WORKSHOP: GUIDELINES FOR PRESCRIPTION; DEMONSTRATION OF ASSESSMENT AND CASTING FOR CUSTOM MOULDED SEATING INSERTS FOR PEOPLE WITH COMPLEX SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS.

The aim of this workshop is to provide guidelines for prescription and successful provision of custom moulded seating inserts.

The provision of this type of support for sitting is often controversial. It is not only the method of support that provokes discussion but the material used to make the mould that causes much debate. Many people working in the field will be familiar with comments such as ‘I've tried it and it doesn't work'.

There are many reasons for the failure of custom moulded support. Usually it is that the system is not suitable for the particular circumstances or that the configuration of the support does not match the postural shape of the individual concerned. This workshop will explore these issues.

Pauline M Pope FCSP, MSc, BA, SRP

Pauline is a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and of the Royal Society of Medicine; her Masters degree is in Biomedical Engineering and she also has a Bachelor degree in Science.

Between 1980 and 2003 Pauline worked in specialist centres caring for people with severe and profound physical disability resulting from congenital and acquired neurological trauma and disease. She now works as a freelance in this field both in the UK and abroad.

With colleagues, Pauline Pope initiated and dveloped a Post Graduate Certificate at Masters Level, through Oxford Brookes University, on the management of people with severe and complex disability. She was course leader for a similar module (MSc in Assistive Technology) at Kings College London.

She has recently published a book: "Severe and Complex Neurological Disability. Management of the physical condition". Published by Butterworth, Heinemann, Elsevier. ISBN 098-0-7506-8825-3

Phil Swann

Clinical Engineer. Director of Contour 886. and previous editor of PMG journal.