Trusted Assessors work in a variety of roles around older and disabled people, in this recent example a social prescriber working in the community was trained and accredited as a Trusted Assessor.
Jill works for Citizens Advice in Solihull as part of a team of social prescribers supporting patients from local Solihull GP surgeries. Their work involves speaking with patients to find out what is important to them in order to ensure patients have the relevant information, advice and support so that they have more control over their health and have appropriate options to improve their overall wellbeing.
In November 2024, Jill attended one of TACT’s courses Trusted Assessor: Assessing for Minor Adaptations, a two-day course that combines practical skills and theory on prescribing home adaptations and specifically community equipment and small aids. Following the course, Jill submitted her assignment and is now a qualified Trusted Assessor accredited by OCN London.
The course took place at Wenman Healthcare in Warwick where there is a range of equipment for the practical sessions and also a classroom for the theory-side. TACT’s OT trainers make good use of getting hands-on with the equipment in Wenman’s showroom to find out more about common types of equipment and aids and to practise measuring skills, it is a great training venue for us.
Jill commented that the course was well run and organised and very informative but what stood out for her was the way that the Trainer who is an OT with experience of working in the community was able to answer questions, support tasks and encourage conversations about assessing for equipment. It was a public course open to individual bookings and so there were also a variety of learners from a range of organisations attending and that meant that working with others on tasks was enjoyable and interesting.
Jill plans to use her knowledge to suggest types of equipment that patients can consider for private purchase but also to support them in requesting community equipment from the local store that would enable them to live more independently. The TACT team will be available to aid Jill and the team to make full use of the role in support of local care providers and the wider social care team.
Contact TACT
To find out more about training and other programmes relating to assessing for independent living equipment and home adaptations, please email TACT on info@trustedassessing.com, phone 01626 879528 or visit their website and complete a web enquiry https://tact.18a.co/