Valerie Ebrahimi | University of Chester

I am an occupational therapist and have been with the university since June 2006 as a senior lecturer. My career in higher education started in 2003, as an associate lecturer with the Open University.

My interests include ageing, reablement, positive psychology, professional education and co-productive working. I am bi-lingual in French and Icelandic with practice experience in the former and I have studied in Boston, USA and Edinburgh, Scotland. My work as an occupational therapist spanned both health and social care. Initially in the field of stroke and musculoskeletal rehabilitation; rapid response and intermediate care. I have worked as an independent community rehabilitation specialist for the NHS but also in the provision of minor and major adaptations with Social Services in rural and urban areas.

Programme and Module Leadership

I am the programme leader for an MEd in Professional Education, with diverse undergrad and post-grad teaching responsibilities across discipline and sites.

My teaching also includes dissertation supervision at masters and undergraduate level and I am the Faculty’s Postgraduate Disability Tutor, Academic Partnership Tutor (Stockport) and Academic Link to Practice for approximately twelve of our Wirral partners.

External Examiner Roles

Coventry University (2011-2015) – FdSc Assistive Tech. programme.
Cumbria University (2015- to date) – BA Working with Older Adults.

Professional Projects and consultancy

2007/8 - Advisor in the development of The Occupational Therapy Support Worker Framework (COT, 2009)
2011 - Review of the endorsement process and documentation in the UK for Foundation degrees: COT
2011 - The University of Wales Trinity Saint David External Subject Advisor and panel member FdA in Care Studies/BA in Social Care Studies (New programme)
2009-2012 - College of Occupational therapy: Member of the Associate Committee
2012 - University of Central Lancashire External Subject Advisor and panel member FdA Health and Social Care (Multiple pathways: rehabilitation, mental health and social care)
2015 - HRH Prince of Wales Award for Integrated Approaches to Care. Nursing Times (nomination with partners)

2017 Ongoing - Student Nurse Project with partners at Home Instead Senior Care. Practice Model Development. A continuation of the 2015 Nursing Times project (phase II).

2017 - Completion April 2018 North West Cross-Institutional Women’s Action Learning Set ‘Interdisciplinary learning, teaching and curriculum development.

2018 Ongoing - Editor for a research textbook on reablement priorities with an international researcher, doctorate student, member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and others.

2018 (Due in April) - Chapter contribution for the Encyclopaedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Good Health and Well-being.

Book

Ebrahimi, V.A. and Chapman, H.M. (March 2018). Reablement Services: A Guide to practice for students and support workers. Macmillan International Higher Education; London

Recorded Online Conference Interview

Ebrahimi, V. (2016) Reablement Worldwide. Seminario: Reablement, l’intervento riabilitativo interdisciplinare domiciliare. Exclusive Video Interview. Associazone Per La Promosione Del Reablement In Italia: http://www.reablement.it/exposanita2016

Conference papers

Ebrahimi, V & Bintley-Bagott, S (2016). Reablement Services in the UK. Global Health Conference. University of Chester.

Charlton, C., Ebrahimi, V., & J. Westlake. (2015). The pragmatism of reablement: A call for a mind shift. Royal College of Nursing and British Geriatrics Society joint conference.

Ebrahimi, V. (2014) An exploration of flow in older institutionalised adults. Postgraduate Conference: University of Chester.

Ebrahimi, V. (2013) An exploratory study into flourishing in older institutionalised adults. Postgraduate Conference: University of Chester.

Ebrahimi, V. & Hindmarsh, J. (2013). The multidimensional nature of competence and reablement during support worker training. The College of Occupational therapists (COT) Conference – 37th Annual Conference Meeting, Glasgow

Ebrahimi, V., Clampin, A., Turner, A., Dittmer, A., Tancok, K., Thompson, K. & Parker, Z. (2011). College-led Session: Using the HPC audit to celebrate good practice and enhance the service user journey. COT 35th Annual Conference Meeting and Exhibition, Brighton

Ebrahimi, V. (2010). Are assistant practitioner roles embedded in primary care in the North West? COT 34th Annual Conference Meeting and Exhibition. Brighton.

Ebrahimi, V. (2009) Cheshire OT Conference – Interprofessionalism and cross-working within OT.

Ebrahimi, V. (2007). A call for practice innovation: The emerging role of assistant practitioner. COT 31st Annual Conference Meeting and Exhibition.

Journal

Martin, L. & Ebrahimi, V. (2013). ‘Closing the Gap’: Improving equality for men in the nursing profession. New Scholar. 1 (1), p. 26-28.

MEd Professional Education, University of Chester (2010) (Chester)
PGCert Health Promotion, Open University (2004)
BSc (Hons 2:1) in Occupational Therapy, University of Edinburgh (2002)

Continued Professional Membership

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy since 2012
Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) Since 2004
British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT) Since 2002