Monday 21 December 2015

BAPO November Bulletin 2015


AHP Careers Fellowships Scheme now open – NHS Scotland

Closing date, 12 noon on 15 January 2016  applications available here



Working as a locum? - this may affect you

New price caps for agency staff working in the NHS




FGM Mandatory Reporting – support pack for health professionals

For your information regarding mandatory reporting related to child protection





Launch of Orthotics report

NHS England has launched a report on orthotics this week. BAPO have been working with stakeholders to review commissioning guidance on orthotic services in England. This document was created by involved clinical commissioning groups and is a positive step in improving the knowledge of commissioners about orthotics and influence the way our services move forward in the near future.




Launch of Improved Engagement from NICE

NICE is establishing an Insight Community which provides opportunities for you to influence the development and improvement of NICE products. You can do this by taking part in any of the following activities:

·   Focus groups

·   Interviews

·   Surveys

·   Website testing sessions

·   Online searching exercises



They only contact you when there are relevant opportunities coming up. So far, nearly 1000 practitioners have signed-up. However, there is low representation by social care practitioners. To ensure NICE can better meet your needs in the future, we would like to invite you to join in their insight community. Your contribution would be much appreciated and will help us shape the future of NICE products. If you would like to be part of their Insight Community, please complete the short survey here.  It only takes 5 minutes.



Launch of exciting new opportunity for funding research

This week Arthritis Research UK launched a new project with the Design Council - the Spark product innovation fund

Workforce Survey

Thank you for the 400 of you who responded to this survey. We appreciate your engagement with the process and the honesty of your responses.



Results will be available at Conference in March - hope to see you all there.



Spinal survey

A working group has been looking at developing national spinal bracing guidance. They are interested in finding out what you would prescribe in certain situations. Look out for the link to the first of their series of 3 online surveys available in December.



BAPO membership



It’s renewal time already. Please ensure you update your details and return your paperwork to the Secretariat before you miss the cut-off date.



EC Nominations



We currently have 7 empty seats on our Executive Committee and no practicing prosthetic clinicians.

Been qualified for more than 5 years and interested in shaping the future of our profession? Please drop me an email for an informal chat -  chair@bapo.com



Conference



Don’t miss out, only 4 days left to take advantage of the early bird rate for conference!!





Professional Affairs Committee



The Committee would like to highlight the release

of two NICE Guidelines, ‘Older people with social care needs and multiple long-term conditions’ and ‘Venous Thromboembolic Diseases (Standing Committee Update)’.  Link to the guidelines below:



NICE guideline on older people with social care needs and multiple long-term conditions








Education



2016 Short Course Programme coming soon, look for further information in BAPOmag 2016 Issue 1.



Places available:

MSK Foot & Ankle – 15 & 16 January 2016 (Trulife, Sheffield)

MSK Foot & Ankle – 6 & 7 February 2016 (Tebbit Centre, Oxford)


BAPO December 2015 Bulletin

AHP Career Fellowships scheme still open for applications – NHS Scotland
Closing date, 12 noon on 15 January 2016  applications available here

AHP- A strategy to develop the capacity, impact and profile of Allied Health Professionals in public health 2015-2018
Strategy from the Allied Health Professionals Federation supported by Public Health England

Independent prescribing
Interested in improving the scope of care you provide to your patient? We are launching a profession wide consultation to debate the issue around prescribing and are inviting all interested parties to register with the Secretariat now. Please email enquiries@bapo.com or telephone 0141 5617217

Working in the independent sector-this affects you.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998 clinical practitioners who work in the independent sector are considered to be Data Controllers with respect to the data they process on their patients.
> If they hold any patient identifiable information then it is their responsibility to apply to become a Data Controller.
> Registration and compliance with the Act is dealt with by the Office of the Information Commissioner. Registration may be made by telephone on 01625 545740 or by internet at https://ico.org.uk Registration costs £35 per annum.
> It is a criminal offence not to be registered.

