Abacus wins OT Show ‘Best on-stand education’ for second year running

At the 2023 OT Show, Abacus Specialist Bathroom Solutions, in association with The OT Service, has once again been awarded ‘Best on-stand CPD education’ following the same success it achieved in 2022.

Louise Sharp, Occupational Therapistat at the OT show 2023

Louise Sharp, Occupational Therapist – OT Show 2023

Abacus is the leading manufacturer of accessible baths for adults and children with disabilities. As a Gainsborough Healthcare Group brand, Abacus works closely with Occupational Therapists (OTs), bathers and families to ensure better bathing outcomes for all. Its Abacus Academy educational programme is available free to all healthcare professionals and is delivered through a fleet of demonstration vehicles. OTs can benefit from free ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ sessions, bath demonstrations and client assessments. This quality training and awareness was replicated on the Abacus stand at the OT Show and condensed into ‘express’ CPD sessions. They attracted healthy visitor numbers once again which resulted in Abacus being awarded ‘best in show’ for its on-stand education in 2023.

The Abacus Academy on-stand presentations were expertly delivered by Louise Sharp, Occupational Therapist. She offered three popular topics:

  • Bathing and attachment
  • Client centred bathing
  • Proportionate spending – using adaptations to reduce long term costs

All three sessions provided high levels of engagement from the audience and following each, professionals were able to physically test baths to understand how they help in varying client scenarios. All attendees qualified for a CPD certificate, reflective log, and a range of free educational material including DFG guides and client case studies.

Running alongside Louise’s sessions, Lucy Leonard, OT, also presented relevant CPD in the Innovation Theatre on behalf of Abacus. With a session on each day of the show, she explored the subject of ‘Handling’ the bather – finding practical solutions’ which was equally well attended.

On receiving the award with Louise, Andy Williams, Gainsborough Sales and Marketing Director, commented:

“We see our Abacus Academy as a vital resource to help Occupational Therapists enhance their everyday practice for free. Quality CPD is key to ensuring the best bathing outcomes for disabled bathers through the latest practical and theoretical know-how. The team and I were proud once again to receive the OT Show award for best education and hope all attendees found the experience as rewarding as we did.”