Your comments: 1 November 2017

Homeless people live with poorer health than housed people, with musculoskeletal, respiratory and neurological conditions known to be common. They often struggle to access healthcare, including physiotherapy, resulting in their health worsening and potentially becoming critical before seeking help. As a result, many end up requiring more care for a more serious condition later.

 

Crisis at Christmas is an annual, volunteer event providing homeless guests with shelter, meals, entertainment and practical support during the Christmas week. A physio service has run annually in Crisis centres in London since 2012. Year on year we have assessed and treated more guests, with well over 200 people provided with physiotherapy in just six days last year. We need to recruit volunteer qualified and student physios to help run the physio service. If you will be around London and can spare two days or more, from 24-29 December inclusive, Crisis would be delighted to have you on board.  

Thank you for sharing the launch of a trust’s EndPJparalysis campaign in Frontline.  I have been campaigning in Cumbria to help improve patients’ journeys and promote the value of their time through the same campaign. This helps to raise the profile of how we, as part of the multidisciplinary team, can lead in making a difference to our patients’ lives.  

 

I was disappointed to see a Views and Opinions column in the same edition by Pippa Collins that criticised physios for being the cause of PJParalysis in the first place. See here.   

 

Why blame physios when the issue stems from multiple causes, including a lack of resources and awareness across the whole system? I fear this may put others off trying to implement EndPJParalysis. 

 

I agree the acute hospital setting needs to work differently to meet the demands of our ageing population and to assess long-standing cultures. Let’s work together to improve and share success, rather than blame our profession for allowing it to happen. Please share more of the success stories regarding how the campaign helps to promote dignity and independence. 

 

 

Ian A McMillan, Frontline’s deputy editor responds: It’s great to see the range of responses from members to the various items on this campaign that have appeared in recent issues. While Pippa Collins’ column was written in a challenging style, we would hope readers would not withdraw their support from campaigns like this as a result.