Population Healthcare Training for Healthcare Public Health Professionals
An invitation to join a free learning programme to develop your skills in implementing value-based and population healthcare
Public Health England has commissioned Better Value Healthcare to deliver a training programme for PHE, NHS and Local Authority staff working in healthcare public health, to equip them to make a full contribution to the transformation of healthcare envisaged by the Five Year Forward View.  This programme integrates with health economic training in PHE

For more details click here.  Event password: bettervalue

Training dates: 
·        6th January 2016 Birmingham
·        1st February 2016 Greater Manchester
·        29th February 2016 York
·        22nd March London

Interested in how NICE committees function?
NICE has opened registrations  for the public to observe the committee meeting for stroke will open on Monday 30th November 2015 on the NICE website.

If you would like to register for this committee meeting, please do so via the following web page:  https://www.nice.org.uk/event/qsac1_january_2016
Applications close Monday 14th December

HCPC launch practice educator standards

Spinal survey
A working group has been looking at developing national spinal bracing guidance. They are interested in finding out what you would prescribe in certain situations look out for questionnaire number 2 ready now, link below:

Professional Affairs Committee

The Committee would like to highlight the release of the following NICE Guidelines:

Conference
Remember to book your place for the upcoming BAPO Conference & Exhibition at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry!

Education
Don’t miss out!
2016 Differential diagnosis MSK courses below:
15 & 16 January – Trulife, Sheffield
15 & 16 April – Halo, Wellington
Book your place now by visiting the BAPO website or contacting enquiries@bapo.com

BAPO Secretariat Christmas Close Down

The BAPO Secretariat will close for Christmas and New Year on Wednesday 23rd December at 1.30pm and will re-open on Tuesday 5th January at 8.45am.

Thursday 12 November 2015

Tuesday 3 November 2015

Lifetime Achievement Award 2016

Celebrating 10 years since our last award BAPO will be presenting one of our fellow professionals with a Lifetime Achievement Award. All too often years of hard work and innovation go unrecognised until we read about a retirement or sadly an obituary in BAPOmag. We are looking for nominations for Orthotists, Prosthetists, Technicians and Assistants who in the eyes of their colleagues have made a significant contribution to the orthotic/prosthetic field during the course of their career.
Nominees will be voted for in a postal ballot with the winner receiving the award during a formal presentation at BAPO Conference 2016 in Coventry. Closing date for nominations is 30th November, 2015. To nominate please complete the form below and return to the BAPO Secretariat, alternatively you can nominate by email to conference@bapo.com

Tuesday 6 October 2015

UK Prosthetics & Orthotics Workforce Review

We want to hear from anyone with a qualification in prosthetics and orthotics.

The British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO) is leading a review of the workforce in the UK.

This is the first step in a full scale review of our profession with 3 more surveys planned throughout the year.

Last year our profession was added to the national shortage list by the Centre for Workforce Intelligence.

From speaking to our members, the employers and reviewing the number of P&O professionals registered with the HCPC it is becoming apparent we have a problem with retention and would like to understand what the reasons are for people leaving the profession. We are also using this opportunity to capture the reasons people are continuing to work in the field, whether in clinical practice or another branch such as education or research.

We need to find out why people are leaving the profession and what we can do, in conjunction with the other key stakeholders, to reduce this trend and make prosthetics and orthotics a profession that people want to stay in for the long term.

So we are asking the profession for their help.

How many people from your class are still working in the profession?  If people have left do you know how to get in touch with them?  Please help us gather the information we need so we can then see what we can do in partnership with the universities and employers to support you and your colleagues in your chosen profession.

This will only take 5 minutes of your time.

