Hereward College staff become CECOPS Approved Trainers for Community Disability Equipment

Three senior members of staff from Hereward College, a general FE College in Coventry with specialist facilities and services for students with physical and learning disabilities, have recently undergone training and were successful in becoming CECOPS Approved Trainers for the use of Community Disability Equipment.

Hereward College has about 400 students with physical and learning disabilities, many of whom use community equipment for therapeutic, mobility, communication, educational, environmental, independence and rehabilitation needs. The college makes extensive use of community equipment including electronic communicators, environmental controls, telecare and access control equipment.

The accreditation was awarded to Hereward College by CECOPS. Notably the Chair of CECOPS, Sir Bert Massie CBE, was once a student of Hereward College.

CECOPS’ CEO, Brian Donnelly, said, “It was a privilege to have been asked by Hereward College to train some members of its staff. CECOPS seeks to build its reputation on delivering an all-round good quality service and by having a reputable and established organisation such as Hereward College on-board as one of its Approved Trainers will undoubtedly help us in realising this aim.”

With this achievement, the College will be able to provide a formally recognized and credible training programme covering all aspects of commissioning, providing and the clinical and professional responsibilities of assistive technology. Additionally, the accreditation will allow the college to improve the quality of service of assessing students’ assistive technology needs and providing the most appropriate assistive technology solutions.

Paul Doyle, Access, Research and Development Manager at Hereward College, and now a CECOPS Approved Trainer, said: Having worked in Assistive Technology service provision for nearly twenty years I find it particularly reassuring to be involved with a code of practice that protects both the user and the provider in equal measure and is based on an inclusive, person centred approach.

CECOPS welcomes 4 new Approved Trainers

CECOPS is glad to welcome four new Approved Trainers. There is a growing interest in the training side of CECOPS as more people are coming forward to either be trained on the Code of Practice, or to become CECOPS Approved Trainers themselves.

Three senior members of staff from Hereward College have recently undergone training to become CECOPS Approved Trainers. Hereward College is a general further education College in Coventry.

The college has developed an expertise in assessing for and providing a broad spectrum of Assistive Technologies across the living and learning environments, including technologies commonly known as community equipment.

Paul Doyle, Access, Research and Development Manager at Hereward College, and now a CECOPS Approved Trainer, said, the Code of Practice ‘is a ground-breaking and much needed initiative’.

Also, Andrew Garforth, a Training Officer for Leeds community equipment and telecare service has also been trained. Andrew currently provides training to local authority and NHS staff.

There will also soon be a Post Graduate Certificate available related to the Code of Practice. This will cover Commissioning, Service Provision and Clinical and Professional Responsibilities. Subscribe to our free E-Newsletter to keep up to date with training developments http://www.cecops.org.uk/newsletter-signup/

 *Did you know our Code of Practice also extends to commissioning and provision of telehealth*

To book training on the Code of Practice or to view all CECOPS Approved Trainers go here: http://www.cecops.org.uk/approved-trainers/

Code of Practice to be taught as part of University Degree

Safe and effective clinical practice in the assessment and provision of community (disability) equipment is to be taught and assessed as part of the pre-registration BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy at Oxford Brookes University. This will commence in spring 2012. The module will be based on the Code of Practice for Community Equipment and will be delivered by CECOPS Approved Trainers.

Our Executive Director, Brian Donnelly, says:

“This is a major step forward in terms of getting those responsible for assessing and providing community equipment with the right knowledge base to provide their role more effectively. This can only result in better outcomes for the service user, and we are delighted that Oxford Brookes University see the value the Code will bring to their students.”