SMART VR: 2013 VRA Conference Presentations

Many of the presenters from our 2013 conference SMARTVR have kindly agreed to let us publish their presentations.  Our thanks to them for this.  Please do not distibute these but feel free to share the link to them on this website.  if you would like to make use of the information or share them more widely then please contact the presenter direcly or via the VRA to gain permission.

Keynotes

Transforming Sickness Absence - Presented by Dr Bill Gunnyeon CBE - Chief Medical Adviser and Director for Health andWellbeing at the Department for Work and Pensions 

GPs, sickness absence and vocational rehabilitation, UK leading the way? - Presented by Dr Rob Hampton, GP and Occupational Physician, Clinical Director The Fit For Work Team

Vocational Rehabilitation and Economic Growth - Presented by Kirstie Haines, Interim Programme Director for Greater Manchester Public Health Network

Are we ready for an ageing workforce? The opportunities and limits for extending working lives - Presented by Professor Sarah Vickerstaff

Workshops

Auditing your practice against the updated VRA standards - Presented by Lorna Glass, Vocational Case Manager, TICCS and a member of the VRA's Continuing Education Group

Psychosocial factors, and the use of  Early Intervention strategies to improve return to work outcomes - Presented by Monica Garcia, Claims Medical Specialist, Swiss Re

Lititgation and rehabilitation -Presented by Jonathan Betts, Partner and Manager of the Serious Injury Team in the Irwin Mitchell Manchester Office 

Developing Evidence Based Practice in VR -Presented by Dr Andy Tyerman, Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist & Head of Service, Community Head Injury Service, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust

Long Term Conditions: The Next Return to Work Challenge - Presented by Nicola Hunter,Working Towards Wellbeing

Using psychometrics; making wise decisions - Presented by Mark Cheesman, Director, Magdela Psychology

Mindfulness Based Interventions - Presented by Heather Regan-Addis, Director, Mindfulness Association

How do we demonstrate effectiveness? - Presented by Margaret Hanson - Director, WorksOut

Development of a VR Training Programme for Allied Health Professionals - Presented by Rachel O'Brien, Sheffield Hallam University

Rehabilitation 2013 (handout) - Presented by John Pilkington, Spring Rehabilitation

Mental health and workplace adjustments - Presented by Vanessa Moore, Senior Vocational Rehabilitation Consultant, Remploy

Being an Expert Witness - Presented by Peter Davies

Poster presentations - Chaired by Tamara Brown, University of Salford.  This year's posters were:-

• Excavation safety- keep fit and carry on digging
• Maintaining wellness following an occupationally focused evidence based psychological intervention
• A comparison of spinal angles when doing a typing task on a laptop and desktop in healthy subjects- a preliminary study

Student presentations - Chaired by Jean Brading, Rehab Window.  This year's presentations were:- 

• VR for patients with conversion disorder from a physiotherapeutic perspective
• Multiple Sclerosis: The barriers affecting employment
• What are the occupational experiences of long-term sick leave for those who have returned to work?
• VR and retaining women with disabilities in the workplace
• VR in the homeless population