Please read, complete the survey and then pass it on to all your contacts at work, old classmates, Facebook friends, anyone who once trained as a Prosthetist or Orthotist.

http://survey.bapo-online.com/index.php/469793/lang-en                                                                                                                                         
              
Many thanks for your help
Lynne Rowley
Chair of BAPO

Saturday 3 October 2015

Effects of ankle foot orthoses on body functions and activities in people with floppy paretic ankle muscles: a systematic review

Dymphy van der Wilk, Pieter Ubele Dijkstra, Klaas Postema, Gijsbertus Jacob Verkerke, Juha Markus Hijmans

Highlights

Elastic ankle foot orthoses improve energy efficiency (dorsiflexor paresis).

Dorsal ankle foot orthoses improve energy efficiency and comfortable walking speed (plantarflexor paresis both with and without a dorsiflexor paresis).

Circular- and elastic ankle foot orthoses are more suitable for dorsiflexor paresis.

Dorsal ankle foot orthoses are more suitable for plantarflexor paresis both with and without a dorsiflexor paresis.


Abstract

Background

People with floppy ankle muscles paresis use ankle foot orthoses to improve their walking ability. Ankle foot orthoses also limit ankle range of motion thereby introducing additional problems. Insight in effects of ankle foot orthoses on body functions and activities in people with floppy paretic ankle muscles aids in clinical decision making and may improve adherence.

Methods

Studies published before October 27th 2014 were searched in Pubmed, Embase, Cinahl, and Cochrane Library. Studies evaluating effects of ankle foot orthoses on body functions and/or activities in people with floppy paretic ankle muscles were included. Studies solely focusing on people with spastic paretic ankle muscles were excluded. Study quality was assessed using a custom made scale. Body functions and activities were defined according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health.

Findings

Twenty-four studies were included, evaluating 394 participants. Participants were grouped according to paresis type (i) dorsiflexor paresis, (ii) plantar flexor paresis, (iii) both dorsiflexor- and plantar flexor paresis. Dorsal- circular- and elastic ankle foot orthoses increased dorsiflexion during swing (by 4-6°, group i). Physical comfort with dorsal ankle foot orthoses was lower than that with circular ankle foot orthoses (groups i&iii). Dorsal ankle foot orthoses increased push-off moment (by 0.2-0.5 Nm/kg), increased walking efficiency, and decreased ankle range of motion (by 12-30°, groups ii&iii).

Interpretation

People with dorsiflexor paresis benefit more from circular- and elastic ankle foot orthoses while people with plantar flexor paresis (and dorsiflexor paresis) benefit more from dorsal ankle foot orthoses.

Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0268003315002545


Friday 2 October 2015

Hand and wrist orthoses for adults with rheumatological conditions


The BAPO Professional Affairs Committee provided feedback on this practice guideline by the College of Occupational Therapists and subsequently endorsed it. It may be of interest to orthotists practising upper limb orthotics in this patient group. It was developed using a NICE accredited process and is available to download from the COT website at the address below.


Wednesday 30 September 2015

BAPO September 2015 Bulletin

BAPO Flagship Scheme

Are you proud of the service your centre provides? Does your team collectively work to high standards? Do you strive to improve the quality of care you provide? Would you like a scheme that acknowledges these achievements? BAPO will soon be asking its membership whether we introduce an accreditation scheme to acknowledge excellence. Look out for further updates coming soon.


Membership

A working group has been convened to look at membership of the Association. We will be coming to you soon to scope your opinions about the function of the Association and what benefits of membership you want from BAPO.

Workforce and Professional Review

Link now open for the workforce review - WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Completely confidential and only 5mins of your time.  Please respond and pass onto your colleagues from your university years through to work.  We want to hear from anyone who holds a P&O qualification.
http://survey.bapo-online.com/index.php/469793/lang-en


Engaging with Students

BAPO is giving an introduction talk to 1st year students at both Salford and Strathclyde about BAPO and how we can support them in their chosen profession.
We have several student volunteers on almost all of our committees - interested in joining? Give us a call.

Make Every Contact Count - Healthy Conversations
Check out this great resource to help us make a difference to our patients health.

