The University of Salford achieved a ‘first’ by adopting a “total” approach to educating its Occupational Therapy students in the practicalities of the job, by hosting an equipment workshop.

The Directorate of Occupational Therapy has piloted an equipment workshop scheme for its BScHons students, whereby they receive ‘hands-on’ experience of the kit available to support their potential clients. The workshop featured the first educational establishment outing for the Total Hygiene ‘Bringing Independence to You’ roadshow, and has proved so successful that repeat events are now being planned, for both full- and part-time students, to encourage shared learning and experience across the programmes.

The day focused on aids for personal care, including showers, hoists and toileting. The Directorate staff carefully chose companies for their ability to meet the basic needs of a disabled person and who were deemed to have a good reputation. Structured, small groups of students attended the workshop throughout the day, to give them full opportunity to maximise their learning and understanding by looking round the equipment and discussing its relevance with the suppliers, both specifically for the particular case study module that forms part of the degree course, and for future application.

The Total Hygiene ‘Bringing Independence to You’ mobile demonstration unit has been purpose-designed and built to optimise access to disabled toileting apparatus, be it individuals in their own home through disability centres to Colleges and Universities. It is fully equipped with a lifting ramp and laid out inside to enable easy wheelchair manoeuvrability, around the working examples of the new Clos-o-Mat Palma automatic shower toilet, the Lima Lift height adjustable automatic shower toilet suite, an Aerolet toilet lifter which replicates the natural motion of standing and sitting and can be fitted over a conventional WC,  and includes details of the complete range of Total Hygiene’s toileting accessories such as changing tables, height adjustable washbasins and grab rails.

Deborah Davys, lecturer at University of Salford and one of the key organisers of the equipment workshop, observes, “From student evaluations of the module, the equipment workshop was highly regarded. Many had not seen disability equipment used before, and even those who had enjoyed the opportunity to discuss its relevance in detail.

Adds Jacqui McKenna, Deborah Davys’ colleague at the University, “We are now planning a repeat event!”

Total Hygiene manufactures the Clos-o-Mat, the first automatic toilet in the market and now the UK’s biggest-selling such unit, being installed in locations ranging from individual’s homes to hospitals, hotels, nursing homes, shopping centres, tourist attractions and even on narrowboats. Total Hygiene provides a comprehensive sales, installation and after sales package, and offers a range of options to enable tailoring of each unit to individual requirements.

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