2.4.2. Competency
stroke
STROKE
OTs’ competency to deliver the intervention was assessed at three different timepoints: immediately following the two-day initial ESSVR training session, following the refresher training session held six months after training, and twelve months after the initial training session. At the initial and six-month competency assessments, the OTs were provided a vignette (that illustrated a case study) and the OT was asked to create a treatment plan. To assess competency at the third timepoint, OTs were asked to send completed intervention records from the first stroke survivor they treated nine months after their initial training session. This was performed to ensure that the therapists would theoretically be evaluated based on their treatment of a participant at their most experienced point of intervention delivery. In cases where OTs did not have nine months experience of delivering the intervention, the intervention records for their last treated stroke survivor were requested.Competency was assessed by the central training team comprising two OTs with expertise in the ESSVR intervention and OT research. OT responses were marked against a rubric assessing their knowledge, clinical reasoning, and written communication. These scores were used to categorise competency as ‘needs support’, ‘competent’, and ‘highly competent’. Assessments were independently double-marked and any discrepancies that affected classification were discussed and agreed between the two raters.