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Showing results for tags 'Physiotherapist'.
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News ArticleChildren in the UK are suffering “irreversible harm” and lifelong consequences as a result of “unacceptable” delays in accessing physiotherapy, experts have warned. Teenagers face lifelong trauma from untreated chronic pain while children as young as four are waiting 18 months for critical treatment, according to a survey of paediatric physiotherapists. Lengthy delays to treatment while children’s bodies are still growing can have seriously harmful repercussions for their health that can last decades. Some families are being forced to travel more than 200 miles for NHS physiotherapy services because of delays or a lack of access where they live. Others are having to go private to ensure their children get the urgent care that they need. The Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (APCP), a professional network of members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, surveyed 155 staff across the UK who specialise in treating babies, children and teenagers. Sara Hazzard, assistant director at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said children waiting for rehabilitation for illnesses and injury were experiencing harm and distress that could last a lifetime. “The fact that this is happening up and down the UK is not just unacceptable, it is failing a generation.” Staff shortages and cuts to services were causing the delays, while at the same time the NHS was failing to create enough new posts to meet the “overwhelming” demand for care, Hazzard said. “Families should not fear for their child’s health and future because they can only get help and rehabilitation if they can afford to pay. Urgent action is needed.” Read more Source: The Guardian, 31 January 2025
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Event
End PJ Paralysis 4th Global Summit
Patient Safety Learning posted an event in Community Calendar
untilThe 4th #EndPJparalysis Global Summit will bring people from health and social care around the world together to share best practice, to explore the research, case studies and lived experience around the impact of deconditioning. The Summit will include a wide range of clinical presentations as well as leadership discussions and perspectives on looking after those in the caring professions. Like previous years, there will be an eclectic mix of speakers, panel discussions and the opportunity to ask questions and build up your peer network. The Summit will run online for 36hrs. Sessions will be recorded and available to those registered after the event. The Summit is free to all people in health and social care. Register -
News Article
Stiffer stroke target introduced – despite failure to meet old standard
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The failure of trusts to offer stroke patients the level of rehab required by standards introduced 10 years ago has not prevented the publication of new guidance which demands even higher performance. New guidance has been issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) which says recovering stroke patients should receive therapy for at least three hours a day, five days each week. Performance against this standard is not yet measured, but figures analysed by HSJ show nearly all units treating stroke patients are falling well short of the previous NICE standard issued in 2013. This required a much less ambitious 45 minutes per day. The figures suggest it is inconceivable the NHS will meet the new NICE rehab requirements in the near future. When they were launched, NICE said: “It shouldn’t be underestimated how important it is for people who have been left with disabilities following a stroke to be given the opportunity to benefit from the intensity and duration of rehabilitation therapies outlined in this updated guideline.” But Chartered Society of Physiotherapy chief executive Karen Middleton said there was no funding for physios to work on rehab, despite increases in staff supply. “Funding that we know is already limited is being prioritised to other things rather than into rehab,” she said. Read full story (paywalled) Source: HSJ, 29 November 2023 -
Content Article
Physios For M.E.
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Other conditions and diseases
Physios for M.E are a group of physiotherapists in the United Kingdom with a special interest in myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) The information provided on this website is meant to inform and signpost helpful resources. Any treatment for a person with ME should always be individualised, monitored and constantly evaluated. -
Content ArticleDuring the UK’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHS witnessed drastic and rapid changes to the way work was done. Not only were changes implemented at an organisational level, but at a more local level, staff across the service adapted and developed methods of coping to keep the healthcare system functioning. As a result of this, ideas and innovations that emerged during the initial response may be helpful not only in the immediate future but also in the longer term. This study from Miles et al. applied a systems approach to explore the changes and adaptations to work in the physiotherapy department of a large acute trust in the UK during the initial response to COVID-19 (April 2020).