Working in a NHS England Vanguard site? Your Professional Body want to hear from you!                                                                              


Short course update

Spaces still available on:
KAFO Stance Phase Control and Lower Limb Solutions – 3&4 October 2015

Assessment Diagnosis and Treatment of MSK Foot and Ankle problems for Orthotists -  5&6 October 2015 (Leeds)
1&2 December 2015 (Nottinghamshire)

FES: Advanced Orthotic Technology – 21 November 2015

For further information please visit the BAPO website at
www.bapo.com

Professional Affairs

The Professional Affairs Committee would like to highlight the release of the NICE Quality Standard and amendments to an existing Standard:

Type 1 Diabetes

Diabetes in Adults


BAPO Conference & Exhibition:

Your copy of BAPOmag Issue 3 should arrive on your doorstep mid-October and will provide lots of information on Conference 2016.  We’ll have info on our exciting clinical programme, entertainment line-up and details of prizes and competitions running at Conference.

To make sure you don’t miss out on our early bird registration offers make sure you register between 1 Oct and 1 Dec.  Conference info and details on how to register are available at
www.bapo.com

Wednesday 2 September 2015

Monday 31 August 2015

Friday 28 August 2015

BAPO Bulletin August 2015

HCPC

HCPC registration time has almost ran out. Please ensure you have received your documentation and re-registered this year. If you have recently moved house and not informed them, the paperwork will be sent to the wrong address. This will not be a reasonable excuse for failing to renew your registration and you will be lapsed from the register.

Workforce review

Recently BAPO submitted evidence of our workforce called for by Health Education England.  It gave a good illustration of the issues in our industry but also raised several areas of concern including poor retention after training.
BAPO is leading a review of the workforce. Please look out for the electronic link to our online survey arriving via e-mail in the next week or two. The survey will be open for 4 weeks and is a start of a nationwide multipart review of our profession.
It will only take 5 minutes of your time. We would be grateful if you could pass it on through social media to your colleagues, old and new. With this survey, we are trying to determine what factors cause people to leave the profession and determine what we need to do to reverse the trend. Engaging with BHTA, our training universities and the NHS we will be forming a working group to come together to tackle the issues that are identified. Please respond as we want to hear your views it is completely confidential and we need to know what is happening to our workforce.

Education

Short course spaces are still available.
Differential diagnoses of MSK foot and ankle conditions
FES and orthotic interventions
Contracture management
KAFO 2 day course- conventional and stance phase control
Please visit www.bapo.com or call the Secretariat for further info.

BAPO Conference 2016

Suzanne Rastrick, Chief Allied Health Profession Officer, NHS England opening conference 2016.

Kevin Kirby, Dr Chris Nestor, Dr Michael Dillon to name a few! Registrations open soon; look out for the early bird offer *limited time only*

Monday 3 August 2015

Monday 22 June 2015

BAPO NICE Quality Standard Endorsement

The BAPO Professional Affairs Committee are pleased to advise the endorsement of the recent NICE Osteoarthritis and Pressure Ulcer Quality Standards on behalf of BAPO.

If you would like to view these documents please follow the required link below:

Osteoarthritis QS

Pressure Ulcer QS

BAMT urges increased provision of music therapy for dementia - Music Therapy Week 2015

Professional body urges increase in provision of music therapy for dementia 

 David's story - 'I feel more alive and happy after each session' 

 Music Therapy Week 22 - 28 June - highlights

 

This year's Music Therapy Week is focusing on the valuable role music therapy has to play in supporting people with dementia and those who care for them. Leading research has shown that music therapy can significantly improve and support the mood, alertness and engagement of people with dementia, can reduce the use of medication, as well as helping to manage and reduce agitation, isolation, depression and anxiety, overall supporting a better quality of life (Ridder et al, 2013). Music therapy can help people at all stages in their journey with dementia to enrich life and tap into the resources that people with dementia still have.

81-year-old David Jacques was diagnosed with both vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease four years ago. He has progressive short-term memory loss, experiences difficulty organizing his time and sometimes gets lost.

