CATCH researchers and Occupational Therapists celebrate successful collaboration

The Northern General Hospital in Sheffield was alive with energy on April 14 as over 80 researchers from University of Sheffield’s Centre from Assistive Technology and Connected Healthcare (CATCH) and Occupational Therapists (OTs) from Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust celebrated the extremely successful first phase to a collaboration between the two organisations.

The project, called Collaboration Aiming to Build Occupational Therapy research or CABOT for short, was designed to establish opportunities for research and development growth across both partners. During a six month period, the OTs individually produced a wish-list of problems that could be solved by assistive or rehabilitative technology or that needed exploratory or evaluative service related study. These were reviewed both by the academic members of CATCH and peer OTs identifying shared interest and/or potential research opportunities. The OTs and academics were then supported and encouraged to work together to develop these ideas into research projects suitable for funding applications.
The celebration event, called the Occupational Therapy Professional Forum CABOT Workshop, highlighted the successes of the project, gave the OTs an opportunity to see demonstrations of assistive and digital technology being developed by university researchers and another networking opportunity to form collaborative teams.
During the six months, close to 80 ideas were suggested by the OTs; from these 15 project teams have formed to work on research proposals. So far 3 research proposals have been submitted for funding by OT and university project collaborations. More are expected in the coming year.

Dr Peter Cudd, a Senior Research Associate within CATCH and Principal Investigator for the project said “The facilitation of collaboration in CABOT has really worked to bring forward more and new productive collaborations – even quicker than could have been anticipated”.

For more information about the CABOT project please visit this website.