ACPRC conference: Working together to promote joined up thinking

^{Carley King spoke about how to add value through intergration}

Carley King, lead for quality at Leeds Community Healthcare Trust, developed a keen interest in increasing quality and value while working as an advisor for the CSP. She told delegates about adding value through integration in respiratory care.

Value is not just about providing the cheapest option, she argued. It’s also about assimilating both cost and the quality of an intervention. This is pivotal to ensuring sustainable and high quality services to a cash-strapped NHS.

She gave an example of a multiple-criteria decision analysis tool (MCDA) tool that can look at the impact of physiotherapy, and other therapies, on cost, clinical effectiveness and patient safety and experience.

‘By looking at different options using an tool based on the components that make up value, a robust business case can be made to local decision makers to ensure respiratory physiotherapy is positioned to make as much impact on patient care as possible,’ she said.

‘Co-working is about building relationships, developing new skills, respect and diversity.’

Managing swallowing problems

Jackie McRae, speech and language therapist (SaLT) at the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, agreed that joint problem-solving and decision-making is advantageous, but she argued that the role of SaLT with respiratory patients is often poorly understood.

Her talk focussed on the anatomy and physiology of swallowing and its relationship to respiratory function and the skills required to manage swallowing and communication problems alongside physiotherapy colleagues. Videos were screened to demonstrate clinical examples and the role of SaLT in collaborative decision-making.

Shuttle walking test

Sally Singh, head of clinical cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, described her career and the development of the incremental shuttle walking test.

She explained its evolution, from the original idea within a PhD study through to the test being incorporated into many national and international guidance documents. It is widely used by physiotherapists but she also gave an example of the test and exercises to increase lung function being used in Vietnam, where there are no physios now.

‘It has been challenging to get recognition for research training for physiotherapists within the NHS,’ she said. ‘There has been a poor career structure, problems of professional engagement and resistance to doing things differently, and anxieties that research training undermines role and patient face-to-face time.

‘Physios very infrequently ask me about respiratory rehab research, having to meet key performance indicators leaves very little time for anything else. There are many positives. I have had a diverse career and have been lucky enough to promote my research around the world.’

After the presentations, Ms Singh was asked what can be done locally and nationally to promote a career structure for researchers. She said there are schemes to apply to for PhD and post-doc funding, but she largely pays for her research through grants. She said a challenge could be sent back to the CSP and NHS England to support research schemes.