'David came to his first music therapy session armed with books of folk songs and opera,' recalls Pemma Spencer-Chapman, a music therapist at the Guideposts Trust Music Therapy Service in Oxfordshire. 'This was unusual,' she says, 'as most clients don't have any musical training. If I played or sang the melody, David could hold the tune. He sang the melodies increasingly from memory and marveled at his brain's ability to remember them'. The brain remembers emotional experiences more easily than facts, and the emotional nature of music helps these memories come to the fore.

But it wasn't until Pemma suggested to David to improvise with his voice while she accompanied him that a real breakthrough was made, 'to my surprise, David sang not just a melody but words as well. Words and melody have come to him hand in hand,' Pemma says. 'He is surprised, pleased and empowered and I feel his identity has been strengthened in a different way, by being at the heart of the improvisation.'

'I feel more alive and happy after each session', David.

David's wife, Penny, says music therapy is now the high spot of David's week. 'I wish that this form of therapy could be available on the NHS for everyone with dementia as it is clearly so beneficial.'

Prof. Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England – the leading representative body for independent care services in England, states, 'Music therapy is intrinsic to enriching the quality of life for those with dementia. Recent research demonstrates the significant role it has to play in supporting a better quality of life, and that is because music taps into the resources that people with dementia still have, enabling them to maintain connections with loved ones and the world around them. But, the impact is wider reaching. Carers also see the impact that music therapy can have and thus helps them to better understand the people they are caring for, providing a higher quality of care.'

Over 800,000 people live with dementia in Britain and this is expected to increase to 2 million by 2050. Currently, provision of music therapy for people with dementia is uneven across the UK and those diagnosed are often not able to access it when they need to. Pemma is one of over 800 HCPC state registered music therapists who use the unique non-verbal properties of music to support people at all stages of their lives – from helping new born babies develop healthy bonds with their parents, to offering vital, sensitive and compassionate palliative care at the end of life.

Donald Wetherick, Chair of Trustees, says, 'The British Association for Music Therapy is committed to ensuring that music therapy is available to all those who can benefit. This Music Therapy Week we are focusing on people with dementia and their families. Dementia care is a growing healthcare need – it is also an area where music therapist's skills are being shown to be effective and valued. We want to see the enormous potential for music therapy in this field being realized, for the benefit of all those affected by dementia.'

Events for Music Therapy Week are taking place throughout the week from Shetland down to Truro including a parliamentary roundtable discussion sponsored by MPs Tracey Crouch and Debbie Abrahams, taster music therapy sessions, open days, exhibitions, and live improvisational gatherings.

Highlights include:

  • An open community group meeting for people with dementia, their families and carers, and improvisational session and welcoming back of puffins at Simbugh Lighthouse, Shetland, Tuesday 23 June
  • Open morning at the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability, Putney, London, Wednesday 24 June
  • Roundtable parliamentary discussion, 'Music therapy and dementia: enriching life when it is needed most', Portcullis House, Victoria Embankment, Thursday 25 June
  • Cornish church tower bells will peal for Music Therapy Week, Saturday 27 June
  • A week of instrument making, concerts and tea parties for the children and families at Rainbows Hospice in Loughborough, All week.

 

Find out more about what's happening during Music Therapy Week 2015, view our MTW2015 Events Map.

 

To find out how you can get involved, please visit www.bamt.org and support the campaign online at Facebook and Twitter using @musictherapyuk #MTW2015 #musictherapyuk 


For supplementary information please click below:

Music Therapy & Dementia Doc

BAMT MTW2015 PR Doc

---------

For further information, please contact:

Grace Watts,

British Association for Music Therapy

M: 07989 355337

E: pr@bamt.org

Thursday 4 June 2015

Functional Casting and Contracture Management in Neurology Short Course, September 2015, London.

Functional Casting and Contracture Management in Neurology Short Course. Saturday 26th September.  Regional Rehabilitation Unit, London.

