This #OTalk based on outcome measures is hosted by Charlotte Wise (@charlee_w), occupational therapist working in a female prison.  I am keen to develop the role of occupational therapy in the prison environment and recognise the positive impacts of occupational therapy can offer to these marginalised service users.

It is recommended that occupational therapists should be measuring and recording outcomes of interventions conducted with service users to provide evidence of the effectiveness of work which we are completing.  By evidencing intervention effectiveness, occupational therapists can assist with service development and clinical audits.

In conversations with peers, it is evident that finding standardised outcome measures to use can be difficult, especially in forensic or justice services. Outcome measures are then sporadically used meaning there is minimal evidence of the effectiveness of occupational therapy in the different service areas.

I am keen to use #OTalk to discuss with a variety of different professionals, what outcome measures are being used, the process of selecting and using outcome measures, the benefits of standardised and non-standardised outcomes and how helpful they are in measuring quality or effectiveness of intervention

References

College of Occupational Therapists (2015) Measuring Outcomes. Accessed online on 16^th April 2022 at Research-Briefing-Measuring-Outcomes-Nov2015.pdf (rcot.co.uk)

Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (2019) Outcome Measures Checklist.  Accessed online on 16^th April 2022 at selecting-outcome-measures.pdf (rcslt.org)

Questions

1. Introduction – areas of practice are individuals currently working? In practice, are you currently using outcome measures to measure effectiveness of interventions?
2. What is your understanding of an outcome measure?
3. In practice, what outcome measures are being used? Are they occupational therapy specific?
4. What are the barriers of using outcome measures in practice?
5. What can be done to make the outcome measures more accessible, user friendly, useable in practice?

Host:  Charlotte Wise (@charlee_w)

Support on OTalk Account: Sam @smileyfacehalo

Evidence your CPD. If you joined in this chat you can download the below transcript as evidence for your CPD, but remember the HCPC are interested in what you have learnt.  So why not complete one of our reflection logs to evidence your learning?

https://otalk.co.uk/reflection-logs/

HCPC Standards for CPD.

• Maintain a continuous, up-to-date and accurate record of their CPD activities.
• Demonstrate that their CPD activities are a mixture of learning activities relevant to current or future practice.
• Seek to ensure that their CPD has contributed to the quality of their practice and service delivery.
• Seek to ensure that their CPD benefits the service user.
• Upon request, present a written profile (which must be their own work and supported by evidence) explaining how they have met the Standards for CPD.