Nearly two years after their co-authored paper was presented to the British Psychological Society conference by Dr Stephanie Kilinc, the research team including Neuro Key have had an article on a self-management framework for people with neurological conditions published on May 14th in the Journal, Disability and Rehabilitation. The Charity has aimed to improve understanding for better psychosocial interventions to be included in Rehabilitation specifications for many years. Neuro Key enabled volunteers to participate in the work, be peer mentors and lead the decision-making processes to develop a unique, long term condition inclusive self-management resource, MyLIfe Tool. The subsequent self-management programme at Teesside University was just one week away from completion before the Covid-19 lockdown. Following on-line interviews with programme participants, enough data has been secured to report and a research assistant is currently transcribing the work.
Particularly, Neuro Key wants to improve the commissioning specifications to move away from the ethos of rehabilitation being ‘short term, quick fix’ which does not apply to life-long conditions that deteriorate into disability or calibrate the need for on-going psychosocial support, post diagnosis of conditions such as acquired brain injury.
An abstract is available here; Finding meaning and purpose: a framework for the self-management of neurological conditions
Neuro Key Head of Operations, Jo Cole is a core member of the new regional stakeholder disability network. She has been working with the Chairman, Michael Potts to collate local data and inform Cabinet Office and DEFRA about some of the issues facing chronically sick and disabled people during lockdown in this region.
Michael commented, ‘Congratulations, it really is a great achievement, Jo’.