Optimising alignment and maintaining range for patients in the early stages of neuro-rehabilitation is very important. Many units now adopt techniques to apply semi-rigid casts to help maintain range although these are generally used as resting splints. Definitive Ankle Foot Orthoses (AFOs) can play a major role in getting such patients on their feet in an optimum alignment to compliment recovery.
 
This course describes and contains a practical workshop on how these casts can be modified to act as weight bearing devices to facilitate gait as an assessment or temporary tool while waiting for a definitive orthosis to be manufactured. This also makes the cast a more dynamic device for providing stretch and maintaining muscle length.
 
The presenters have worked together for many years in this specialist inpatient neuro-rehab setting and will share how they integrate use of orthotic intervention to facilitate early treatment.

The course is open to Orthotists and therapists involved in neuro-rehabilitation along with Prosthetist-Orthotist Students.

Cost:
BAPO Member - £130
Non-member - £190

**Please note registrations close 1 September 2015**

To book a place on the workshop please click here for a copy of the booking form and submit to the BAPO Secretariat using the details below.

Tuesday 2 June 2015

BAPO Bulletin June 2015

NICE

BAPO has responded to 3 NICE consultations this month on your behalf.
Stroke, Osteoarthritis and Pressure Ulcers.

HCPC Fees Increase

BAPO responded as your professional body on the consultation to increase HCPC fees. Unfortunately although we did not support the fee increases, they have decided to increase the registration fee from £80 to £90 for all registrants.

Workforce Planning

BAPO is currently involved in workforce planning nationally with 3 different work-streams in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

We actively need your help to identify practitioners who are working in a different way, whether its using innovative technology, integrated in different teams or pushing the boundaries of their clinical practice- we want to hear from you for a quick synopsis.

Time is pressing, we need this evidence by 12th June. Please e-mail us at enquiries@bapo.com with your details if you want to be involved.

2015/16 Work-streams

BAPO work-streams for 2015/16 have been identified.
·       Workforce planning
·       Professional review
·       Centres of Excellence Scheme
·       Commissioning (service specification document)
·       We will also conduct a membership review to investigate what we do as an association, where your money goes and what you want out of the association in the future.

These work-streams will run alongside existing engagement with the Orthotic service review in England, creating an evidence base for clinical practice and supporting our regional groups.

Interested in one of the subjects above and want to become involved? Contact enquiries@bapo.com

Confidential Patient Communication Guidance

Independent guidance to help ensure safe, confidential and effective emailing between patients and healthcare professionals has been published by the Professional Record Standards Body (PRSB).

The guidance, created and backed by key organisations representing care professionals and patients, reflects PRSB findings that 9 out of 10 people want this electronic option to be more widely available. It builds on existing email practice to ensure that safety, confidentiality and effectiveness are assured for patients and professionals, allowing a real alternative to letters and faxes that currently cost the NHS more than £100m a year.

The PRSB, an independent body, was asked to consult widely with patient and professional representatives to develop the guidance, which is published to coincide with the new Secure Email standard issued by the health service’s authority in this area – the NHS Standardisation Committee for Care Information (SCCI). The guidance reflects the findings of a new PRSB report into the issue, entitled Faster, better, safer, healthier communications.

Access the report here.

Access the standards and guidance here.

For further information email the PRSB at info@theprsb.org 


For details on our short course programme, please visit our website www.bapo.com

Sunday 31 May 2015

Parliament recognises that allied health professionals (AHPs) possess a diverse range of unique skills

