The British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists

Executive

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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.

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‘Find your health career’

BAPO has been working with many organisations to improve careers resources and the awareness of P&O as a profession.

One of the new resources available is ‘Find your health career’ This is a new section on the national health careers website with a online quiz to help direct people to possible career options in healthcare and P&O is one of the options!

For more information: www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/FindYourCareer

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#AHPDay

WHAT:

AHP day is a social movement and an appreciation day for the 14 Allied Health Professions. It is a chance to celebrate and promote the work of AHPs throughout the country

There are 14 AHPs and together they make up the 3rd largest workforce in the NHS. The 14 professions are:

Arts Therapists, Drama Therapists, Dietitians, Music Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Operating Department Practitioners, Orthoptists, Osteopaths, Paramedics, Podiatrists, Physiotherapists, Radiographers, Speech and Language Therapists and of course us Prosthetists & Orthotists

WHEN:

AHP Day will happen on Monday 15th October throughout the UK and can be celebrated by anyone – not just AHPs!

HOW:

You can celebrate and be involved in #AHPday in any way you like and there are many ideas on how to get involved with #AHPday on social media but to get started and to help our members promote P&O BAPO have produced a series of free downloadable publicity documents including posters, bunting and our careers guide. Look at our resources tab under promotional material

We also have a very limited number of “I’m a Prosthetist/Orthotist” T-shirts available to members if you are running a publicity stand or event – please ring the secretariat to register for one before they all run out!

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I See the Difference Campaign

I See the Difference campaign launches to inspire a new generation of allied health professionals

We are delighted to welcome the launch of the I See the Difference campaign, which will raise awareness of our profession and promote careers in Prosthetics & Orthotics.  The focus of the campaign will be on the connections allied health professionals make with people, and the job satisfaction these connections bring.

 

The campaign has been developed by the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists in partnership with the College of Podiatry, the Society and College of Radiographers and the British and Irish Orthoptics Society.

 

At the heart of the campaign is a new digital hub –  www.iseethedifference.co.uk which includes lots of helpful information about our profession, alongside a social media campaign that will be visible on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – follow it via #ISeeTheDifference. The digital campaign will be backed up by outreach activities at schools and careers events around the country.

 

The campaign is part of the Strategic Interventions in Health Education Disciplines (SIHED) programme, a £3m, three-year initiative to help build the sustainability of the Allied Health Professions, with a focus on the four smaller professions of orthoptics, podiatry, prosthetics and orthotics and therapeutic radiography.

 

Campaign materials will be available for members to download and share on their social media feeds, and we’re calling on all members to get involved in the campaign, to shout loud and proud about our great professions and help us to inspire more talented people to choose careers in the Allied Health Professions.

For more information about the SIHED programme, head over to the Office for Students dedicated webpage or contact BAPO.

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Prosthetic & Orthotic Review – One Year On

In 2015/16 NHS England published the report ‘Improving the Quality of Orthotic Services in England’ this identified several areas of improvement and suggested some work streams to allow the services to improve.  In 2017 Health Education England (HEE) created a response ‘The Future of the Prosthetic & Orthotic Workforce in England’ which outlines their plan for improvement.

One year on from this response HEE in collaboration with BAPO have produced a ‘One year On’ document outlining the work that has been completed and new actions for the years to come.

Please take a look at the documents by clicking the links above and For more information on the project see the HEE website

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Welcome to our updated site

We’ve been due for an uplift and hopefully this new design will make it easier to navigate and find relevant information. We’ve been working hard to make it more accessible and easier to navigate and you can see we’re pleased with what’s been done so far.

We always value feedback and appreciate suggestions for improvement so let us know via our Contact us page

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HEE/NIHR Clinical Scholars Bronze and Silver Awards

Are you an NHS Nurse, Midwife, Allied Health Professional, Paramedics, Health Visitor, Healthcare Scientist, Chiropractor, Pharmacy Professional, Optometrist, Osteopath, Optician, Wider Dental Team Member, Operating Department Practitioner, Non-Medical Public Health Specialty Trainee or Clinical Psychologist, registered in the East Midlands or East of England?

The Universities of Lincoln and Nottingham are pleased to launch the 2018/19 Health Education England/NIHR Clinical Scholars Bronze and Silver Awards. These awards are part of the HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic (ICA) Training Programme for non-medical healthcare professionals.

Clinical Bronze Award

Suitable for registered NHS staff without postgraduate qualifications or formal training in research. This award supports clinicians to go on to apply for a research Master’s programme.

The Bronze award will be available for up to 16 East Midlands and up to 2 East of England* places to join the programme in 2018/19.

