Hats newsletter spring 2015 issuu

Assistive Technology Practitioner The Newsletter of the Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society

Your Society I’m delighted to welcome you to this first issue of Assistive Technology Practitioner. Congratulations on becoming a member of the Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society and making a commitment to building your expertise and enhancing your career!

Every issue, we’ll give you an update on what’s new with the Society and what we’re doing to help members.

The launch of the Society at Trade Days was a real success; we had two sessions

contents

Your Society

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Supporting staff

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Identify your customer’s needs

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Mobility Survey

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OT and collaboration

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BHTA 2014 Awards

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What is CPD?

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CPD Dates

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Contact us

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spring 2015

Supporting staff, giving customers confidence

to explain to delegates what the Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society is and how it can help them.

We must have made a convincing case, because we signed up our first new members on the day and had many more asking to be sent application forms!

The Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society was formally launched at Trade Days in October 2014, with support from a wide range of companies, including NRS Healthcare.

As the Society’s Patron, Baroness Glenys Thornton, explained in her speech; “There are three reasons why the development of the Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society is so important.

To support the Society, give us input from other professions and an independent body that can oversee the disciplinary process, we’re currently putting together an Advisory Board. Invitations are being sent out now, and we should be able to publish a list of the Board members very soon.

First to ensure that patients and the public are protected and ensured high quality care and the technology that goes with it. Second, it is to provide accreditation and career progression for those who work in assistive technology industries. This is good for business. And third to ensure that those who trade with, sell to and contract with the NHS or individuals have the support and proper professional identity which the Society offers”.

As part of the launch, we did some filming for a short promotional video that will go up on YouTube and onto our website, explaining what the Society’s all about.

Our website’s still being developed and we hope to offer much more in terms of resources for members very soon – do get in touch and tell us what you’d like to see. We’ll also be tweeting regularly, so if you’re on Twitter, please follow the Society @hatsoc.

The Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society is applying to hold the Accredited Voluntary Register

Baroness Glenys Thorton, Patron, Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society

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(AVR) for the industry, meaning that members who meet the required standard would become members of that Register.

Christine Braithwaite, Director of Standards and Policy at the Professional Standards Authority, set out the purpose of AVRs in health and social care. A Register testifies that members are appropriately trained, competent and of good conduct, sets standards for practise and holds members to account, and provides independent redress for complaints.

Phil Isherwood, CEO of NRS Healthcare, talked about the demographic “time bomb” that will mean significantly increased demand for assistive technology equipment in the coming decades, and the desire to avoid the use of expensive residential care.

Changes (including the Care Act

Assistive Technology Practitioner spring 2015

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2014) to how care is funded put personal budgets on a legal “right to have” basis and are likely to lead to more self-funding by patients.

All of this means a need to provide public reassurance and to raise standards in the industry, so that customers can be sure they’re dealing with competent, experienced practitioners.

As well as the benefit to the industry as a whole and to customers, Phil emphasised the benefit to individual staff of a body that provide professional recognition, enhances career options (especially when moving between companies) and improved opportunities for training. As the Society gains critical mass, members will increasingly benefit from these advantages.

Kay Purnell, Chair, Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society Council

Three easy ways to identify your customer’s needs You may already be aware of a new consultancy that that aims to provide help and support to suppliers and retailers.

The OT Service has been launched by Kate Sheehan, one of the UK’s most respected independent OTs.

She then gave the audience a quick way of making sure you cover everything when discussing customers’ needs using PET.

Kate presented a seminar at the first Trade Days which focussed on how companies could work with their customers. It was all about putting the customer at the centre of an assessment and using all your senses to tease out their particular needs.

Environment – where they live, what space do they have, can you fix a product to the wall or floor, do they already have equipment that is not being used and why

She told the audience: “Remember to Stop, Look and Listen. When a customer walks into your shop, observe how they walk, how they open the door. Are they wearing glasses, a hearing aid or are they favouring one part of their body? You can learn so much before you even introduce yourself.”