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News Article
Law change to let pharmacists sign people off sick
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Pharmacists and some other healthcare professionals, rather than just GPs, will soon be able to sign people off sick from work, under new rules. The law change will take effect in July and apply across England, Wales and Scotland. The aim is to free up family doctors' time. People off work for more than seven consecutive days because of illness may need to show a note from a healthcare professional to their employer. When the new legislation is passed, nurses, occupational therapists, pharmacists (working in hospitals and GP practices) and physiotherapists will be able to provide the notes, in addition to GPs. Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: "I know how important it is for people to be able to see their GP speedily and in the way they want. "That's why we are slashing bureaucracy to reduce GPs workloads, so they can focus on seeing patients and giving people the care they urgently need. Read full story Source: BBC News, 9 June 2022 -
News Article
Thousands miss out on treatment as physiotherapists are taken off UK register
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
Thousands of patients have been left without vital healthcare after nearly 1 in 10 physiotherapists was prevented from practising after their regulator removed them from its register. Exactly 5,311 physiotherapists were deregistered by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) on 1 May because they had not renewed their registration after the HCPC decided not to send out reminder letters. Ash James, director of practice and development at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), said its helpline had been swamped with calls from distressed physiotherapists, concerned for their patients and worried about dramatic losses in income. “In one of the trusts in Liverpool, 23 physios were sent home in one day, and obviously the implication for patients is huge,” he said. “At a time when the workforce is stretched by the Covid backlog, it’s obviously not ideal that we’ve lost 9% of the workforce overnight.” Physiotherapists have many roles but play a crucial part in helping people leave hospital after long stays, because lengthy bed rest leads to muscle wastage that leaves patients needing physiotherapy to learn to walk again. So far, only about 2,300 physios have been re-registered. With most practitioners seeing at least five patients a day, the number of cancelled NHS and private appointments in the past two weeks could range between 50,000 to 100,000. Read full story Source: The Guardian, 14 May 2022 -
Content ArticleCOVID-19 rehabilitation will improve exercise tolerance, muscle strength, and help patients manage breathlessness, and potentially allow someone to be discharged earlier. The treatments in this guide, produced by Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, focus on breathing, functional and physical exercises. Only complete exercises at home and in hospital that have been discussed with a clinician.
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Content ArticleThis document, developed by McMaster University's School of Rehabilitation Science in Canada, provides a guide for rehabilitation practice during the COVID-19 crisis. Informed by the best available evidence, including consultation with the clinical community, this living document consolidates findings from resources for front line rehabilitation professionals.
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Content ArticleAs COVID-19 spread throughout the world, clinicians and researchers rapidly published guidance and data and shared their experiences in the hope of understanding the virus better. Their shared purpose was to keep more patients safe from becoming acutely unwell or dying. While the initial focus was on treating the hospitalised, one Trust was also thinking ahead to the challenging recovery many would face.
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Content ArticleThis patient information pack has been produced by staff at Homerton University Hospital. It is designed to help people recover and manage their symptoms following COVID-19.
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Content ArticleIn this blog, Suzanne Rastrick, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for NHS England, urges colleagues to start describing service improvements they are undertaking as part of the COVID response and considering what evidence they may need to create a case to continue the good practice. She asks 'what could we be doing now to measure impact and are we capturing data already that could be developed or utilised to demonstrate and evidence the improvements created through changes in working practices?' Included in the blog are several resources to help Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) feed in to the process. The graphic below has been developed to support AHPs to consider the different ways they may be able to evidence the impact of new working practices. It includes a section on safety, encouraging people to reflect and report on any errors or any actions that have either resulted in harm or improved safety.
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Content ArticleThis statement outlines the UK's four nations’ collective strategic priorities and approach to Allied Health Professional (AHP) rehabilitation leadership during and after COVID-19. Rehabilitation is critical to ensuring our population’s recovery from the impacts of the pandemic and the long-term sustainability of the health and social care system. AHPs are at the centre in shaping the rehabilitation agenda while working as part of the wider multidisciplinary and multiagency teams across all sectors. This statement highlights an anticipated increase in the need for rehabilitation across four main population groups: 1. People recovering from COVID-19, both those who remained in the community and those who have been discharged following extended critical care/hospital stays. 2. People whose health and function are now at risk due to pauses in planned care. 3. People who avoided accessing health services during the pandemic and are now at greater risk of ill-health because of delayed diagnosis and treatment. 4. People dealing with the physical and mental health effects of lockdown. The rehabilitation needs of these at-risk groups are vitally important and need to be met as AHPs collectively support people to recover, regain health and wellbeing, and reach their potential, and ultimately ensure we flourish as a nation.
