic mentorship.

Awardees will be released for 50% of their contracted hours to focus on the development of their research career and work towards a successful NIHR fellowship application. The programme  will provide ;-

A dedicated period within which to develop your research proposal to form the basis of an application for a HEE /NIHR ICA doctoral or postdoctoral fellowship or alternative. 

– An opportunity for you to assess your current levels of ‘researcher’ skills and competence allowing you to identify, plan and commence your developmental activity. 

– Access to academic and clinical environments that will encourage you to develop creativity and originality in research design and delivery.

– Engagement with advanced research techniques and knowledge specific to your proposed research. 

– Enhancement of your personal development of written, oral presentation and other communicative abilities required by clinical academic researchers.

– The opportunity to widen your research network links at regional, national and potentially international level.

– Development of the skills and knowledge required for you to become investigators and research leaders of the future.

 

In order to be eligible for the pre-doctoral level bridging scheme, individuals who work within the Integrated Clinical Academic professions must hold a Master’s level qualification (or evidence of postgraduate study at Level 7).

In order to be eligible for the post-doctoral scheme, individuals who work within the Integrated Clinical Academic professions must have completed or are about to complete a PhD and are looking to apply for  a post-doctoral fellowship.

Closing date for applications is 5pm Monday 17th September and interviews will be held on Monday 15th October in Leeds.

 

The programme for pre doctoral will commence with a one and a half day residential workshop in Leeds mid November 2018 and the post doctoral programme will commence in January 2019.

 

For an application form please contact joanne.simpson@researchnorthwest.nhs.uk

For eligibility criteria  http://research.northwest.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/TCC-ICA-Eligible-Professions-and-Registration-Bodies-1.pdf

Or for the website http://research.northwest.nhs.uk/work/the-releasing-potential-programme/hee-nihr-bridging-scheme/

Filed Under: Education, News, Professional Affairs

14th August 2018 by BAPO

Upper Limb and Spinal Prosection

Don’t forget to sign up for our Upper limb and Spinal Prosection Course. This really is a once in a lifetime opportunity to truly understand the biology of the upper body!

Upper Limb and Spinal Prosection September Flyer

Filed Under: Education, News Tagged With: Facebook, Twitter

13th August 2018 by BAPO Admin

FORTH presents Contracture Management

Forward Thinking Orthotics (FORTH) presents

CONTRACTURE MANAGEMENT – A REVIEW OF TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS

26 JANUARY 2019
CENTRE FOR LIFE , NEWCASTLE

Early Bird Tickets  – £20

 

Book now:

Online: www.forthconference2019.eventbrite.co.uk
Email: lisa.swanston@peacocks.net
Phone: 0191 276 9616

Click here to download the flyer

 

Program

9.00Registration & Refreshments
9.30Welcome
9.35Introduction; What is contracture?
Dr Stephen Ashford
10:05A physiotherapy approach
Sharon Solan, paediatric orthopaedic physiotherapist;
Great North Children’s Hospital
10.25An Orthotic approach
Gary Carden Orthotist, Peacocks Medical Group
10.45What if it isn’t contracture? Tone v contracture;
Jane Gillman Senior physiotherapist North East Regional
Clinical Gait Laboratory
11:05Coffee & Biscuits
11:25Research project; Use of contracture correction devices in
Muscular Dystrophy
Jassi Sodhi; Research Physiotherapist Regional Muscle Team,
Centre For Life
11:45Splinting for the prevention and correction of contractures in adults
with neurological dysfunction. Practice guidelines for occupational
therapists and physiotherapists
Dr Stephen Ashford
12:15Surgical options for contracture management
Mr Antoine De Geldhere FRCS, Consultant paediatric orthopaedic
surgeon, Great North Children's Hospital
12.45Other technologies and applications
Professor Anand D Pandyan Professor of Rehabilitation Technology
13:15Discussion
13:30Lunch

Filed Under: Education, News

24th May 2018 by BAPO Admin

Health Education England announces prosthetist as the winning career for Pipers Corner School, High Wycombe

Health Education England (HEE) is delighted to announce that four students from Pipers Corner School in High Wycombe have won the Step into the NHS schools’ competition for the Thames Valley and Wessex region.

Freya Gallagher, Cleony Booker, Zoe Fairmann and Christiana Hutchings impressed the judges with their entry to promote the role of a prosthetist. They created an informative poster, highlighting the qualifications, job responsibilities and skills required to be a prosthetist.

This poster, along with others beat more than 1,700 entries across the country, as the competition attracted record numbers of pupils to get involved and learn more about careers in the NHS.

Now in its ninth year, the competition aims to promote the 350 plus careers available in health and social care professions across the NHS and students were tasked with designing an advertisement and job description for their chosen role, working individually or in groups of up to four.

Helen Ness-Gifford, Headmistress of Pipers CornerSchool said:

“I am delighted that Freya, Cleony, Zoe and Christiana have achieved success in the Step into the NHS schools’ competition for the Thames Valley and Wessex region. Through our School Careers Programme we aim to equip the girls with skills for life and encourage them to explore the huge amount of options open to them when they leave school. Taking part in initiatives such as this are a fantastic way of gaining an insight into the world of work.”

Freya, Cleony, Zoe and Christiana said:

“We have learnt that there are so many diverse jobs roles involved in running a hospital, aside from doctors and nurses, and that the NHS is so much broader than we once thought. From cooks to phlebotomists, there are so many different jobs available. Whether you’re a plumber or a social worker, a cardiographer or an ambulance driver, there is a job for you in the NHS. Our group have also learned the details of a prosthetist’s job and how they can change people’s lives.”

Kelly Whitehead, Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Lead and Tessa Candy, Associate Workforce Transformation Lead for Health Education England said:

“We’d like to congratulate Freya Gallagher, Cleony Booker, Zoe Fairmann, Christiana Hutchings and Pipers Corner School on their fantastic entry. Young people are extremely important to the future of the NHS workforce. It is important that the NHS engages with young people now and lets them know about the wealth of career opportunities.

“There are more than 350 different careers to choose from in health and jobs range from community matron, dietician or public health analyst to a finance manager or web developer. Initiatives such as the schools’ competition really help to raise awareness of this.”

Filed Under: Education, News

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The British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO) was established to encourage high standards of prosthetic and orthotic practice. It is committed to Continued Professional Development and education to enhance standards of prosthetic and orthotic care.

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