Regarding talking to customers, Kate said: “Listen to your client, repeat back to them what you heard to clarify their priorities and their needs.”

Follow us on Twitter we’re @hatsoc

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Person – your customer, what impairments do they have that effect their lives

Task – what activity do they want to continue to do? This could be a simple as getting in and out of the bath, but ask more questions, if they struggle with the bath, do they have problems with the toilet, the bed, their chair?

“The key to providing an excellent service” Kate said, “is the team’s knowledge, their observation skills and their effective communication.”

To contact Kate call 01628 670 888.

The website is at www. theotservice.co.uk

Assistive Technology Practitioner spring 2015

79% of OTs looking for greater collaboration with suppliers

No information, no assessment – new mobility survey paints bleak picture The powered wheelchair user survey – the first survey in the UK to ask wheelchair users for feedback on how they obtain and use their powered wheelchair was published recently.

• A greater proportion of the under-20s receive charitable funding towards their powered wheelchair; the over20s are more likely to use their own funds to pay.

The survey found that 48% of users didn’t get the right information, over a third (37%) get no assessment, a quarter (26%) are turned down for NHS funding and 32% had to fund their own powered wheelchair completely themselves.

• Only 50% of the products are considered to have been good value for money by their users. Among under-20s this proportion falls to 33%.

The authors say that the report echoes findings from an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigation into the mobility aids market which concluded that it can be extremely difficult for consumers to select the right products and get value for money. It goes on to say that it appears that nothing has changed since then.

Robin Hindle Fisher, Chair of the independent Commission on Extra Costs said: “This investigation shows that supply of powered wheelchairs is a good example of a market that makes it difficult for disabled people to be savvy consumers and get the best deals.”

Interesting facts and figures from the report show that: • 22% used only statutory sources of information; significantly 13% used only commercial sources.

Over three quarters of Occupational Therapists in the UK believe there is not enough collaboration between healthcare professionals and specialist manufacturers, according to a report by Repose Furniture.

The company surveyed a straw poll of Occupational Therapists (OTs) at this year’s Occupational Therapy Show and found that 79% of OTs crave greater collaboration in order to make the right choices for their patients when it comes to selecting specialist furniture.

• The most common co-funding arrangements involve topping up NHS funding from private funds, followed by topping up one or more charitable grants with private funds and then topping up an Access to Work grant with private funds.

At the same time as the powerchair report, an ‘eDigest’ published by NHS Improving Quality, the national NHS improvement organisation, has described what it describes as ‘unseen problems’ faced by many of England’s 1.2 million wheelchair users.

And according to Repose’s survey, when OTs do assess seating solutions for patients, 85% of them look for functionality over design, comfort, and price, with 61% of OTs saying that specialist furniture and home adaptations are ‘vital’ to the success of their work.

The report suggests that 70% of wheelchair users wait more than three months for their chair, 30% wait more than six months and 15% wait more than 12 months and that harm is caused by providing ill-fitting or ill-equipped chairs, with up to half of all wheelchair users developing a pressure ulcer at some point during their life.

Repose works closely with Television’s Dr Hilary Jones, who opened the OT Show, before delivering his seminar titled ‘Are You Sitting Comfortably?’ to a full Innovation Theatre.

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Repose can be contacted on 0844 77 66 001. The website is at www. reposefurniture.co.uk

Assistive Technology Practitioner spring 2015

BHTA Team of the Year Simplyhealth

Society members leading the field BHTA’s Awards dinner on 11 December was an opportunity to celebrate success, including not only companies and products, but the individuals who are so important to customers’ experience.

The Team of the Year and Individual of the Year are chosen on the basis of the customer satisfaction cards BHTA receives, recognising the people who’ve delivered excellent service.

At the 2015 ceremony, the BHTA will be presenting an award to an outstanding member of the Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society – look out for more details in the summer.

2014’s Individual of the Year is Society member Gary Tidman of Only Lift Services, and he fully merits the title, based on customers’ consistently high opinion of his service.

