A new NHS guidance document has been produced on the after care needs of inpatients recovering from COVID-19; it can be found on our Covid-19 resource page or downloaded below:
News
Dementia Webinars
The AHP Dementia Webinar Team have worked on some new webinars on supporting patients. The following is a message from them including links to register for the webinars
Let’s stay connected: Allied Health Professionals using digital technology to stay connected with people living with dementia or supporting a person with dementia
In these times of change we have all had to adapt to how we stay connected to each other and those we support. Our series of webinars by allied health professionals during dementia awareness week in Scotland, will provide an overview of how we CAN support you if you are living with dementia or supporting a person with dementia. There will be an opportunity to ask questions throughout and during the Q and A section of the webinar. Everyone is welcome to join us
Please register for our first webinar of the week called :
Enhancing lives through technology – AHP Dementia Webinar Series on June 1st, 2020 3:30 PM at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2873201311764537870
Register for our second webinar called :
Connecting People, Connecting Support Online – AHP Dementia Webinar on June 2nd, 2020 3:30 PM at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3784036744214367758
Please register for our third webinar called:
Staying physically active during Covid – AHP Dementia Webinar on June 3rd, 2020 3:30 PM at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/39188101091162382
Please register for our final webinar called:
Supporting people to eat and drink well with dementia – AHP Dementia Webinar on June 5th, 2020 3:30 PM at:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/963319927655393038
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
Workforce Survey
Thanks to those who have responded to our ‘Workforce Survey’. This poll has been designed to get a perspective on members experiences and, through comments, their views on the current Covid-19 crisis; providing the opportunity to explain how this has affected them, the services where they work and patients they treat.
In responding to the crisis BAPO are engaging with patient/user groups and stakeholder bodies, and are seeking out concerns raised by their members. In addition we are also reaching out to the national P&O managers groups and employers to clarify if there is a shared position in response to the crisis.
Initial issues which have been raised include:-
- Unclear position on urgent care being offered
- Unclear provision for growth in children who depend on an orthosis or prosthesis
- What pathways will be available to those not be able to obtain a prothesis or orthosis?
- What are the plans to manage access once services resume (including how will the backlog be prioritised and will social distancing impact on capacity)?
- How can parents/users access advice (including access to remote advice and information)?
We aim to collate the returned initial views and opinions by Friday and then draw on those to produce initial guidelines for all stakeholders. This is so that they can be used to advise and signpost clinicians, managers, carers, parents and service users.
As a follow up we plan to organise a webinar for the week of May 4th to communicate with service users and stakeholders; to share those guidelines. BAPO will now aim to develop a consensus on the best way to manage the current challenges and those which will emerge as P&O clinical services reboot.
Best wishes
Lynne
Lynne Rowley
Chair BAPO
BAPO Guidelines for Virtual Patient Assessment
In light of the Covid-19 Pandemic and the challenges it has caused to normal practice, a working group was formed to assist our clinicians in providing a virtual service.
This group has worked incredibly hard in a very short timescale to produce some new guidance for the profession and we would like to thank them all for their work.
The attached guidelines have been created to allow Orthotists to pro-actively rise to the challenges faced in the current climate and enable Orthotists to still treat non-urgent patients without the need for face-to-face consultations in a standard orthotic clinic
You can find these guidelines here BAPO Guidelines for Virtual Patient Assessment or in the education resource section of the website
If you have any feedback or questions relating to these guidelines please email enquiries@bapo.com
Opportunities for employment in NHS Scotland.
Are you a Prosthetic and Orthotic Students based in Scotland?
Are you in your final 3-6 months of your degree?
Under the UK Coronavirus Act 2020, Emergency Registers have opened to former registrants to accelerate the workforce capacity across NHS Scotland. NHS Education Scotland (NES) has created an accelerated recruitment portal live from 29th March.
This portal will be collecting applications from across health and social care immediately, within health, initial priority for processing will be given to returners, nursing, midwifery and AHP students within the final 3-6 months of their education or final year of their honours programme.
