Rehabilitation physiotherapy is incredibly important, now more than ever. With the NHS coming under increasing pressure, we must ensure that rehabilitation is sped up, but also ensures the safety of those recovering from surgery or injuries.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) believe that "The UK government must ensure that rehabilitation - and the workforce to deliver it - is properly considered in the latest plan to ease the crisis facing the NHS".
What is the Government Doing About This?
The CSP details the following.
"The announcement by the UK government today that £200m is being spent to buy thousands of extra beds in care homes and other settings is a much-needed intervention. With the NHS engulfed in crisis, action is needed to be taken to speed up discharge and move as many medically-fit people as possible out of hospital.
The prime minister and health secretary hope that this action will take effect within the next few weeks, but its success depends on making sure that those patients who are discharged have access to high-quality rehabilitation and recovery services in order to enable them to return home. The government says, 'patients will be given the support they need from GPs, nurses and other community-based clinicians to continue their recovery.'
CSP chief executive Karen Middleton said: ‘This is potentially a positive step to address the crisis engulfing the NHS and ensure people get home sooner, but it relies on two things.
‘Firstly, it needs the health and social care staff to deliver the services at a time of desperate shortages in both sectors.
‘And secondly, it is essential that patients moved into care homes receive timely, effective rehabilitation to ensure they can go home when well enough rather than simply find themselves stranded again.
‘The former brings challenges for delivery while failure on the latter would only create further misery for patients and greater pressures on social care".
6 New discharge sites have also been announced, to help reduce the delays in discharging patients. According to the SCP, the 6 frontrunning sites are as follows:
"Sussex Health and Care Integrated Care System: trialling a new data tool to help services manage performance, give operational oversight and manage demand
The Northern Care Alliance: trialling specialised dementia hubs to support people who have a greater chance of readmission.
Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care System: supporting patients to move across health and social care organisations through innovative use of data and real-time intelligence.
One Croydon Alliance: trialling a fully integrated team between acute and community, integrated IT system, integrated financial systems and integrated leadership, to better coordination between hospitals and community care settings like rehabilitation services.
Leeds Health and Care Partnership: focused on intermediate care, establishing an Active Recovery Service providing short-term community rehabilitation and reablement. Focus on rehabilitation and reablement not only improves patient experience but helps prevent future readmission.
Warwickshire Place: trialling a partnership between the NHS and social care to help provide care and support to patients when they are released from hospital into the community, increasing capacity for home care, and expanding recruitment".
What This Means for Rehabilitation Physiotherapy
The rehabilitation aspect of the plan is incredibly important, as it will ensure that those who are discharged can continue their rehabilitation and recovery in a safe environment. This could mean rehabilitation physiotherapy being provided both in care homes and on an outpatient basis, depending on the patient's individual needs.
The rehabilitation physiotherapists that will be providing this care must have the right training and qualifications, as well as access to the right equipment. This could include specialist wheelchairs, rehabilitation beds, rehabilitation pools and specialist rehabilitation software such as virtual reality systems.
The six new discharge centres also mean that rehabilitation physiotherapists will have access to more local rehabilitation services, as well as more resources and support. This is incredibly important for rehabilitation physiotherapy to be successful. These six centres will enable rehabilitation physiotherapists to provide rehabilitation that is tailored to the needs of each patient and their individual rehabilitation goals, all whilst reducing the strain on hospitals and the NHS.
Who Can Benefit from Rehabilitation Physiotherapy?
Rehabilitation physiotherapy can benefit anyone who has been in an accident, had surgery or had any kind of injury. It is especially important for those with long-term disabilities, such as stroke victims. Rehabilitation physiotherapy helps these individuals to regain the strength and mobility they have lost due to their disability, helping them to live more independent lives.
It is also incredibly beneficial for elderly people and those with conditions like arthritis. Rehabilitation physiotherapy helps improve joint and muscle function, reduce pain and help people maintain or even improve their quality of life. Physiotherapists can work closely with elderly people to help them improve their balance, coordination and strength. This benefits elderly people by providing them with more confidence and freedom, allowing them to remain active and independent.
Rehabilitation Physiotherapy at Falcon Health
At Falcon Health, we provide rehabilitation physiotherapy for a variety of conditions and injuries. Our rehabilitation physiotherapists are highly qualified and experienced, providing comprehensive rehabilitation programmes that are tailored to each individual's needs.
Our rehabilitation programmes include a combination of exercise and education, as well as positive reinforcement throughout the rehabilitation process. Our expert physiotherapists work closely with clients to develop bespoke care plans and ensure that the rehabilitation process is effective and helps to prevent injuries from recurring.
If you would like to learn more about our rehabilitation physiotherapy services, or our chiropractic and acupuncture treatments, explore our website or contact us today at 01444 257555 or info@falcon-health.com.
Article: Phoenix Marketing