That the Parliament recognises that allied health professionals (AHPs) possess a diverse range of unique skills and expertise in rehabilitation and enablement that are key to supporting self-management and enabling active, independent and productive living; believes that AHPs are crucial in the treatment and prevention not only of physical ill health but also of mental ill health; recognises the added value that AHPs can have in terms of preventative, upstream approaches; acknowledges that AHP interventions can significantly reduce unnecessary hospital admission and can help to reduce dependency on care services, resulting in savings to health and social care; recognises and congratulates the increasing number of AHPs in Scotland on the important role that they play in prevention, early intervention and enablement in supporting the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland throughout their lives; believes that this approach can be further strengthened through the ongoing integration of health and social care services; further believes that the valued role of AHPs would be best supported by understanding the areas that are most in need and therefore calls for an audit of the National Delivery Plan for the Allied Health Professions in Scotland, 2012 – 2015 with a specific focus on performance of self-referral as a primary route for access and musculoskeletal AHP waiting times;  - See more at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=9955&i=91428&c=1829342#sthash.MCYREGND.dpuf

Shoe Collections

Are you collecting orthopaedic shoes for charity? Please get in touch with the secretariat for details of services that have footwear that can be donated.  Collection would be required.


0141 561 7217 

Wednesday 29 April 2015

QuDoS awards

Are you an Orthotist working with MS. Do you want to demonstrate your role in the  treatment of MS? The QuDoS awards is now live www.qudos-ms.com. Details of the various categories and how to enter is on the website.

Monday 27 April 2015

BAPO Bulletin April 2015


The Executive Committee are meeting on 25th April to set the workstreams for 2015 for the association. Issues were raised at the AGM by the membership which will be discussed and an action plan will be circulated in the next month.

Professional Affairs Committee are meeting on Friday 24th April. Included in the Agenda are progression of treatment posters; review of our standards in light of HCPCs intended update; consideration of Jonathan Wright’s proposal for a professional review; progression of regional meetings; developments with NICE and much more!

Insurance renewal

The BAPO Insurance policies renews on 01/05/15 and if by any chance you have not returned your insurance renewal form before this date then you will no longer covered under the BAPO Membership Policies so please return your form ASAP.

HCPC

HCPC have 2 consultations running at the moment.
The first is on planned changes to their Standards of conduct, performance and ethics. The consultation will run from 1 April until 26 June 2015, expecting that new standards will be in place in early 2016.


The second is on a planned rise to their annual fees.

To see the consultations and to take part visit http://www.hcpc-uk.org/aboutus/consultations/

Department of Health NHS England

New handbooks to support personalised care planning for long term conditions - NHS England has published three new handbooks to support commissioners and practitioners in planning services for people with long term conditions (LTCs), in order to achieve more effective, personalised care for this group. LTCs currently account for £7 of every £10 health and social care spend in England. The guides cover three key areas: identifying people in the population with LTCs that are most vulnerable and at risk of unplanned hospital admissions; planning personalised care and support; and best-practice multi-disciplinary working across professional and organisational boundaries.  The handbooks are available on NHS England’s website at http://www.england.nhs.uk/resources/resources-for-ccgs/out-frwrk/dom-2/ltc-care

Surveys

Latrobe university is running a survey open to 30th June, 2015. They are interested in work related injuries for Prothetists and Orthotists and would like to survey the profession in the UK. You can access the survey through the link on the BAPO website front page or by clicking the link below https://latrobe.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_b4sP2QYFtTB8UuN

James Lind Alliance are looking for Orthotists to assist on the Early OA of Hip and Knee survey which aims to identify your most pressing unanswered questions about the diagnosis, surgical and non-surgical treatment, and likely outcomes of early OA of hip and/ or knee. This will ensure that future research can be prioritised according to the needs of patients, carers and health professionals.

The survey takes about 10 minutes to complete, so please take this opportunity to influence the future of early OA of hip and knee.

The Survey can be found here  http://tiny.cc/lb71vx  Further information here http://tiny.cc/3d71vx

Short courses

Advanced orthotic technology: functional stimulation for drop foot and associated weakness in neurologically impaired gait.

Saturday 16th May- Birmingham cost £135Critical Appraisal course

Thursday 18th  June  Seacroft Hospital, Leeds   £70


For more details on our short course programme, please visit our website www.bapo.com