The 2021 COH Innovation and Research Showcase was a great success in October, even with a last-minute shift of venue due to the weather. 

The conference was opened by Professor Dan Chambers, Metro North Health’s Executive Director of Research  

Helen Weston, the Managing Director of Mobile Rehab, a private community-based allied health practice, provided an inspiring keynote address discussing the importance of innovation in health care contexts. She particularly highlighted the new digital platform that has been transforming their working processes into a truly client-centred business model.  

The following presenters and researchers were recognised on the day. 

Oral presentations: 

Best presentation: Dan Innes (Physiotherapist, Brighton Brain Injury Service): Measuring the experience of family members of patients with severe acquired brain injury in an Australian brain injury rehabilitation unit.  

Highly commended: Tegan Button and Keryn O’Sullivan (Occupational Therapists, Community TCP): Optimising Occupational Therapy delegation with Allied Health Assistants within CTCP.  

Rapid Fire presentations: 

Best presentation: Rebecca Wilding (Physiotherapist Community based Rehabilitation team): AH-TRIP amputee project.  

Highly commended: Anju KC (Clinical Nurse, Brighton Brain Injury Service): Management of constipation in BBIS.  

Poster presentations: 

Best poster: Luca Parfitt (Occupational Therapy Honours student, ACU Banyo campus; project based in Brighton Rehabilitation Unit): Patient perceptions of emerging rehabilitation technology within an Australian clinical setting. 

Highly commended: Stephanie Baker (Physiotherapy Honours student, ACU Banyo campus; project based in Brighton Rehabilitation Unit): Technology-enhanced upper limb neurological rehabilitation: An observational study of participant characteristics and practice achieved. 

Metro North CAHRLI (Centre for Allied Health Research Learning and Innovation) 2021 Local Award: 

Elaine McGivern (Physiotherapist, Brighton Rehabilitation Unit): A new model of Physiotherapy Clinical Education at Brighton rehabilitation unit.  

Community and Oral Health Innovation and Research Centre 2021-22 Innovation Challenge project funding was announced: 

• Annabelle Szita (Senior Speech Pathologist, Complex Chronic Disease Team): Establishing a best practice pathway for patients with Primary Progressive Aphasia in the Complex Chronic Disease Team. 
• Erin Gothard (occupational Therapist and Allied Health Clinical Lead, Brighton Brain Injury Service) Enhancing multidisciplinary functional group therapy training in the Brighton Brain Injury Service.  
• Michelle Crawford (Nurse Unit Manager, Brighton Brain Injury Service) Facilitating person-centred continence management in COH.  
• Ann Rahmann (Senior Physiotherapist Brighton Rehabilitation Unit and Research Development Officer) Implementing a standard approach to Vestibular System screening and management for older patients in COH services.