Healthcare professionals to benefit from free OT-led adapted driving CPD sessions at OT Show

Driving Mobility, a national charity that provides specialist driving and mobility assessment centres, will be offering occupational therapist-led CPD seminars on stand A50 at the OT Show at the NEC in Birmingham on 22 and 23 November.

Driving Mobility’s CPD schedule includes four seminars, ‘Hubs Mobility Advice Service – how do we keep connected in the community?’, ‘The Driving Assessment Experience’, ‘The Power of Early Powered Mobility’, and ‘The role of the OT in a Driving Assessment’.

‘Hubs Mobility Advice Service – how do we keep connected in the community?’ will take place on 22 November from 10.30-10.45am and 12.30-12.45pm, presented by Amy Parnell, Occupational Therapist (OT).

Operated by Driving Mobility, the Hubs Service advises on accessible transport solutions that enable people to stay connected with their community and beyond, especially when driving is not an option.

The Hubs Service aims to do this through encouraging and enabling older drivers to consider a driving retirement plan; providing guidance on inclusive public transport options; signposting to local partners such as community transport schemes, travel ‘befriending’, and ‘buddying’ services; providing information on the legal rights of disabled passengers; and offering advice on appropriate mobility equipment.

Attendees will gain insight into how the Hubs Mobility Advice Service works with healthcare professionals to improve awareness of transport and travel options for clients with restricted mobility. The session will also explore how the Driver Retirement Plan is a working tool that can help avoid the trauma of driving cessation.

Additionally on 22 November, from 11.30-11.45am, and 2.30-2.45pm, ‘The Driving Assessment Experience’ will be presented by Emily Jane Else, Customer and Trainee OT.

Emily from Swansea, an OT student with cerebral palsy, has been able to drive and hence attend university thanks to the South Wales Driving Mobility Centre. Emily will explain her experiences as a learner driver with a disability and how the Driving Mobility service benefited her both as a consumer and trainee healthcare professional.

The session aims to help attendees understand Driving Mobility services in more detail, ranging from clinical assessments to guidance on vehicle adaptations and specialist driving tuition. Emily will highlight what this means to her in terms of independence and future career development.

‘The Power of Early Powered Mobility’ will take place on 23 November from 10.30-10.45am and 12.30-12.45pm, presented by Kate El Bizanti, OT.

This session will increase awareness and knowledge of the benefits of powered mobility in young children through the Bugzi Powerchair Loan Scheme.

Learning outcomes of the session include beneficial evidence of providing powered mobility at an early age, understanding that powered mobility for young children is more than learning wheelchair skills, and increased accessibility though our new ‘Schools Squad’.

Finally, ‘The role of the OT in a Driving Assessment’, presented by Clare Jones, OT at the Regional Driving Assessment centre (RDAC), will take place from 11.30-11.45am and 2.30-2.45pm on the 23 November.

This CPD session will outline the role of OTs in driving assessments. It will demonstrate how they provide cognitive and on-road assessments.

It aims to create awareness of the steps an OT carries out during a client assessment, awareness of assessment challenges in relation to different medical conditions, and assist consideration of which vehicles and adaptations are most suitable.

Additionally, the session explains the steps required to ascertain if a driver is safe to drive, how to build confidence with a driving instructor, and shares advice on obtaining a driving licence, theory tests, and driving lessons.

Visit the Driving Mobility website to find out more.

Abacus Specialist Bathroom Solutions, in association with The OT Service, will be presenting free assisted bathing CPD sessions at the OT Show 2023 on stand F25.