Tom Q

 by Tom Q

New Rising Star Dr. Emma Patchwood

We are happy to announce that Dr. Emma Patchwood has been recognised as the 2020 rising star.

Emma obtained her PhD in 2015 and began a Stroke Association post-doctoral fellowship at Manchester in 2019. The fellowship (March 2019 – May 2022) involves co-development and feasibility testing of a remotely-delivered psychotherapeutic intervention to support adjustment post stroke. Emma has a rapidly growing, well-deserved reputation for her collaborative, inclusive, applied psychological research in stroke, specialising in service user involvement and supporting people living with cognitive and communication difficulties. As co-chief investigator on the OSCARSS carers’ cRCT Emma presented the results to 5000 stroke researchers at ESOC2019, demonstrating effective leadership, passion for research and commitment to stroke. In addition, Emma developed the evidence base for six-month reviews for stroke survivors, working effectively at getting these into practice, e.g. publishing practical guidance for commissioners/providers for the six-month review CQUIN through membership of NHS England National Stroke Plan, Task and Finish Group.

To find out more about Emma and her work, visit: https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/researchers/emma-patchwood(7ef3b4bb-aaae-40cb-a6e4-112efe225d5e).html

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 by Tom Q

Ongoing Studies Seeking Participants

Please have a look at any relevant studies and help if you can. Details below.

Questionnaire on the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on assessment of cognition:

Survey by Oxford. Please see the link for more information.

https://oxford.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/impacts-of-covid-19-pandemic-on-assessment-of-cognition-2

Survey on fatigue management (additional information in the links)

Letter from Professor Avril Drummond from the University of Nottingham on a study on post-stroke fatigue and other topics.

Dear colleagues,

Apologies for a mass email!

We have been funded by the UK Stroke Association to do a survey on fatigue management in the UK- both post stroke fatigue and for other conditions. To date, the response has been good, but we want to have a final push in the last month. 

We need more medics, more psychologists, and more nurses- but are also keen to have more OTs and PTs if possible. We also need more clinicians from Scotland, Wales, and N.Ireland!

If you have not done so already, please would you complete the survey below and/or pester your mates?

Many thanks indeed.

With best wishes,

Avril 

(on behalf of the NotFAST2 – Nottingham Fatigue after stroke- team)

Professor Avril Drummond

Professor of Healthcare Research and

 Lead for Rehabilitation Research Group,

School of Health Sciences,

University of Nottingham

Nottingham Fatigue Study (NOTFAST2) Online survey BOS nottingham.onlinesurveys.ac.uk

https://nottingham.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/nottingham-fatigue-study-notfast2-copy

Survey on goal setting with stroke survivors with aphasia

Please see the letter and links below for more details

Dear OPSYRIS members,

This is a gentle reminder to consider participating in our survey about goal setting with stroke survivors with aphasia. The survey is open now and closes on Tuesday 13th October 2020. Please see further information and survey link below.

We are conducting a survey to find out how healthcare professionals set goals with stroke survivors with aphasia and the training and support they have received. Your participation will help us to improve the rehabilitation experiences of stroke survivors with aphasia and the support available to healthcare professionals in future. We would very much appreciate your help!

You can take part if you are:

·        a healthcare professional (e.g. occupational therapist, physiotherapist, speech and language therapist, social worker, psychologist, dietician, rehabilitation/healthcare/therapy assistant) 

·        providing rehabilitation to stroke survivors in any setting 

·        setting goals with stroke survivors 

·        based in Ireland, the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia 

The survey is ethically approved, takes 10-15 minutes to complete, and closes on 13th October.

To complete the survey, click on the following link:

https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/goalsettingaphasia/

Please consider sharing the survey with colleagues who may be interested.

Sophie Eleanor Brown (PhD Researcher) | Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

Dr Lesley Scobbie | Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

Professor Linda Worrall | University of Queensland, Australia

Professor Marian Brady | Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

If you have any queries, please contact sophie.brown@gcu.ac.uk

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 by Tom Q

Upcoming Virtual Meetings

The following virtual meetings are coming soon so make sure to check the details below.

