Background:
The number of Paediatric OTs working in the acute setting has been growing over the years, however the numbers working in this area still remain small.
A networking group was set up by Ots working at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital a number of years ago with the aim of meeting the learning development needs of this specialised group of children's OTs. The group usually meets twice a year (May and November) at the Wolfson Centre - Mecklenburgh Square, London.
It is not always easy however, for OTs to attend the group's bi-annual meetings due to time constraints, travel costs and so on. The specialist section webpages of the COT website is another way for OTs working in this speciality to share information or experiences, as a way of addressing professional and clinical issues.
If you have ideas of what you would like included on the acute network web pages, please contact Catriona Ogilvy
email: catriona.ogilvy@rmh.nhs.uk
Network Aims:
- To support the clinical needs of Paediatric OT's working in an acute setting.
- To provide a forum for networking and maintaining a database of Acute Paediatric OT’s and their expertise.
- To optimise clinical knowledge and promote best practice, by sharing of information, teaching, presentations and discussion.
- To address professional matters that affect acute paediatric OT’s as a clinical group.
Forthcoming Events:
Acute Group Meetings for 2008 will be held on Friday 16th May and Friday 14th November at York House, Great Ormond Street (opposite the hospital entrance).
Previous Meetings:
Topics covered in previous acute group meetings include:
- Pre-Operative OT Assessment Procedures in Paediatric Orthopaedics;
- The Role of Developmental Therapists in the NICU;
- Presentation of a research proposal - “A qualitative study to investigate the experiences of children with cerebral palsy and their parents, when the child has orthopaedic surgery to correct hip dislocation/malformation”;
Links with COT Specialist Section Children’s, Young People and Families:
In November 2006, the acute group voted unanimously to formally become a sub group of the COT Specialist Section Children's, Young People and Families. Benefits of this will include; attendance to the group to become more open and inclusive to all, an increased profile and awareness of the role and work of children’s OT’s in an acute setting, as well as enabling guidance to be sought from the COT with regard to projects such as practice guideline development.
Acute Paediatric Representatives:
Chair - Claire Goodman was nominated at Novembers meeting to Chair the sub group for one year and to be a co-opted member of the Children, Young People and Families Specialist Section, representing acute paediatric OT’s at NEC level.
Contact Clare.Goodman@brunel.ac.uk
Secretary - Nicky Jessop has kindly agreed to continue to hold the acute group database, updating members contact details and adding new members where appropriate. Please contact Nicky for all enquiries with regards to becoming a member of the sub group or please do let her know if your contact details change.
Contact JESSON@gosh.nhs.uk