Customers praise Gary’s “All round product knowledge and helpful courteous attitude”

and it’s clear he combines high levels of professional knowledge with highly developed people skills.

BHTA’s Team of the Year is Simplyhealth, who scored highly both in terms of quantity and quality of positive feedback from customers, with many saying how helpful and friendly their service is. The company employs a number of Society members and this team exceeded expectations by collecting customers or dropping them off, taking time to talk to their customers or helping them save money one customer commented on how a member of the team had bought flowers for their mother’s funeral and fixed their scooter quickly so they could get to the ceremony.

BHTA Individual of the Year Gary Tidman

recipient of this year’s award, after working in the industry for more than 21 years in which she has shown real dedication to providing customers with the correct product and giving consistency helpful advice has never waned.

Starting as a Mobility Sales Advisor/Assessor, Lyn has progressed through the industry and built a successful and caring Mobility Retail Sales Department.

She supports, coaches and develops her staff and has established a high performing team as well as supporting other staff members.

Recognizing achievement over an entire career is the Lifetime Achievement Award, judged by the BHTA Board.

Society member Lyn Palmer of Tremorvah Industries is the

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Her employer says “Lyn has a real affinity and deep understanding of our customers and their needs, and is driven by the desire to ensure that customers have the best quality of life possible.

She helps her customers make the most informed choice and considers their Health and Safety and longer term needs. Lyn spends the time to listen to and understand her customers and has developed a huge amount of experience.”

Lifetime Service Award winner Lyn Palmer

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These are just a few examples of the assistive technology companies, products and individuals who enhance the lives of hundreds of thousands of people across the UK, as well as employing tens of thousands and making a significant contribution to our economy.

The British Healthcare Awards – open to every assistive technology company in the country – are a chance to celebrate their contribution.

BHTA was delighted to see so many new entrants in 2014, demonstrating the number of new companies coming into the market – the diverse mix of companies, products and services really reflects the breadth of our industry.

• BHTA Individual of the Year: Gary Tidman, Only Lift Servies (www.onlylifts. com) • BHTA Team of the Year: Simplyhealth (www. simplyhealth.co.uk) • Lifetime Service Award Lyn Palmer, Tremorvah Industries (www. tremorvah.co.uk) • Best Marketing Campaign Joint winner Handicare Partner Programme, Handicare Accessibility Ltd, entered

by Society member Tony Mercer, Sales and Marketing Director of Handicare.

Decided by BHTA’s panel of independent judges, they winners represent some of the very best of the assistive technology industry. You can find more details about the winners and the press release at www.bhta.net/awards

CPD – what, why and how?

What is CPD? CPD stands for Continual Professional Development and is the method of recording and monitoring the skills, knowledge and experience that you gain from undertaking your work.

You are recording what you did and what you learnt from carrying out a particular task. Through recording and reflecting on your CPD activities you will review the following: • what skills and knowledge you needed • what you learnt from undertaking the task, and • any training or future development need identified.

In other words, CPD monitoring helps you: • record; • review; and • reflect on the work undertaken.

Why do you need to carry out CPD? If you want to be the best, you need to make sure your skills and knowledge are up-to-date. CPD enables you to reflect on and answer the question, ‘how can I do this job better?’

There is an obligation to maintain and review your skills and knowledge embedded in the Code of Professional Conduct, which states that Members of the Society will; take every reasonable opportunity to maintain and enhance knowledge and competence within their field of work.

As a Member of the Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society you are required to maintain a minimum of 20 hrs of CPD spread over a 12 month period.

You are also required to maintain up to date CPD records, so that you can

BHTA Training Room in Wellingborough demonstrate what you’ve done. This means the Society can monitor your CPD and give your customers confidence that you’re keeping your knowledge and skills up to date, to give them the very best service.

How do you carry out CPD? There are lots of different methods of learning and updating your skills – these could including attending a training course, being taught how to do something new by a colleague, writing a paper or giving a presentation on a subject, attending a relevant exhibition, or doing targeted reading and research.

