The NHS Employers summit 'Matching skills to service needs - the physiotherapy contribution' took place on Tuesday 13 May at the City Inn, Westminster, London.
Over 60 delegates attended from a range of NHS and stakeholder organisations. The agenda focussed on the positive contribution that physiotherapists can make in helping to deliver four of the national priority areas: health and well being, occupational health, trauma and orthopaedics (linked to 18 weeks) and stroke.
Programme
10.00 Registration and networking over coffee
10.30 Welcome by facilitator, Jane Burtoft
10.35 Scene setting:
- Liz Cavan, Chair of Council, Chartered Society of Physiotherapists
- Alastair Henderson, Deputy Director, NHS Employers
10.45 Keynote speech from Ann Keen, Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Health Services
11.00 Plenary with questions and answers, Karen Middleton, Chief Health Professions Officer, Department of Health
11.40 Round table discussions: using physiotherapy staff to deliver service requirements.
- The Royal Free Hampstead NHS Trust -physiotherapy lecturer and researcher Dr Cherry Kilbride and Emma Turner, stroke coordinator talked about how the trust transformed its stroke services from among one of the poorest services in the country to one of the best performing stroke units.
- Devon Primary Care Trust - Martin Dowdell, clinical specialist physiotherapist talked about how the PCT carried out a two stage audit to understand the detail behind their musculoskeletal service and assess the impact self referral might make, both on patients and services in the future.
- Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust -Dr Jeremy Lewis, consultant physiotherapist and visiting professor talked about a proposal he has put together to introduce physiotherapy led injection service for musculoskeletal conditions.
- Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust -Julie Kelly, senior occupational health physiotherapist discussed how the trust developed a face-to-face musculoskeletal triage service, which gives fast advice and information to staff with injuries and aims to reduce the effects of delayed treatment, and enable staff to stay in work and recover more quickly.
- Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Trust - Merrin Froggatt, clinical specialist physiotherapist talked about how the trust addressed its higher than average sickness absence levels through speeding up access to physiotherapy assessment. The trust funded a pilot occupational health physiotherapy service, which evaluated successfully. The service is now a key part of the trust's occupational health service and sickness management strategy.
- Buckinghamshire Primary Care Trust - Julia Copping, physiotherapist and Liz Paddock, County lead for musculoskeletal physiotherapy and women's health discussed how the trust has expanded the role of physiotherapists to include health promotion and diabetes education and how these changes in practice have resulted in patients benefitting from a more holistic model of care.
13.00 Lunch and networking
13.40 Presentation by Jill Gamlin, Consultant Physiotherapist, Cambridge Community Services talked about the role of a consultant and how it can help with the delivery of future service requirements
14.00 Round table discussions: using physiotherapy staff to help deliver future priorities - focussing on two key questions:
- How to influence commissioning
- How to address professional development issues to ensure fluid movement along the career pathway
15.15 Presentation on the Allied Health Professionals competency framework by Alison Strode, Divisional Manager, Skills for Health
15.45 Close by Alastair Henderson, Deputy Director, NHS Employers
A full write up of the event including detailed case study will be available on the website soon.
