The stroke clinical forum has a working committee of 8 Occupational Therapists representing acute, rehab, community, education and research from across the UK.
Committee members represents COT and the SSNP on a number of national developments relating to stroke practice including the Royal College of Physicians Intercollegiate Working Party for Stroke (National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke), UK Stroke Forum and NICE.
Additional Occupational Therapists may be contacted via the membership database for advice, comment and input to requests for information and for national projects run by a variety of different organisations.
Recent 2007/2008 Achievements:
- Involvement in the consultation process for
- Stroke: The diagnosis and acute management of stroke and transient ischaemic attacks (NICE Clinical Guidelines 2008) Available www.nice.org.uk/CG68
- National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke (3rd ed) (Royal College of Physicians, RCP, 2008). Available www.rcplondon.ac.uk/pubs/brochure.aspx?e=250
- Occupational Therapy Concise Guide for Stroke (RCP, 2008) Available www.cot.org.uk/specialist/neurology/publications/intro.php
- UK Stroke Forum 2008 abstracts review
- Occupational Therapy Standards for Stroke (RCP & COT 2008)
- Profession Specific Stroke Audits: Organisational & Occupational Therapy Clinical Audits (RCP & COT 2007)
- National Stroke Strategy (DoH 2007)
- Review of patient information leaflets relating to stroke and occupational therapy.
Current 2008/2009 Projects:
- Planning and delivering a stroke training roadshow for occupational therapists, funded by COT-SSNP, to take place around the UK between Feb-April 2009
- Submitting chapters for the second edition of 'Occupational Therapy and Stroke' book with publication release planned for February 2010.
- Raising the profile of Occupational Therapists working in stroke through manned exhibits at the UK Stroke Forum Conference in Harrogate. Look out for our report on the 3rd annual UK Stroke Forum in Harrogate 2008 in the next June 2009 edition of the COT-SSNP news.
- Forging closer links with other stroke organisations to keep members informed of developments and facilitate joint working on projects
- Implementation of the National Stroke Strategy.
- Representing occupational therapy in the NHS Improvement Stroke Networks www.improvement.nhs.uk/stroke/ and the Health Care for London Group for strategic development of stroke services.
- Investigating involvement in the DoH UK Forum for Stroke Training for accrediting training programmes based on the National Stoke Strategy Quality Markers.
- Planning for the annual COT-SSNP conference 2010 with a focus on stroke.
- Planning for Strengthening links between Orthoptists and Occupational Therapists with cross education and training.
- Keeping members informed of developments and promoting topical discussions on the COT-SSNP website discussion forum including implementing the National Stroke Strategy and Stroke Networks with alerts in OTNews and this website. Members are encouraged to regularly visit the SSNP discussion forum at http://www.cot.org.uk/specialist/neurology/discussion/intro.php?f=7 and to add your questions or expert opinion to stimulate national discussion and share information on current projects and developments. After all, the discussion forums will only be as good as its contributors!
We want to represent you and address the national needs of OTs working with stroke. Please contact strokeforum@ssnp.co.uk regarding any issues you want raised at a national level including research, training and developments. We look forward to hearing from you.
