The British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists

News

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UK AHP & Nurse Internship Programme

For the first year the Versus Arthritis programme is now accepting applications from AHPs – Including P&O

See the press release here:

Applications open! Since 2015 the AHP and Nurse Internship Programme (funded by Versus Arthritis) has gone from strength to strength acquiring renewed funding from Versus Arthritis this year until 2021.  The  programme has expanded to include all Allied Health Professionals (HCPC registerable) and nurses with the addition of two further HEIs (Glasgow Caledonian and Keele Universities) to the Consortium that now  involves seven leading UK musculoskeletal research departments. The internship programme is well established and recognised for offering high calibre final year students and recent graduates the valuable opportunity to be one of eight national interns who are offered an eight week research placement at one of the HEIs that includes UK-wide study days, networking and on-going mentoring. The national programme is led by Professor Cathy Bowen with Mary Fry as Programme Manager both from the University of Southampton. Please cascade this information (link below) to student groups who may be interested and local and national colleagues within your profession

For further details please contact Mary Fry on M.L.Fry@soton.ac.uk. or see  https://www.versusarthritis.org/research/information-for-applicants/types-of-grant/

Deadline for applications is Monday 4th March

 

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NIHR Funding

New rounds of the NIHR funding for a pre-doctoral clinical academic fellowship, it is open to clinicians who offer treatment 50% of the time within the NHS.

NHIR Funding Link

 

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CPD Statement

A working group comprising organisations from across a range of health and social care sectors has launched a set of principles for continuing professional development (CPD) and lifelong learning.

The principles are designed to guide individuals, employers and wider systems to create a culture of continuous improvement, workforce development and improve outcomes for service users. People working in the health and social care workforce operate in a changing, challenging and complex environment. Practicing safely and effectively, now and in the future is essential.

The five principles are that CPD and Lifelong Learning should;
1. be each person’s responsibility and be made possible and supported by your employer
2. benefit the service users
3. improve the quality of service delivery
4. be balanced and relevant to each person’s area of practice or employment
5. be recorded and show the effect on each person’s area of practice

Will Broughton, Director of Professional Standards for the College of Paramedics and Chair of the working group, said:
“We believe that the health and social care workforce should have the opportunity to undertake CPD activity and these five principles clearly illustrate how developing new knowledge, skills and evidence-based working will produce an effective workforce, who are well-equipped and prepared to deliver high quality services.
It is our intention to evaluate the impact of the principles next year ahead of a review in January 2021. We welcome feedback from people working across the health and social care workforce that will contribute to further versions of this document.
Thank you to all members of the working group, the organisations who hosted our meetings and for the behind the scene support that got this to finished project.”

Please follow this link to access the publication:
https://www.collegeofparamedics.co.uk/publications/principles-for-cpd

or Click Here to Dowload

The Interprofessional CPD and Lifelong Learning UK Working Group is made up of: Allied Health Professions Federation Scotland, Association of Clinical Scientists, British Association of Art Therapists, British Association of Music Therapy, British and Irish Orthoptic Society, British Dietetic Association, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, College of Operating Department Practitioners, College of Paramedics, Institute of Biomedical Science, Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, The British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists, The British Psychological Society, The Royal College of Midwives, The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, The Society and College of Radiographers, UNISON and Unite the union.

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Office of Students Survey

An Invitation to Participate in a National Survey

This is an in invitation to participate in a study being conducted as part of a one-year project funded by Office for Students. The study consists of two parts. Part one is an on-line survey and part two is participation in a focus group discussion. This message is about completing the survey. Please see the Participant Information Sheet which tells you about the survey. If you wish to participate in the survey, there is a link attached. If you click on the link it will take you directly to the survey where you can begin completing your responses.

https://salford.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/appreticeships-and-placements-initiative-3

You do not have to complete the survey in one sitting – it is possible to save your responses and come back at a later date to complete your responses before submitting your completed survey.

 

Many thanks for considering taking part in this survey.

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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.

 

 

 

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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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#BAPO2019

#BAPO2019 will this year be held at Harrogate from the 15-17th March

The Annual Poster and Papers Competitions are also back and open for entrants as are entries for the new Charlie McLaughlin Memorial Fund

For more information please see our conference pages

 

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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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#WeAHPs – Student take over

@WeAHPs (https://twitter.com/WeAHPs) is being taken over by AHP students from the 8th of October for one week to highlight the benefits of social media supported by the HCPC guidance. The week will include discussions to help build a supportive network where students can learn and share ideas as well as ask questions to existing students and professionals.

Additionally, the other topics for the week will include: balancing placement and academic work, well-being/self-care, leadership, networking, taking advantage of opportunities and looking at what it means to be an allied health professional – especially important in the run up to AHP’s Day the following Monday (15th October).

 

Our Aims of the week:

  • Increase student’s confidence in using social media in a positive and professional capacity.
  • Build a strong, inclusive and supportive student and professional network.
  • Learn and share ideas together in an easy and accessible manner.

 

Timetable for the week:

Monday

  • Welcome to the ‘WeCommunities’ and @WeAHPs
  • Introduction of the We Community and how to get started with your own ‘MyWe’
  • Who/what are AHPs
  • Importance of AHPs Day
  • Sharing of ‘Day in the life of a…’ videos from students and staff
  • Evening tweetchat – ‘Who are AHPs and what is AHPs Day about’ – Hosted by @SarahBradder

Tuesday

  • Pros and cons of social media
  • Day time Q&A’s – Your opportunity to ask questions
  • Evening tweetchat – ‘HCPC guidance and social media’ – Hosted by @Julie_bolter

Wednesday

  • Managing workload
  • Videos and infographics from the #150Leaders on their experiences of juggling workload and placements
  • Sharing helpful apps, journaling, organising techniques etc.
  • Discuss students’ biggest fears/concerns starting placement/starting assignments etc 

Thursday

  • A day to explore…
    • Introduction to leadership
    • Why network?
    • Do we need to build resilience and if so how?
  • Evening tweetchat – ‘Emotional intelligence and leadership’ – Hosted by @puppyflanagan

Friday

  • Celebration of AHP students’ achievements
  • More about AHPs Day
  • Discussions, videos and tweets about students’ experiences of extra curriculum opportunities
  • Sign-posting to opportunities for students
  • Evening tweetchat – ‘Opportunities available for students: where to find them and how to make the most of them’ – Hosted by @AliBooker_LBU

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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!