To apply please access via
https://www.careers.nhs.scot/coronavirus-covid-19-recruitment/
Covid-19 E-learning
HEE have just released a new e-learning to support those healthcare workers dealing with Covid-19. It is hosted by ELfH but is available to all as free to access
Or to see other resources for Covid-19 please click here
Covid-19 & AHP
The AHP Council have released a letter of support and guidance for AHPs at this time, Here is the letter from Chief AHP Suzanne Rastrick and to view the letter please click below
“Dear Chief AHPs,
Please find attached a letter giving guidance and support to Allied Health Professions (AHPs) and AHPs support workers during this unprecedented time. The letter, written collaboratively by the four nations Chief AHP Officers, Council of Deans of Health, Health and Care Professions Council, General Osteopathic Council and the AHP Federation, recognises the need for flexibility in the delivery of services and that this requires a rational approach to the varying practice in such an emergency situation. The expectation of employers, educationalists, professional bodies, and national NHS organisations will be that they are flexible in their approach and that healthcare professional regulators, including the HCPC and GOsC, have already committed to take into account factors relevant to the environment in which the professional is working.
This can be stressful, and we recognise that you may have concerns about both the professional practicalities and implications of working in such circumstances as well as the physical and emotional wellbeing of the workforce. Our advice for clinicians on coronavirus can be found here https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/
Thank you to the many AHPs and their support staff across the NHS, wider health and care systems, and public health services who have already made major contributions to the response to COVID-19. We are very proud of the response of the professions in all areas of practice in their initial response to this challenge. We are confident of the commitment, dedication, professionalism and hard work that the AHPs workforce have and will continue to have over the course of this significant pandemic.
Please share this with the AHP workforce across the systems in which you work.”
Kind regards
Suzanne
Suzanne Rastrick OBE Chief Allied Health Professions Officer (England)
Covid-19 & HCPC
Statement from UK Chief Allied Health Professions Officers and the Health and Care Professions Council regarding returnees to the HCPC register to respond to coronavirus demand |
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The coronavirus has united the nation in our efforts to delay the spread of the virus and support vulnerable members of our communities. Health and social care services will be under increasing pressure as the number of cases increase. We are proud that many Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) who have recently left the HCPC register have expressed a willingness to come back and help during the national emergency. We thank you for this and are keen to ensure your temporary return is as smooth as possible. For this reason, we have agreed to automatically re-register all AHPs who have voluntarily left the HCPC register over the last three years onto a temporary COVID-19 Register once the government has passed its emergency legislation. The HCPC will be contacting former registrants over the coming weeks to explain this process. There will also be more detailed information about HCPC’s policy, guidance to those who choose to return, and FAQs at www.hcpc-uk.org/covid-19. Being placed on this temporary register does not assume any obligation to offer support as we appreciate not everyone will be able to do so for a variety of reasons. To everyone who does offer to help in this time of crisis we would like to express our sincere appreciation.
Suzanne Rastrick, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, NHS England Jennifer Keane, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, Department of Health Northern Ireland Carolyn MacDonald, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer, Scottish Government Ruth Crowder, Chief Therapies (Allied Health Professions) Adviser, Welsh Government John Barwick, Chief Executive and Registrar, Health and Care Professions Council Notes to editors The Health and Care Professions Council is an independent regulator set up by the Health and Social Work Professions Order 2001. The HCPC keeps a register for 15 different health and care professions and only registers people who meet the standards it sets for their training, professional skills, behaviour and health. The HCPC will take action against professionals who do not meet these standards or who use a protected title illegally. The HCPC currently regulates 15 health and care professions. Each of these professions has one or more ‘protected titles’. Anyone who uses one of these titles must register with the HCPC. The full list of protected titles can be found here. Requests for interview should be made through the HCPC Press Office on 07585 992 942 or press@hcpc-uk.org. |
Naidex
Further to its announcement of postponement last week, the organiser of leading independent living show Naidex, is pleased to be able to announce the new dates of 9th and 10th November 2020. The event will take place at the same venue the NEC Birmingham and all tickets remain valid.
This includes all events co-located with Naidex including Smart Home for Assisted Living, Dementia, Care & Nursing Home, Home Care Expo, Care Tech Live, European Neuro Convention, Medical Imaging Convention, European Oncology Convention and AI&ML Convention.
Like many large event organisers, this has been a complex situation and difficult for everyone involved. We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all our exhibitors, speakers and partners for their messages of support.
We very much look forward to welcoming you all later in the year.
The Naidex Team
Enquiries@ROARB2B.com or +44 (0) 117 990 2093.
For more information or for tickets click here
#BAPO2020 Update
After careful consideration, we have decided to postpone our 2020 BAPO Conference.
This is not a decision we have come to lightly, but feel it is the right decision for the health & wellbeing of our Exhibitors, Delegates & Presenters. We are in ongoing communication with all involved and If we have not managed to reach you yet, please know that we will be in touch.
We are working with our venue and event partners to secure new dates and hope to make an announcement next week.
Thank you for all your support and we look forward to welcoming you to #BAPO2020 later in the year