Successful applicants to the HEE/NIHR Clinical Scholars Bronze Award will have:

  • The Clinical Scholar’s ability to compete successfully for the next stage of the Clinical Academic Pathway, such as the Masters in Research (MRes)
  • a structured educational programme
  • 48 days duration; start date November 2018. Besides a small number of mandatory education days and Action Learning Sets, these days can be taken flexibly over the course of 6 months in agreement with the Clinical Scholar’s organisation and academic mentor
  • Participation in facilitated Action Learning Sets

If you would like to talk to someone to discuss this opportunity please contact: Dr Ros Kane (rkane@lincoln.ac.uk) or Ian McGonagle (imcgonagle@lincoln.ac.uk) Tel: 01522 837739

More information, Application Forms and Guidance Notes can be found at: http://mhred.lincoln.ac.uk

Application Deadline: 29th June 2018

Interviews: 5th/6th September 2018

Start Date: Mid November 2018

Compulsory Training Dates taking place at the University Lincoln for the Bronze award: 14th November 2018, 21st November 2018, 12th December 2018. Future dates will be confirmed on your first training day.

 

Clinical Silver Award

Have you completed a Masters or equivalent postgraduate qualification and are looking to further develop a clinical academic career?

Health Education England (HEE)/NIHR are excited to offer up to 5 East Midlands and up to 2 East of England* places to join the Clinical Scholar Silver Award in 2018/19.

Successful applicants to the HEE Clinical Scholars Silver Award Holders will have:

  • Protected funded time (48 days over 12 months) to develop a PhD proposal and develop clinical academic networks necessary to supporting a clinical academic career.
  • An individualised training and development plan based on identified needs.
  • A HEE approved research Mentor to support proposal development, facilitate high quality learning opportunities and access to research professionals.
  • An identified clinical mentor in the chosen topic area to lend profession specific expertise.
  • Participation in facilitated Action Learning Sets

If you would like to talk to someone to discuss this opportunity please contact: Dr Kate Radford (kate.radford@nottingham.ac.uk) Tel: 0115 8230226 or Dr Claire Diver (claire.diver@nottingham.ac.uk) Tel: 0115 8231786

More information, Application Forms and Guidance Notes can be found at: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/clinicalscholar/index.aspx

Application Deadline: 29th June 2018

Interviews: 5th/6th September 2018

Start Date: Mid November 2018

Compulsory Training Dates taking place at the University Nottingham for the Silver award: 15th November 2018, 22th November 2018, 14th December 2018. Future dates will be confirmed on your first training day.

 

*The 4 East of England places will be the total number of places available for both awards Bronze and Silver, the training programme will take place at the University of Lincoln for the Bronze awards and  University of Nottingham for Silver awards

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Job Vacancy – Prosthetic and Orthotic Outreach Officer

The Strategic Interventions in Health Education (SIHED) programme, funded by the Office for Students (OFS), is a new programme which will deliver a range of interventions to increase awareness of allied health professions, including prosthetics and orthotics, and support student recruitment.

The Outreach Officer will join the SIHED team to design, develop and deliver a programme of outreach events and activities to engage our target audiences. To be considered for this role it is essential that you have a strong track record of delivering targeted outreach activities alongside solid experience of working within a healthcare, higher education or charity environment. The successful candidate will have strong communications and interpersonal skills with the ability to positively engage with stakeholders and partners. Knowledge of marketing and communications delivery and evaluation would be an advantage. This role is ideally suited to someone who is keen to be part of an innovative and significant programme supporting the future needs of patients and students.

The British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO) is the UK professional body dedicated to promoting our profession and supporting our clinicians to provide the highest level of clinical care for our service users. Prosthetics is the specialist medical discipline that involves the assessment, design and provision of artificial limbs. Orthotics is the specialist medical discipline in which external orthoses or braces and supports are assessed, designed and fitted to an individual to provide correction or prevention of a physical deformity; stabilisation of a joint or joints; reduction of pain; pressure offloading and improvement in mobility or performance.

This person would be based in the South of England working on behalf of BAPO funded by OFS. They will be required to travel to different locations to promote the profession.