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Content ArticleThis health seminar, from Wellbeing of Women, focuses on one of the most taboo issues in women’s health, incontinence. An estimated 7 million women suffer urinary incontinence which can affect all areas of life, yet it is rarely spoken about and regarded as an issue that only affects older women. In this video, we hear from Luce Brett, author of PMSL: Or How I Literally Pissed Myself Laughing and Survived the Last Taboo to Tell the Tale and Elaine Miller a women’s health physiotherapist, for what is an open but also vital conversation about living with incontinence and what we can do.
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Content Article
Pelvic Roar
PatientSafetyLearning Team posted an article in Women's health
Pelvic Roar is run by three UK-based, chartered physiotherapists specialising in pelvic health conditions and uniting pelvic health campaigns. #pelvicroar is a physiotherapy-led campaign that encompasses the enormous variety of health promotion and awareness activities in place around the world. -
Content Article"It’s time to halt, take a break, and redraw the relationship between patient care and self-care. Self-care isn’t an optional luxury. It must sit at the heart of what we do, to ensure our teams can continue to rise to the challenges of working in the 21st century NHS, to give our patients the best of both ourselves, and the organisation so many of us are proud to be a part of." This editorial by Dr Michael Farquhar, published in Anaesthesia, explains the importance of taking breaks while on shift and ensuring a good sleep between shifts and the inextricable link between sleep and patient safety.
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Content ArticleAccess to high quality community rehabilitation for those worst affected by COVID-19 will be critical. On the horizon is a significant increase in demand. These services already face major disruption from the pandemic due to the redeployment of the workforce and social distancing and shielding requirements. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy have published some FAQs to help physiotherapists understand what this means for rehabilitation during the pandemic.
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Content ArticlePhysiotherapy is critical for treating those worst affected by Covid19, including access to community rehabilitation after discharge from hospital. We face a huge increase in demand for high quality community rehab services. The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) sets out what system leaders and policy makers will need to do to meet this challenge.
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Content ArticleThe Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care (ACPRC) has published the Physiotherapy management for COVID-19 in the acute hospital setting: recommendations to guide clinical practice.This was based on international collaboration to provide guidance for clinical practice in patients with COVID-19. Please note that this is guidance only, and should be applied as appropriate to your own clinical area and local policies and guidance.
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Content Article
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A large number of people live with long-term breathlessness that has a significant impact on their daily lives. For some, breathlessness is not directly linked to an underlying, diagnosable illness, and these people can struggle to access effective treatment and support. In this interview, respiratory doctor Anna Moore explains some of the causes of breathlessness including its links to a wide range of socioeconomic factors. She outlines the person-centred, multi-disciplinary approach her team at Barts Health is taking to help people overcome breathlessness and highlights the need for more research in this area. -
Content ArticleStudies have reported evidence on sharps injuries among nursing, medical and dental students but little is known about the amount, type and causes of sharps injuries affecting other healthcare students. This narrative review aimed to identify the extent, type and causes of sharps injuries sustained by healthcare students, especially those not in nursing, medicine or dentistry. The review highlights that some groups of healthcare students, including those studying pharmacy, physiotherapy and radiography, sustain sharps injuries from similar devices as reported in research on such injuries in nursing, medical and nursing students. Sharps injuries happen in a range of healthcare environments, and many were not reported by students. The main cause of a sharps injury identified was a lack of knowledge.
