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Neuro patients are suffering "avoidable, unnecessary disabilities” through a lack of access to specialist rehabilitation during the COVID-19 pandemic, new findings have revealed.
With the country plunged into lockdown in March, therapists were redeployed into critical support roles across the NHS and tens of thousands of patients across the country saw the cancellation of sessions and appointments crucial to their ongoing recovery, with reports that many regressed due to the lapse in support. Recent research from the Stroke Association revealed that through the lack of access to therapy resources during the lockdown period, “many could lose out on the opportunity to make their best possible recovery”, which neuro professionals have confirmed extends beyond stroke patients and affects their whole clientele.
Blue Light Symphony Orchestra (BLSO), the UK's only orchestra for all emergency services personnel, has been awarded £10,000 funding from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund.
Covid-19 has given rise to an increase in mental health problems, not only in the general public, but also emergency service workers who are experiencing exceptionally increased levels of stress and anxiety. First responders need access to timely and relevant intervention but for many, finding words to express and process their emotions is difficult and the funding will be used to provide music therapy to overcome mental health issues.
Researchers analysed twelve studies that looked at VR-enhanced rehab, and concluded it can offer long-term positive outcomes for patients with traumatic brain injuries (TBI), especially those with motor skills and cognitive deficits, and those experiencing difficulties with their balance.
One of the benefits of VR rehab is that it can provide a safe environment for people to practice skills with minimal risk of harming. Some VR platforms, the paper states, can model almost any type of environment that may be useful for rehabilitating motor skills including walking, balancing and moving on different types of terrain.
Since the beginning of the pandemic in March, therapists have adapted face-to-face services to comply with social distancing measures. While many patients and practitioners alike seemed to adapt well, now research has confirmed that it can be a practical way of delivering rehab for stroke patients.
A new paper, co-authored by Brodie Sakakibara, assistant professor at the Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Management has found that remote, virtual rehab works for people recovering from a stroke. Six clinical trials were launched across Canada as part of a Heart and Stroke Foundation initiative, where people recovering from a stroke were given interventions including memory, speech and physical exercise training.
An influential group of rehab organisations has issued a set of recommendations to the Health and Social Care Select Committee (HSC) aout managing rehab amid COVID-19.
Back in 2000, the world was a very different place, particularly in terms of technology. Many of the high-tech innovations we now accept as standard were not yet launched and healthcare remained one of the most traditional markets around. Yet into this climate, Hocoma launched the prototype of its pioneering Lokomat, a robotic medical device which provides repetitive and highly physiological gait training to patients, enabling even some of the most impaired to learn to walk again.
The work of dietitians in post-stroke rehab is heavily built on relationships. First and foremost, we must build up a good relationship with the patient and their loved ones at an immensely difficult time for them. Where the patient has dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), for example, they may suddenly have been advised by a Speech and Language Therapist to switch to a completely different texture of food, and potentially fluid, from what they’ve known throughout their life. Whether it’s pureed, minced or soft and bite sized, this is obviously a huge shift for somebody used to eating regularly textured food.
Nearly 20,000 fully qualified staff will be joining the NHS response to the pandemic, helping manage the expected surge in cases. The extra resources now secured by the health service will not only be available to treat coronavirus patients, but will also help the NHS deliver other urgent operations and cancer treatments. The deal – the first of its kind ever – includes the provision of 8,000 hospital beds across England, nearly 1200 more ventilators, more than 10,000 nurses, over 700 doctors and over 8,000 other clinical staff. In London it includes over 2000 hospital beds, and over 250 operating theatres and critical beds.
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I’m often asked by colleagues what makes a good medico-legal expert in complex high value (multi-track) cases. It’s something I’ve thought about a lot since I started doing this kind of work and something I’ve discussed with solicitors, time and again. A commitment to the caseload Being a medical expert witness is not a trivial undertaking. People should certainly not view this work as an easy way to make money. Of course, it’s possible to make a good living, but only for people who have something valuable to offer. It’s also a competitive business, so being as good as you can be makes a big difference to the number of instructions you will receive. Like most aspects of professional life, the more you put into it the more you get out in several ways.
