What’s on in November 2021? Occupational therapy, brain injury and neurorehabilitation events
What's on in November 2021? Occupational therapy, brain injury and neurorehabilitation events
You will find all the links to these fantastic events at the bottom of the page.
#OTsForEquity
Firework season starts with a big bang for the UK's occupational therapists today with the launch of Occupational Therapy Week 2021.
And this year sees a cracker of a Catherine Wheel being set in motion in the shape of the #OTsForEquity campaign.
The campaign, launched by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT), is fueled by concerns over the UK's health inequities, further highlighted by the covid pandemic.
RCOT wants more government support for OTs who are well-placed to put in place solutions for people in need due to their frontline role.
In a fiery campaign launch statement, RCOT refuted any notion of health inequities being unavoidable.
'[Health inequities] are unjust and result from unfair social, economic and political arrangements,' it stated.
Find out more about #OTsForEquity here: [1]
#OTalk turns 10
The #OTalk crew mark a decade of occupational therapy discussion on Twitter this year – and they will be celebrating with a gift to the #OTalk community during Occupational Therapy Week (see above!) and beyond. You can go directly to the #OTalk Twitter page here for complete details. There are
- Five opportunities to engage with free Online CPD in a week-long collaboration with RCOT and the OT show
- Monday 1st November Supporting the RCOT launch event 6 - 7.30 pm online (Check out RCOT website for details)
- Tuesday 2nd November #OTalk Research tweet chat exploring research and the evidence base in relation to health inequalities 8 - 9pm
- Wednesday 3rd November The RCOT is hosting an extra #OTalk special, helping shine a light on the role occupational therapists play in addressing health equity 8 - 9pm.
- Thursday 4th November The OT Show will be holding a further #OTalk special entitled 'Health equality and sustainable development goals' 8 - 9 pm.
- Friday 5th November 12noon-1pm The RCOT is hosting a 'Twitter Spaces', a new way to have live audio conversations on Twitter.
All in tune with this year's OT Week theme, #OTsForEquity.
More about the #OTalk volunteers and community here: [2]
Parkinson's best practice
The UK Parkinson's Excellence Network meets online at their 2021 conference this month, focusing on 'progression beyond the pandemic'.
People with Parkinson's, their families and carers, and professionals working in the field are welcome to hear about the latest Parkinson's health and care developments.
More about the event on 4th November here: [3]
CBT shut-eye
Learn about the management and treatment of insomnia - on Fireworks Night!
A two-day cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) course, organised by the Vocational Rehabilitation Association (VRA), starts in Bristol on 5th November.
Sleep psychologist Dr David Lee, Clinical Director of Sleep Unlimited, will be sharing his expertise on sleep assessment and sleep problems linked to co-morbidities, including:
- long term conditions
- depression
- chronic pain
- anxiety
There will also be advice on recognising types of insomnia and advanced treatment strategies. More course details here: [4]
And more about CBT-I here: [5]
All change?
So, what has changed in the brain injury community since January 2019 when the UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF) launched its #TimeforChange vision? [6]
All will be revealed on 8th November at UKABIF's two-day annual conference held online and, subject to covid restrictions, in person at the Royal Society of Medicine in London.
Among the speakers providing updates will be:
- MP Chris Bryant: The Brain Injury Bill
- Former Northern Irish footballer, Freya Holdaway: 3 Concussions in 18 months which ended my International Career
- Neurological music therapist, Elizabeth Nightingale: Neurologic Music Therapy on the RNRU (Regional Neurological Rehabilitation Unit, London) [7]
- Dr Peter Jenkins of Imperial College London: Developing the Blueprint for a Traumatic Brain Injury Pathway
Irwin Mitchell solicitors will chair a session focusing on 'a consortium approach' to working with educators.
Speakers include the Child Brain Injury Trust and The Children's Trust representatives, on behalf of the National Acquired Brain Injury in Learning and Education Syndicate (N-ABLES).
The UKABIF Awards for Film, Innovation, Research, and Inspiration will be announced on the day. More here: [8]
The first responder arrived on the scene within a minute of a 999 call to find her trapped beneath the vehicle, her heart already in cardiac arrest. 
[9]
Calling all road heroes!
Be a 'road safety hero' this month by signing up to support the annual Brake campaign for safer roads.
From the 15th to 21st November, the charity will celebrate the great work of road safety professionals.
And it will be urging everyone to become road safety heroes themselves by making their journeys safer.
'Road Safety Week 2021 celebrates the professionals who are working to make roads safer for everyone – from designing safer roads to caring for people after a crash,' Brake says.
'It also enables everyone who uses roads to understand how they can take responsibility for their safety and the safety of others.'
The charity has lots of ideas on how to celebrate the week, including:
- Signing up for its free action pack
- Encouraging schools and employers to take part
- Highlighting the work of the emergency services
- Fund-raising
- Buying a giant Road Safety Week banner (see above!) or other selfie props
It is also hoped road crash victims will share their stories of how road safety heroes helped them.
