HRH The Princess Royal attends Occupational Therapy Conference, Parliament Buildings, Belfast
HRH The Princess Royal today attended the "Innovation in Practice" Occupational Therapy Conference, Parliament Buildings, Belfast. Upon arrival HRH was greeted by the Speaker, Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr William Hay MLA.
HRH The Princess Royal today attended the “Innovation in Practice” Occupational Therapy Conference, Parliament Buildings, Belfast. Upon arrival HRH was greeted by the Speaker, Northern Ireland Assembly, Mr William Hay MLA.
The conference showcased the contribution and innovative practice that occupational therapy makes to high quality effective services across Northern Ireland within various settings such as hospitals, day centres, schools and in the home. Occupational Therapists (OT’s) enable service-users, including children, to achieve their maximum level of independence in daily living, and support individuals return to work or school following physical or mental illness.
Accompanied by the Speaker and proceeding to the Members’ Dining Room, HRH met Mr Edwin Poots MLA, Minister, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, Naomi Hankinson, Chair of Council, British Association and College of Occupational Therapists, Julia Scott, Chief Executive, College of Occupational Therapists, Liz McNabney, Chair, Occupational Therapy Managers’ Forum, Northern Ireland and Carolyn Maxwell, Chair of the NI Board of the College of Occupational Therapists.
HRH went on to meet a number of groups of invited guests representing the following areas, Senior healthcare personnel; Occupational Therapy Innovation in Practice Award winners. HRH also met a number of occupational therapists working in the following fields: Stroke rehabilitation using Mirror Box Therapy, Postural Management, Electronically Operated Indoor/Outdoor Wheelchair Assessment clinics, development of a visual screening tool and a process for the recycling of specialist equipment and working with young people on the Autistic Spectrum.
Moving to the Private Dining Room, HRH was invited by the Speaker to sign the visitors’ book. HRH then joined the Conference in the Long Gallery and heard Mr Edwin Poots MLA and Mrs Liz McNabney address the Conference before HRH addressed the Conference.
Mrs Hankinson invited a service-user, Miss Elizabeth Black, who had earlier demonstrated the use of an electric wheelchair, to present HRH with the gift of a piece of linen.
Following farewells HRH departed for the final engagement.