Prestigious industry merit for senior lecturer
Senior lecturer and professional lead for occupational therapy, Jo Adams, has received a prestigious merit award for her outstanding contribution to the occupational therapy profession from the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT).
Jfo is one of only five professionals out of 29,000 to receive the merit this year, which is peer-nominated and awarded nationally. The award celebrates excellence as well as recognising an individual's outstanding contribution to the profession.
Jo was both surprised and thrilled to learn of her award but is quick to explain that it is a reflection on all the occupational therapy staff and clinicians here at Health Sciences.
Jo says, "The occupational therapy team here is incredibly collegiate, supportive and caring, and I would not have been nominated without their contribution. I am very lucky to be part and parcel of a much wider community.
"Obviously I am very proud to have been nominated by my professional colleagues, and delighted that my role incorporating funded research grants and undergraduate and post graduate education, has been recognised by BAOT."
Over 800 occupational therapy students have been taught by Jo during her time at Health Sciences. She is currently working with colleagues in rheumatology on a funded project to design a clinical effectiveness trial for thumb-based osteoarthritis, and is working with the Vice Chancellor on examining how best to educate patients in the health service with low health literacy.
Alongside her role in Health Sciences, Jo contributes as an occupational therapist to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and has recently contributed to the new clinical guidelines reporting standards for patient experience in the NHS due to be published soon.
Jo has a long-standing honorary commitment with Arthritis Research UK and has served as the UK's Allied Health Professional representative on its educational strategy committee. She has also found time to serve on national and international education boards and supports research and educational officers with the British Health Professionals in Rheumatology.
Also an honorary research fellow at the University of Oxford, Jo is working with the University of Warwick on a £1m funded NIHR trial looking at the effectiveness of resisted hand exercise for people with rheumatoid arthritis.
Jo says her ambition is "to continue to expand on what we do clinically that can really help patients, specifically looking at self-management strategies within musculoskeletal science."
Jo is due to receive her award at the College of Occupational Therapist's Conference in Glasgow during the summer.