European Stroke Organisation and World Stroke Organisation Meeting: 7th – 9th November

www.eso-wso-conference.org

Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow Annual Stroke Meeting: evenings of 10th, 12th & 16th November

The session on the 12th is dedicated to psychological issues and will feature talks from Prof. Audrey Bowen and Prof. Nele Demeyere.

https://rcpsg.ac.uk/events/Stroke-2020-11-10-386***

StrokeCog & Stroke Clinical Trials Network Ireland Joint Conference, 27th November Please register your interest here: http://www.strokecog.ie/conference/#registerinterest

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 by Tom Q

OPSYRIS 2020 Virtual Metting With Links

A big thank you to our Members for supporting the OPSYRIS 2020 Virtual Meeting – from your enthusiastic response to the idea, through spreading the word about the event among colleagues, to attending the webinar. Our disappointment with cancelling the annual face-to-face conference was rewarded manifold by what turned out to be the biggest meeting in OPSYRIS history, bringing together speakers and attendees from all over the world. 

For those of you who missed part of the webinar, were not able to join us at all, or would just like to re-watch their favourite talks – we have some great news! The recording from the meeting is now available to watch here:
https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/rec/share/SVvo06YB71EDiI7CMqoLgpv4D8edv1WB68XrzlqhuL0EIAbod7igIdJpl2cyREDk.gfY7cPorqZYBruVY?startTime=1600415968000
Presented talks certainly sparked a lot of interest, reflected in an impressive number of questions for our speakers. If you were disappointed that not all could be answered on the day or felt that the busy chat was tricky to follow, many of the details will be added to the website.

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 by Tom Q

Leaving Message From OPSYRIS Chair Terry

Sadly OPSYRIS chair Terry and the existing team at Glasgow, Bogna and Satu, who have served their roles so well will be passing on their positions. However, we can look forward to Nele and the Oxford team taking on their new roles. In his last regular newsletter for OPSYRIS Terry left the message below:

Message from OPSYRIS Chair

Hi everyone.

This is the last OPSYRIS Newsletter from the Glasgow team. Although its only a few weeks since our conference, we already have loads to share with you – see below.

On a personal note, I want to thank everyone who has helped build up the OPSYRIS membership and generally raise the profile of the psychological issues in stroke. There is still a lot of work to be done, but I think the OPSYRIS family can be proud of what we have achieved so far. You will see from the Stroke Association report that we are entering challenging times for stroke and for research. Let’s continue to look out for each other and if OPSYRIS can help in anyway let us know.

My final words have to be a massive thank you to our secretary and treasurer Bogna and Satu, without their input our meetings, newsletters, prizes would not have happened.

I am off to sit in a dark room and recover from the stress of running a live zoom meeting – Nele and team Oxford, its over to you!

Best wishes

Terry

We all wish Nele and the new team at Oxford well.

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 by Tom Q

Future of the Website

Yet more content has been added to the website and, while it will need several updates and tweaks, has taken shape in its current form. Recent additions are

However, suggestions and feedback regarding the site are welcome and changes yet may be made. Other content that has been discussed are:

  • Information and links on psychological reasearch and pratice for stroke for both experts and laypeople
  • Details on research and work opportunities, particularly those for PhDs
  • Information on ongoing studies

As usual contact OPSYRIS about any such issue or me directly at tom@OPSYRIS.org

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 by Tom Q

Virtual Meeting Coming Soon

While sadly we will have to wait another year for the OPSYRIS meeting in Norwich, we can look ahead to the upcoming virtual meeting which should be coming very soon on Friday the 18th of September.