The Society has created the following nine categories of CPD activity: • In-company development and business skills • Product training • Customer understanding • Short training courses and workshops • Formally accredited courses • Imparting knowledge • Conferences and exhibitions • Personal reflection • Professional body events.

Not all of these will apply to every Society member’s job, but whatever your role, most of these categories will be relevant.

You can find out more about these categories, how to evidence the CPD carried out from any one of them and the maximum number of hours of each that count towards your CPD requirement at www.hatsoc.org/professionaldevelopment. We’ll also be talking more about this in the next issue of Assistive Technology Practitioner.

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Assistive Technology Practitioner spring 2015

CPD opportunities march-April 2015

April 2015 JCM Seating Solutions Ltd Technical Training – 2nd April 2015 – Peterborough - FOC

March 2015 BHTA – BTEC Stoma and Continence Customer Support – 3rd and 4th March.

Wellingborough, £399+VAT (Society member rate).

R82 UK Ltd - Structured Training in the Management of Medical Devices – Posturally Supportive Equipment for Children. April 1st & 2nd – Block 1: Mechanical, April 15th & 16th – Block 2: Technical, April 29th & 30th – Block 3: Clinical - City & Guilds Accredited and endorsed by the College of Occupational Therapists. Halesowen. £185+VAT per Block

Invacare – Seating Training Event – 3 March – Bexley, Kent (other dates and venues available). FOC. R82 UK Ltd - Structured Training in the Management of Medical Devices – Posturally Supportive Equipment for Children. March 4th & 5th – Block 1: Mechanical. March 10th & 11th – Block 3: Clinical.

March 24th & 25th – Block 2: Technical. City & Guilds Accredited and endorsed by the College of Occupational Therapists. Halesowen. £185+VAT per Block.

JCM Seating Solutions Ltd – Postural Management Workshop: Specialist Seating – 5th March 2015. FOC. Peterborough, JCM Head Office.

Disabled Living Foundation – Grab Rail Workshop – 15 April 2015 – Hammersmith, London. £100+VAT

Global Training by Silvalea – Manual Handling Products 10th March. Interactive Online Training. FOC.

Disabled Living Foundation – Trusted Assessor Refresher – 21 April 2015 – Hammersmith, London. £195+VAT

Global Training by Silvalea – Toileting Sling Solutions 12th March. Interactive Online Training. FOC.

BHTA – BTEC Healthcare and Assistive Technology – 21st and 22nd April.

Wellingborough, £498+VAT (Society member rate).

Sunrise Medical - in conjunction with National Spinal Injuries Unit, Posture, Seating and Wheelchair Skills Course - 13th and 14th March 2015 £150, Midlands Centre for Spinal Injuries, Oswestry, Shropshire.

Sunrise Medical Limited – Seating and Positioning for Function and Mobility – for Clinicians (CSEA), 22nd April 2015, West Midlands. FOC to Sunrise Medical Account Holders.

Sunrise Medical Limited - The JAY Portfolio - a Clinical Perspective (CJAY) - Thursday 23rd April 2015 – West Midlands – FOC to Sunrise Medical Account Holders.

Electric Mobility – Servicing / Maintenance & Fault finding for Rascal Mobility Products – March 25th 2015 – Ilminster. FOC including Lunch.

Contacts for bookings BES Rehab: Contact marketing@bescorporate.net BHTA: Call 0207 702 2141 or email nigel.woods@bhta.com Invacare: Call Joan James on 01656 776283 or email jjames@invacare.com Prism Medical: Call Colin Williams on 0844 980 2260 or email: traininginfo@ prismmedical.co.uk Sunrise Medical: Laura Payne on 01384 421 538, email laura. payne@sunmed.co.uk, or visit www.SunriseMedical.co.uk/ STEPS Global Training by Silvalea: +44 (0)1626 331655 info@ silvalea-globaltraining.com or www.trainingbysilvalea.com Quantum Rehab: Call Hayley 01869 324600 or email sales@quantumrehab.co.uk Pride Mobility: Call Chris on 01869 324600 or email service@pride-mobility.co.uk R82 UK Ltd – Call 0121 561 2222, or email Martyn Davis on mda@r82.com Electric Mobility: Call Sharon Newton on 01460 258118 or email sharon.newton@ electricmobility.co.uk Disabled Living: Call 0161 607 8200 or email training@ disabledliving.co.uk. Visit www.disabledliving.co.uk/ Training/Events---Courses Kirton Healthcare: Email: lizgatt@kirtonhealthcare.co.uk JCM: Contact Rachel Davis on training@jcmfactory.co.uk