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News Article
First NHS physiotherapy clinic run by AI to start this year
Patient Safety Learning posted a news article in News
The first NHS AI-run physiotherapy clinic is to be rolled out this year in an effort to cut waiting times amid growing demand and staff shortages. The new platform will provide same-day automated video appointments with a digital physiotherapist via an app that responds to information provided by a patient in real time. It is the first platform of its kind to be approved by the health regulator, the Care Quality Commission, as a registered healthcare provider. Patients seeking physiotherapy for issues such as back pain can be referred to the platform Flok Health through a community or primary care healthcare setting, such as their GP. They can also self-refer directly into the service. The service aims to provide faster care and reduce waiting times and pressure on clinicians, those behind it say. However, some in the industry say that AI cannot yet replicate the skill of a fully trained physiotherapist, and that treatment needs to be nuanced due to the complexity of cases. CSP health informatics lead, Euan McComiskie, said of the AI clinic: “There is no doubt that more needs to be done to tackle huge NHS waiting lists, particularly for musculoskeletal services and AI has huge potential to be an adjunct to the work of physiotherapists. However, AI cannot yet replicate the clinical judgment and skills of a physiotherapist, who is required to be registered with a statutory regulator, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).” McComiskie added that physiotherapists manage “increasing complexity in patient presentation and their treatment needs to be individually tailored”. He said: “It is early days to know how much AI can eventually provide clinical decision making and more research is needed … but not at the cost of patient access, safety, experience nor trust.” Read full story Source: The Guardian, 9 June 2024 -
Content Article
Let’s Move for Surgery: Surgery toolkit
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Surgery
Staying active is important if you’re waiting for or recovering from surgery. If you’re fit and strong, your surgery has the best chance of success, and you’ll likely recover quicker. Over time, exercise can also increase your mobility, help your balance and boost your mood. In this Surgery Toolkit you'll find tailor-made, follow-along exercise routines for hip, shoulder and knee replacement, as well as full body workouts to help you maintain overall fitness. You can also explore personal stories and advice from those living with arthritis who have been through joint replacement surgery, and tips on keeping active from a physiotherapist. -
Content ArticleDuring periods of extreme pressure, often exacerbated by a surge in respiratory conditions, demand on supplies of oxygen cylinders, especially the smaller sizes, increases in the NHS due to the need to provide essential oxygen treatment in areas without access to medical gas pipeline systems. This surge in demand increases the known risks associated with the use of oxygen gas cylinders, and introduces new risks, across three main areas: patient safety fire safety physical safety A search of incidents reported to the of the National Reporting and Learning System (NRLS) and Learn from Patient Safety Events (LFPSE) service in the last 12 months identified 120 patient safety incidents, including those with these themes: cylinder empty at point of use cylinder not switched on cylinders inappropriately transported cylinders inappropriately secured Some of these reports described compromised oxygen delivery to the patient, leading to serious deterioration and cardiac or respiratory arrest. In addition there is a need to conserve oxygen cylinder use to ensure a robust supply chain process. As a result of current pressures on the NHS, NHS England issued providers with a summary of best practice guidance on the ‘Safe use of oxygen cylinders’ on Friday 06 January 2023 to support providers to optimise and maintain the safe use of oxygen cylinders. This guidance was issued via the Patient Safety Specialist and Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) networks. Actions To be completed as soon as possible, and not later than 20 January 2023. 1. The chair of acute trust medical gas committee, working with key clinical/non-clinical colleagues including the local ambulance trust, should review the NHS England ‘Safe use of oxygen cylinders’ best practice guidance and ensure a risk assessment is undertaken in all areas where patients are being acutely cared for (either temporarily or permanently) without routine access to medical gas pipeline systems. Risk assessment should pay particular attention to: avoiding unnecessary use of cylinder oxygen and excessive flow rates by ensuring oxygen treatment is optimised to recommended target saturation ranges. ensuring safe use of oxygen cylinders by clinical staff including; - safe activation of oxygen flow - initial and ongoing checks of flow to patient - initial and ongoing checks of amount of oxygen left in the cylinder - especially during transfer or whilst undergoing diagnostic tests. fire safety, including: - appropriate ventilation (both in physical environments and in ambulances), safe storage of cylinders physical safety, including: - awareness of manual handling requirements - safe transportation of cylinders using appropriate equipment - safe storage of cylinders. 2. Once the risk assessments have been undertaken, convene the acute trust medical gas committee as soon as possible to review the findings of the risk assessments and formalise an action plan. Ensuring that the committee has executive director representation and ambulance trust input.
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Content Article
End PJ paralysis campaign
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Patient management
#EndPJparalysis has become a global movement embraced by nurses, therapists and medical colleagues. Its aim: to value patients’ time and help more people to live the richest, fullest lives possible by reducing immobility, muscle deconditioning, and dependency at the same time as protecting cognitive function, social interaction and dignity. Many of the people we care for are in their last 1000 days and they are the very people who do not have time to waste. Yet they are the people who are most likely to get stuck in our hospital systems due to their complex health and social needs. There is plenty of evidence that immobility in hospital leads to deconditioning, loss of functional ability and cognitive impairment, all of which have the potential to increase a patient’s length of stay, using up their valuable time. One of the major impacts of the #EndPJparalysis campaign has been the focus on both the individual and the organisational impact of ‘staying in bed’.
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