Your comments: 4 May 2016

I am a specialist cancer physiotherapist who works privately and in the NHS in Gloucestershire. I have teamed up with consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon Liz O’Riordan, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year.

 

We believe that people in the UK living with, and beyond, a cancer diagnosis –no matter what the prognosis – should have access to specialist physiotherapists in order to promote recovery during and following treatment. 

 

But, as Liz herself experienced, accessing specialist physiotherapists is hard, as it is currently not known how many there are or where they are based. Liz had severe cording after her axillary surgery, and the physiotherapists in her hospital were not trained in soft tissue release. This led to delays in starting radiotherapy, while she scoured the internet for a local expert.

 

We are keen to improve the care for this population group but need your help. I have set up a website cancer-physio.com which is still under development.  An interactive map will help people to find physiotherapists, whether in the NHS, private or third sector. If you would like to take part, send me your name, contact number, geographical location, speciality and how to refer. Let me know if you work in an outpatient or community setting. If you would prefer, I can highlight your location but keep your contact details on a confidential database and contact you if an enquiry comes in for your area.  

 

Email me at clare.lait@cancer-physio.com 

 

 

Thank you Frontline for bringing our attention to a recent randomised controlled trial (RCT) on back pain in Physio findings (6 January 2016). Our journal club, which meets every two months to critically appraise RCTS, was cheered by this pragmatic study’s results. The study looked at individualised physiotherapy plus advice versus advice alone. It concluded that the group of patients treated with individualised physio fared better than the advice alone group – and activity level improvements were sustained over a 12-month period. 

 

A positive outcome for physiotherapy! 

 

 

I am promoting a ‘Spring Challenge’: ‘“F” is not for food’ that consists of encouraging anyone to make a change to his or her health. This can be anything from walking 10 minutes every day to performing 15 sit-to-stands from an armchair. The only rule is you are not allowed to use the ‘F’ word: food. My aim is to promote physical fitness and wellbeing using exercise as an active step to improve one’s health.

 

Twitter: @PhysioHealthy

 

 

I have a patient, Angus Drummond, who has muscular dystrophy. He recently launched a disability travel website. The idea is to create a community for people with disabilities to discuss or rate holiday destinations in terms of accessibility and disability ‘friendliness’, while also providing a platform to book these holidays. 

 

What follows was written by Angus. ‘Prior to beginning Limitless Travel I had a number of concerns about how I would be able to manage my condition in a demanding work environment ... over the past eight months I have had fantastic guidance that has enabled me to manage my condition while pursuing my dream.’ 

 

As therapists, we have been working with Angus to maximise his physical potential.

 

For more information, email angusdrummond@limitlesstravel.org or weymanjs@gmail.com