21 November 2012

Cover story

• At your convenience

  By involving patients with lower back pain in a project redesign, an innovative service in north west England sped up access to treatment. Robert Millett reports

  Comments: 2

Views and opinions

• Burning Question - Does my CSP insurance cover me for sports massage?

  Massage is certainly within the scope of physiotherapy.

• Second opinion - Appearance matters

  Salma Khanche from Changing Faces outlines what’s available for healthcare staff working with patients whose appearance has changed.

• Letters - 21 November 2012

  Get involved now by sending your contributions by email to talkback@csp.org.uk or write to Letters, Frontline, 14 Bedford Row London WC1R 4ED. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Frontline reserves the right to edit letters. Please ensure you include your name, address and a daytime telephone number.

• Comment - Get active!

  As a physiotherapist, you know your business – even though you might not like to define it in such commercial terms.

• Advice line - Making sense of the message

  Birgit Mueller-Winkler discusses the difficulties in communicating across cultural divides.

• In perspective - Reflected glory

  Four months on, Rosie Mew, lead physio for Paralympics GB, reflects on her experience.

News

• Managers don’t know wait times

  One NHS physiotherapy manager in three does not know how many patients are waiting for an outpatient appointment, according to the 2012 CSP Physiotherapy Managers survey.

• Physio elected as chair of dyspraxia foundation

  Physiotherapist Michèle Lee has been elected as chair of charity the Dyspraxia Foundation.

• Society to consider Agenda for Change proposals

  The CSP is to look into proposed changes to the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook.

• Green light for jobs in Blue Badge reforms

  Job opportunities are opening up for physios in England following a government overhaul of the Blue Badge scheme.

• Rheumatoid Arthritis Awards on offer

  The National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) has launched its annual Patients in Focus Award to recognise best practice in the education, treatment and care of people with rheumatoid arthritis.

• World opens up to two lucky students

  The CSP is offering two student members the chance to win a one-month overseas placement in Ghana, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Nepal or Argentina.

• CSP waves the UK flag at Vienna event

  The work of the CSP was high profile at a European conference held in Vienna earlier this month.

• Children need basic sports facilities not just elite ones

  Elite sports programmes should be built on the basis of grassroots sporting initiatives, which enable all children to develop the physical attributes to take part.

• Award-winning physio starts electrifying study

  A physiotherapist has started recruiting patients into a study that will focus on the use of electrical muscle stimulation.

• Mayor breathes life into rehab day

  A physiotherapist managed to persuade her local mayor to take part in a pulmonary rehabilitation group to help raise awareness about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

• Guidance out on cardiac rehab

  Physios will benefit from updated guidance on  prescribing physical activity and exercise for patients who have had heart attacks.

• Students celebrate overseas opportunities

  Physiotherapy students at St George’s, University of London, have heard about opportunities to act as volunteers in clinics overseas.

• Norfolk clinic picks up ‘rural England’ building award

  Established in 1998 by physio Elizabeth Palmer, Park Physiotherapy clinic has won an award after moving to its current farm-based site in Hockering, Norfolk, in February.

• Renal exercise study boost

  A physiotherapist specialising in renal exercise has received a National Institute for Health Research fellowship to support her two-year PhD project

• Physios can help homeless people this Christmas

  A charity is calling on physiotherapy staff to help homeless people in London over the festive period.

• Expert witnesses face ‘major changes’

  Physios acting as expert witnesses have been warned of two major changes that could affect their practice.
  
  

• Physios prepare for Commonwealth games

  Physiotherapy staff who volunteered to work at London 2012 Olympics Games came together earlier this month to exchange experiences and reflect on what they had learnt.

• Physio-led knee treatments offer NHS money-saving opportunity

  A specialist physiotherapist has claimed the NHS could save significant amounts of money by treating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) damage with physiotherapy rather than surgery.

• Congratulations!

  Lottery winner

• Leicester activates heart care

  Staff and patients united to launch a unique cardiac rehabilitation programme at Leicester General Hospital this month.
  
  

Focuses

• Patient experience matters

  Patients’ perceptions about the treatment they receive is becoming increasingly important. Steve Tolan, a CSP professional adviser, discusses the key issues.

• Corridors of power

  During the party conference season, CSP staff members and officers live out of suitcases as they promote the role of physio staff to politicians and policy makers. Ian A McMillan finds out more.

• Physio findings - research that’s relevant to physiotherapists

  Janet Wright reports on the latest clinical findings.

Features

• Listen up!

  Physiotherapist Chris Barton is helping healthcare professionals to learn to listen. Robert Millett finds out more

• Opening doors

  An NHS trust in central London is offering people with Arabic and Middle Eastern backgrounds special ‘stretch and relax’ sessions. Sally Priestley reports

• Parlez vous francais?

  France may lie just across the channel, but new registration requirements mean physios seeking work there can face tortuous journeys.  Robert Millett reports

  Comments: 1