New centre to train occupational therapists in driver assessments

New centre to train occupational therapists in driver assessments

How comfortable do you feel about a family member resuming driving after a stroke or head injury?

How do you tell parents you are worried that their slow reflexes might be a hazard to other road users?

People concerned about the driving ability of family and friends can take comfort from a new development to be launched in Queensland during Occupational Therapy Awareness Week on October 26.

The University of Queensland is establishing a Driver Assessment, Training and Rehabilitation Research Centre to conduct research and provide driver assessment training courses for Queensland occupational therapists.

The initiative will expand the number of occupational therapists qualified to assess driving skills of clients. Only a few assessment clinics, all with long waiting lists, are currently available with most based in Brisbane.

The Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) is providing $59,500 towards the venture - $40,000 of which is earmarked for the University of Queensland Occupational Therapy Department and $19,500 for the Queensland Occupational Therapy Association for bursaries.

Head of the University's Occupational Therapy Department Professor Jenny Strong said the initiative would overcome current needs for occupational therapists to travel to Sydney or Melbourne to obtain postgraduate qualifications to conduct such assessments.

Bursaries will be available to enable regional therapists to attend the two-week intensive training program, starting at the University next February.

"People intending to do the course need to have at least two years' experience, and to meet pre-course reading requirements and post-course evaluations to be conducted by the Centre," she said.

Professor Strong said if people were assessed as having deficits which impaired their ability to drive, they could work on these with an occupational therapist to regain their driving skills.

She said the issue of driving ability was a difficult and often emotional one for both occupational therapists and patients, as it was a common society belief that driving was a right, rather than a privilege.

The course will recognise the complex issues involved in assessing driving competence.

"It's not easy telling people they have not passed driving tests, then encouraging them to undertake a rehabilitation package to regain driving skills," she said.

As part of the MAIC grant, the University of Queensland will acquire a computerised driving simulator from the USA, only the second in the State.

Professor Strong said the advanced skill competency training course was being developed in collaboration with Queensland Transport, the RACQ and other industry groups.

Media contact: Professor Strong, telephone 07 33652652.