Krysalis client, Demelza Fry from East Sussex, made national headlines after revealing how NHS emergency crews saved her life after a horrific accident as a pedestrian. [9]
The brain injury survivor shared her story to raise awareness of an urgent face shield appeal she had launched to support NHS frontline staff at the outset of the covid pandemic. [10]
More about the Brake campaign here: [11]
And here's a Road Safety Week 2020 report on how mobility scooter riders can stay safe on the roads, too…with some eye-opening examples of what not to do: [12]
Everyone has a role to play in building a culture that leverages diverse points of view, elicits new insights, and creates sustainable value.
Work Wellness Institute, Canada
Inclusive working…really?
Join an international conference of people keen to ensure that the return to work after the covid pandemic is fully inclusive.
'Exploring the reality of inclusive return-to-work is the opener of an inaugural series of conferences presented by Canada's Work Wellness Institute and hosted by the UK's Vocational Rehabilitation Association (VRA).
The 5.5-hour event on 17th November will include:
- evidence-based presentations
- the latest on new research projects
- chances to chat with experts
The Canadian Institute has been putting research into practice to create healthy and inclusive workplaces since 1985.
More about the conference here: [13]
There's no business like…
…The OT Show business! Expect over 250 exhibitors, 5,000-plus occupational therapy professionals, and a #OTalk 10th birthday party this month when The OT Show makes its first comeback since 2019.
The CPD-accredited event on the 24th and 25th of November features products and services from across the industry and interactive lectures on clinical areas, including:
- Neurological practice
- Physical
- Moving and handling
- Paediatrics
- Housing
Speakers will include:
- Baroness Tanni Gray-Thompson DBE, Paralympic athlete
- Steve Ford, Chief Executive of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT)
- Tom Shakespeare, Professor of Disability Research at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Georgine Carr, Chief Executive of The Neurological Alliance
There will also be sessions hosted by the NHS, local authorities and universities, The Disabilities Trust and DLF.
OT showtime at Birmingham's NEC starts here: [14]
The NCORE of learning
There's a packed learning programme at the National Centre of Rehabilitation Education (NCORE) in Derby this month, including the following courses:
- 2nd November: Back Rehabilitation – The 3Rs Approach
- 3rd November: Multidisciplinary Team Management of Atypical Parkinson's
- 8th November: Working collaboratively with our clients when we get stuck: Introduction to Motivational Interviewing
- 13th November: Red Flags, Serious Spinal Pathology & Systems Thinking
- 22nd November: Healthcare Records on Trial
Further details of all courses here: [15]
RCOT round up
Here are some of the opportunities on offer via the Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) this month to enhance or broaden your occupational therapy skills:
- 1st November: Introducing the Empowerment Passport™️©️ from its creation to current developments.
- 2nd November: Masterclass: Parkinson's disease
- The 2nd and 9th of November: Major adaptations for OTs
- The 4th and 5th of November: Unilateral Cerebral Palsy - A Practical Application
- The 4th and 5th of November: RCOTSS-Housing Annual Conference
- 8th November: Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS)
- 9th November: Building Issues for OTs (extensions, pods & bathrooms)
- 10th November: Foundation Acupuncture and Dry Needling
- 11th November: RCOT Specialist Section Work Annual Study Day: OT 2 OT: Let's Talk About Work
- 11th November: Disabled Facilities Grant: Level 1
- 12th November: Reading and Using Plans for OTs
- 12th November: Addressing functional difficulties through home adaptations
- 16th November: Pressure Ulcers: The Human Cost
- 16th November: Acupuncture for Occupational Therapists
- The 16th and 17th of November: Induction for RCOT Branch volunteers and Board members - session 1
- 17th November: Housing & Equipment Solutions for Users with Dementia
- 17th November: Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy- An Occupational Therapist's Experience as a Co-Researcher
- 18th November CYPF: Improving Preparation for Adulthood Outcomes for young people with SEND - where do OT skills help?
- 23rd November: Hypermobility/Ehlers Danlos Syndrome in Adults and Children: Clinical Assessment and Management
Further details on these and other RCOT courses are here: [16]
BIG issues for men
Brain injury and mental health in men is the topic of a Brain Injury Group (BIG) webinar this month with:
- Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist, Pippa Dawson: a specialist in rehabilitating people with moderate to severe cognitive, emotional, and behavioural difficulties.
- Bush & Co Operations Manager, Mark Pitts: who has 45 years of experience working within the mental health and brain injury sectors.
More about the event on 23rd November here: [17]
Recently on talking heads ...
References
- DC OTWeek2021 25Oct21
- #OTalk
- 2021 UK Parkinson's Excellence Network Conference
- VRA: CBT-I for insomnia
- How to make a powerful insomnia potion by mixing occupational therapy with CBT-I
- UKABIF showcases beacons of hope
- Music therapy for neurorehabilitation
- UKABIF: Time for Change Summit 2021
- Brain injury survivor launches face shield appeal for NHS
- The Mirror: 'Woman who died for 12 minutes in a freak accident now making PPE for NHS who saved her.'
- Brake: Road Safety Week 2021
- Road Safety Week 2020: Mobility scooters and rules of the road
- VRA: Exploring the reality of an inclusive return to work
- The OT Show
- NCORE events
- RCOT: Events
- BIG webinar: Brain injury and mental health (men)