If you’re aware of other CPD opportunities Society members might find useful, please let us know at info@hatsoc.org

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Assistive Technology Practitioner spring 2015

Recruitment to the Council – calling all members!

We are currently recruiting for three new members to join the Society Council.

This is a chance for you to be involved with the running of the Society and the direction it takes.

General terms of service are: • members are elected to serve a two year term; • a member may serve a second term, for a further two years, at the discretion of the Council; • if two consecutive terms of service have been served (four years) there must be a minimum of a year break before an application can be submitted to re-join; • all council members are expected to attend a minimum 2 out of the 3 meetings throughout the year; • all council members to alert the Secretariat of any potential conflicts of interest; • the role is unpaid; • travel expenses are covered; and • lunch and refreshments are provided.

If you are interested in joining the Council, please forward a CV, with a brief explanation of what you would hope to get out of the role, to membership@ hatsoc.org. Closing date for applications is Friday 13 March 2015.

The first Council meeting of 2015 is scheduled for Wednesday 18 March hosted by Blatchford’s Clinical Services in Sheffield. Venue details to be confirmed.

Governance Baroness Glenys Thornton, Patron, became a working Labour peer in 1998. From 1998-2008, she served on various select committees, and worked on a huge number of bills passing through the Lords - most of the legislation concerning Children, the Disabled and Charities.

In 2008 she joined the Government as Lord Darzi’s number 2 at the Department of Health, and over the next two years worked on all the Health and Social Care legislation, particularly that which concerned health and social care regulatory framework. In 2010 Glenys became the Health Spokesperson on the Labour opposition front bench. She led for Labour during the passage of the 2012 Health and Social Care Act. She has been the Women and Equalties Shadow Minister since 2012. Glenys is a member of and active in numerous health related All Party Groups, Cancer, the Elderly, Smoking cessation, and science and research.

In addition to the Healthcare and Assistive Technology Society, she is Patron of Social Enterprise UK and a Governor of the London School of Economics.”

Advisory Board (Chaired by our Patron, Baroness Glenys Thornton) A body of senior figures from the industry, either practising or retired, that advise the Society Council and make recommendations for long term growth and the achievement of corporate aims and objectives. The Board do not instruct the Society Council but advise it.

Contact the Secretariat We want to hear from our members, whether you have questions to ask, issues to raise or some experience you want to share with other practitioners.

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For general queries: T: 0207 702 2141 E: info@hatsoc.org For membership queries: T: 0207 702 2141 E: membership@ hatsoc.org

Society Council The Society Council is the main administrative body of the Society with the following responsibilities: • to ensure standards and the corporate aims and objectives • debate/discuss procedural matters relating to the running of the Society • to oversee the achievement of membership growth, renewal and retention targets, as set out in the business plan • to monitor and analyse trends in membership growth, renewals and retention • to report to and advise the Advisory Board on matters concerning the management of the Society • to meet three times a year.

Meet the Council Kay Purnell (Chair) Business Development Manager, Blatchford’s Clinical Services Diane Hargrove Sales and Marketing Director, Sumed International UK (Ltd) Kenneth Munro Managing Director, W Munro (Rehab) Ltd Myrddin James Director, 3r Mobility

Richard Handley Managing Director, Care and Independence Systems Ltd Philip Woodward, Accreditation and Professional Development Manager T: 0207 702 2141 E: philip.woodward@ hatsoc.org

You can also follow us on Twitter for the latest news and updates: @hatsoc