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Hi Simon. RAATE 2003 can be found at http://www.raate.org.uk/ and http://www.icesdoh.org has some interesting stuff on the integration of community equipment services. Follow their events link for the RAATE conference. Perhaps RAATE 2003 is the place to raise this issue more formally. Session S1 (b) is about the working party on Specialist Services - with Alan Turner-Smith. It is likely the IPEM is the organisation for this as they are currently working to formalise the professional registration of Clinical Technologists, which encompasses Rehab Engineers etc. See you there. Geoff. -----Original Message----- From: Simon Judge [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: 30 September 2003 08:55 To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Careers in AT I'm not sure about who should be creating the title, i'm only just finding out about all the different institutions etc (the reason for this thread!) myself (after 4 years in the field)... But yes, I do think I should be able to go to a website, say i'm working in the field, download best practice documents, be put in touch with other AT professionals and become accredited, yes! Is anything like this on the agenda for RAATE? I see there is "Competencies for AT specialists" session and maybe it will come up in the plenaries? Cheers. Simon > -----Original Message----- > From: Zahid Aejaz (RFF) Clinical Enginneer > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > Sent: 29 September 2003 11:12 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Careers in AT > > > Hi all > > On the other side of the pond RESNA have created the > qualification/title of > ATP (assistive technology practitioner) which is a measure of > a basic set of > competencies expected of all professionals involved in > assessing disabled > individuals for AT e.g. Engineers, OTs, PTs, SLTs etc. This > qualification > seems to have become pretty much a pre-requisite when it > comes to careers in > AT. In the US you will now often find job adverts for AT > specialists where > the required qualification is stated as ATP regardless of the > background of > the professional (engineering, therapy, education etc). > This makes perfect sense to me. As most persons working in > the field are > aware, there is frequently considerable overlap between the > professions and > many aspects of our work can only be done effectively in a > multidisciplinary > manner. Do people on Assistech feel that an organisation such > as AAATE (for > example) ought to be looking at creating a similiar > qualification/title here > in Europe? > > Regards, Aejaz > > > > ________________________________________ > Aejaz Zahid > Senior Clinical Scientist > Medical Physics & Clinical Engineering > Barnsley DGH NHS Trust > Barnsley S75 2EP > [T] 01226-730000 x2159 > [F] 01226-208159 > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Harbach Geoff [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] > > Sent: Monday, September 29, 2003 10:24 AM > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: Re: Careers in AT > > > > Hi Simon. > > > > I think your graphical road map is excellent. I wonder what > it would look > > like for our area. > > > > With regards to the professional title, I am not aware of the title > > "Assistive Technologist", in the same way as "Rehab > Engineer" or "S<" or > > "Physiotherapist". If it does exist so well and good, but I > bet you can't > > get a pamphlet on it like some of the other professions. Part of the > > problem > > I suspect is the small number of us. This is possibly down > to awareness of > > the problem and the number of centres doing this sort of work. > > > > I know there is a vast gulf between what could be supplied > to enhance the > > computer access capabilities of many clients, and what is > supplied - due > > to > > funding difficulties and the division of health and > education. This is > > particularly difficult when young adults go to college as > the DWS's don't > > want to pay for it and they are no longer "at school" so education > > authorities don't seem to get involved. > > > > Kings do a course in AT, but that is an MSC, requiring > resources of time > > and > > money! > > http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/kcsmd/mep/core/mscinat/core_mscinat1.htm > > > > What guidance would we give to someone leaving school who > wished to pursue > > a > > career in AT? Which courses are suitable? > > > > Rehab Engineers are only just being integrated into the > IPEM. Creating a > > new > > occupational group for "Assistive Technologists" could be a > problem, or, > > this might be the right time to do it. > > > > I shall be looking into the information provided by Mrs Draffan with > > interest. > > > > Good Luck, > > > > Geoff > > > > G.J.Harbach I.Eng MIED IIPEM > > Clinical Technologist > > Special Controls Service Manager > > Posture & Mobility Services > > West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre > > 91 Oak Tree Lane, Selly Oak > > Birmingham, B29 6JA > > Tel 0121 627 8941 > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Simon Judge [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > > Sent: 26 September 2003 11:26 > > To: [log in to unmask] > > Subject: Re: Careers in AT > > > > > > Yes, thanks Barry - I think I will end up joining IPEM... > Interesting > > though, since my first instinct was to join an 'institute' > affiliated > > with my original training (i.e. IEE / BCS)! I think i'll just join > > both! > > > > We've tried to be very specific about the specialised > service we offer > > (easier for us I suppose), but are also regularly meeting > with the other > > education and health based AAC/AT services in the area... As part of > > this we produced a map of how the services should link together and > > disseminated this to both professions to try and improve > referrals... > > www.meru.org.uk/aac-london/ for a look! > > > > Cheers. > > > > Simon > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Taylor, Barry [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > > > Sent: 26 September 2003 09:44 > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > Subject: Re: Careers in AT > > > > > > > > > Simon > > > > > > IPEM http://www.ipem.org.uk/ > > > might be the closest professional body to what you do. You > > > can become a member without working for the NHS (and a > > > chartered engineer too). I think it's fair to say that IPEM > > > has been very physics biased although it is trying to change. > > > I'm not sure how it would fit in to the education field. > > > > > > There does seem to be an enormous gulf between AT in > > > education and in health. In Hull we work closely with > > > education staff (teachers, SaLTs,advisors), but still don't > > > manage to talk to their technologists. > > > > > > Participating in a working group on "independent living" > > > recently it has been interesting to see the differing views > > > of what constitutes EAT or even AT. It seems partly due to > > > the very diverse & patchy services around the country. And we > > > didn't even touch on children! I have constant difficulty in > > > defining our AT service which deals with anything that other > > > provision can't handle! > > > > > > To answer you original question - it's very fragmented isn't > > > it? I can't imagine how a career could be planned in any detail. > > > Barry Taylor, Clinical Scientist > > > Bioengineering Department > > > Tulley Medical Physics Building, Hull Royal Infirmary > > > Anlaby Road, Hull HU3 2JZ > > > Tel 01482 675928, fax 01482 675750 > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Simon Judge [mailto:[log in to unmask]] > > > Sent: 25 September 2003 19:26 > > > To: [log in to unmask] > > > Subject: Re: Careers in AT > > > > > > > > > Exactly! Thanks for the comments. > > > > > > I am currently investigating becoming registered as a > > > Clinical Scientist - > > > since this seems to be the nearest thing to a professional > > > body. I am on > > > the CS payscale although not directly working for the NHS. > > > Because of this > > > it looks like I wont be able to register! > > > > > > I don't think that the field should be defined by the > professional's > > > background/training/speciality. I can only think of > > > vocational professions > > > where people are categorised in this way. There seems to be > > > plenty of them > > > and us as it is (education/health/rehab). The profession is > > > defined by what > > > service you are providing to the end users... if it is to do > > > with AT then > > > you are an AT professional. > > > > > > Geoff - in what way is AT professional (or variant) not a > identifiable > > > title? Is the crux about creating a title that people can > > > attach themselves > > > to? What needs to happen to 'register' the title and have > the relevant > > > professional bodies in the different sectors recognise it > (short of a > > > miracle!)? > > > > > > RE: websites for jobs - is not FAST the kind of organisation that > > > could/should host this? > > > > > > I didn't realise EAT didn't include powered mobility! Also - > > > should the > > > field be aiming towards a state where the user interface is > > > not dependent > > > on the technology the user is trying to use? > > > > > > Sorry, lots of questions and blah! > > > > > > Cheers. > > > > > > Simon > > > >