Click below for a complete job description and application details:

Prosthetic and Orthotic Outreach Officer JD

 

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BAPO Social Media Policy

The use of Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blogs, etc) is now widespread. Therefore BAPO Members must understand that their personal and professional conduct when using social media should be of an appropriate standard as to not put themselves at risk of any accusations of misconduct or inappropriate behaviour that may lead to action being taken against them. Members should consider that the general principles stated in BAPO Ethical and Professional Conduct for Prosthetists and Orthotists apply as well as the guidelines set out in this document and both documents should be read in conjunction with each other. All Members should abide by these guidelines as failure to do so will put a member’s membership at risk:

  • Members must maintain strict confidentiality in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)(Regulation (EU) 2016/679) and with the; BAPO Ethical and Professional Conduct for Prosthetists and Orthotists
  • Members must never post any personal information about any patient/client or colleague unless they have proof of their consent to do so • Members must never post any comments that could be considered defamatory
  • Members must maintain conservative privacy settings and be aware that information they post online may be read by anyone and also remain available to view for a long period of time
  • Members should not accept friend requests from any current or former patients/clients
  • Members should be conscious of their online image and how it may impact on their professional position and that of their profession as a whole
  • Members must fully understand that Social media can blur the boundary between personal and professional life and that comments made on a personal level may also reflect on them professionally
  • Member’s online discussions, posts, comments and behaviour must be of an appropriate professional level

Confidentiality:

Social media, can provide Members with an opportunity in which they can discuss their experiences within their own clinical practice. However it may be possible that any material published, uploaded or posted could become and remain available in the public domain. It is therefore important that Members exercise extreme caution when discussing any specific cases. Members have a legal and ethical duty to protect patient/client confidentiality as stated in the Confidentiality Section of the BAPO Ethical and Professional Conduct for Prosthetists and Orthotists. Any member disclosing information about a patient/client without proof of their consent will be considered as a breach of their duty.

Appropriateness:

Discussions about patient/clients and clinical practice with colleagues can have professional and educational benefits. Members should avoid specific informal discussions about patients/clients. It would be considered inappropriate for Members to make any personal derogatory comments or false statements about a current/past or future patient/client or colleague. Even anonymous comments about any specific patient/client or colleague will be considered as a breach of confidentiality and an act of unprofessional conduct that will put a member’s membership at risk. Members should be aware that it is possible that anonymous postings can be traced. Members must take into consideration how their posts will reflect on themselves as professionals and how this may influence or affect the public’s trust in the profession as a whole.

Defamation:

“False written (Libel) or spoken (Slander) information/communication that is made either in public or in private that intentionally causes harm to a person’s reputation; has a negative impact on them and reduces the regard or respect in which the person is held; or causes the person to become the subject of ridicule, hatred or inducesderogatory, hostile, or disagreeable opinions against the person to which the initial information/communication relates to.”

Defamation may be a criminal or civil offense. Members must never post any comments or upload any information that may be considered defamatory. This applies to all comments uploaded or posted whether they are made in a personal or professional capacity and regardless if they are made in private or on a public platform.

The act of making an unjustified statement about an individual and/or an organisation that is considered defamatory could lead to action taken against and also put a Members Membership at risk.

A general rule would be: “Even if you stop for a moment to ask yourself is this appropriate to post? Then do not post it.”

Privacy and Personal Information:

The use of social media can blur the boundary between private and professional lives. Members must be aware that personal material they post about themselves or share with friends can possibly be accessible to a wider audience and that once posted it may be difficult to prevent it from being widely shared. Personal information about themselves may be accessible by patients/clients and this may cause problems with patient/client relationships. It is therefore important that members should ensure that they review their privacy settings and restrict their public personal information. They should keep personal information to a minimum and keep it professional.

Friend Requests:

Relationships between Members and their patients/clients should remain on a professional level and based around their clinical care. It is important to maintain this professional boundary to maintain trust between Members and their patients/clients and reduce the risk of any exploitation by either party. Therefore Members who receive friend requests from current or former patients should not accept these requests and politely refuse them explaining that professionally it would be inappropriate for them to accept a Friend invite.

Conflicts of interest:

Members should declare any potential conflict of interest when endorsing a product on line. This duty applies even where Members may anonymously post material. Failure to declare any conflicts of interests could affect public trust and compromise the Members professional status. Social Media and Professionalism: Members should always maintain a professional manner when posting comments or uploading material regardless if this is in a professional or personal capacity and understand that when they make a comment it will have potential to impact of their professional standing. They must take into consideration whether anything they upload or post could compromise public trust or undermine confidence on their profession.

Professional Networking

Professional Networking via platforms such as LinkedIn and others which may be open to the public or restricted to professionals of certain disciplines are also covered by this Social Media policy. However, it is widely accepted that the use of professional networks and forums can provide educational and professional benefits and easily bring together individuals and allow them to discuss their experiences and clinical practices where previously this was not possible. Members must however exercise caution when actively engaging with professional networks and ensure that they abide by this Social Media Policy. Members should act in a professional manner at all times and restrict personal information that they post about themselves. They must maintain strict confidentiality with regards to any current or previous patients/clients. Members must never post any comments that could be considered defamatory and always declare any conflict of interest.

 

For a downloadable version of this policy please click below:

BAPO Social Media Policy (Update June 2018)