The next OPSYRIS meeting shall be held virtually on Friday 18 September

Many things will of course be different. Apart from being online and physically distant, the meeting will be shorter than those in the past, for half a day 9:30-12:30 (BST). Given the shorter time and online nature of the meeting, presentations shall be in a different format, those of 3-5 minute online videos. On the plus side participation will be free, see the Eventbrite site to register for the event. Also no travel needs to be arranged and it may make sharing of work presented easier. We hope to share video submissions from an online hub with details on this site soon.

The date for abstract submission is passed, but we have already received interesting submissions. Indeed, we are delighted to announce two exciting keynotes from our Australian colleagues, on topics highly relevant to current circumstances. Dr. Dana Wong ,Clinical Neuropsychologist and Senior Lecturer at La Trobe University shall present Remote Assessment and Intervention Delivery in Psychological Stroke Care while Dr. Rene Stolwyk, Clinical Neuropsychologist and Senior Lecturer, Monash University hopes to present Embracing Technology in Cognitive Rehabilitation Post-Stroke: Using Telehealth and Smartphones.

The primary focus will be on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stroke care and research, and overcoming associated challenges. On this theme we will particularly look at remote patient assessments and interventions, resources for people living with stroke, staff training and support of staff well-being. However, we do not want to overlook the valuable contributions of recently completed and ongoing projects in other areas and look forward to a wide range of relevant topics covered.

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 by Tom Q

Message from the Chair of OPSYRIS Regarding COVID-19

Dr. Terry Quinn, chair of OPSYRIS, earlier in the year released this message regarding the troubling times of COVID-19. While the situation is always changing and varies from place to place, much of the message is still just as relevant today.

COVID-19 has fundamentally changed stroke care and stroke research.  My diary, which had been full of the usual mix of travel, grants, meetings is now a continuous block of clinical work – initially COVID and now stroke related again.  Its been a tough few months.

As we enter the next phase of the COVID response, and the novelty wears off, the clapping fades and the rainbows are taken down, I fear we are faced with an even tougher road to recovery.  Psychological research in stroke may be hit especially hard and I foresee something analogous to what I am seeing on the wards. The prognosis for many university departments, charity funders and specialist clinical services is, at best, uncertain. Without the necessary life-support, some of these groups may not survive.  

Now, more than ever, the stroke psychology community needs to come together.  If OPSYRIS can help, even in a small way to protect and encourage stroke psychology research, then I am keen that we do that. 

  • In uncertain times, knowledge is power.  I am hearing about lots of innovative new ways of clinical and research working – why not share these with your colleagues through OPSYRIS. 
  • Support and networking are really important at the moment. We can’t have an in-person annual meeting this year, but we shall set up a virtual meeting. 
  • The academic job market is not going to get any kinder and so I am keen that OPSYRIS continues to bolster CVs, for example with our Rising Star award – nominations please. 
  • We probably all have questionnaire fatigue, but if we don’t respond to these requests, we can’t be sure our voice will be heard – links to some relevant surveys below. 

These are my ideas for OPSYRIS in the time of COVID. I am sure you will have better ideas – let us know.

Stay safe,

Terry

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 by Tom Q

Psychological Researh on the Effects of COVID-19

The psychopsychological effects of COVID-19 and lockdowns is a very important issue that is frequently discussed both in specialist and mainstream media. This earlier article discusses some of the studies in the field.

You may be interested in some of the ongoing research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic from a psychological perspective. Many of these projects are using snowball sampling, so you may wish to share via your networks:

https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-33/april-2020/coronavirus-psychological-perspectives

https://digest.bps.org.uk/2020/03/26/how-psychology-researchers-are-responding-to-the-covid-19-pandemic/

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/news/nr/psychologists-study-mental-health-social-impacts-covid-19-coronavirus-epidemic-1.884797

https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2020/mar/new-study-psychological-and-social-effects-covid-19

Our parent body, the World Federation for Neurorehabilitation, is planning a special COVID themed issue of the Neuropsychological Rehabilitation journal. Plans are still at an early stage, but if any OPSYRIS members would want to contribute something around stroke then let us know and we can make the necessary connections.

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