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To boldly go: MS therapy services for the 21st Century

Study day report

Christine Singleton, Physiotherapy Clinical Specialist
Birmingham

Way Ahead 2006;10(3):9

The Royal College of Physicians provided the backdrop to a study day organised by Therapists in MS (TiMS) in association with the MS Trust. The prestigious venue set the tone for a sense of 'value' amongst the 120 delegates who attended from all over the UK. The day explored opportunities for developing and leading more effective MS services in the future.

Professor Lorraine de Souza (Brunel University) reminded us how little was understood about MS 25 years ago and how few services were available. In the absence of professional guidance, people with MS helped themselves by passing ideas on through networks – little has changed there! Today programmes of treatment and education have been developed, supported by evidence from a number of studies. Guidelines have been introduced which now need to be implemented. Patient centred teamwork is key to delivery of effective MS services and a recurring theme of the day was that allied health professionals (AHPs) can lead and develop 'a self-help model of care not a self-care model of help!'

Karen Middleton (Health Professions Advisor, Department of Health) provided a perspective on the 'new NHS', acknowledging that whilst current times may seem difficult, there will be real opportunities for AHPs to take a lead in future services. The White Paper 'Our Health, Our Care, Our Say: a new direction for community services' highlights the role of AHPs in service redesign and delivery of patient centred care. A key challenge for AHPs lies in understanding and influencing the commissioning process, in order to promote themselves as a solution for social and healthcare delivery.

Jackie Turnpenny explained the recent development of Therapy Consultant posts. The role aims to remove the glass ceiling for clinicians in order to bridge the gap between management and clinical needs in service delivery. Julie Rigby (Consultant Therapist) explored the practicalities of the Consultant role by outlining her role in Manchester. She facilitates service delivery through leadership, promotion and dissemination of an evidence based culture and influencing education and training of patients/clinicians. She plays important strategic role by advising on planning, development and standardisation of services. Underpinning these is her depth and breadth of knowledge and skills within neurology. She stressed the importance of teamwork, communication and co-ordination to break down any between and across services.

Karen Lea demonstrated the value of the role of Community Matron to lead and co-ordinate services through personalised case management to provide care in the community with long-term conditions. Her goals are to improve life, prevent 'crisis' and if hospital admission is necessary reduce the length of stay through co-ordination of services. Her role requires many of the skills associated with Consultant Therapist and the two complement each other.

Shelagh Morris (Department of Health) explained how supplementary prescribing and patient group directions for non-medical prescribing. This will provide new ways working and new roles for specialists and advanced practitioners and will enhance Workforce Development by developing partnerships between clinicians.

The day ended with an insight into what commissioners from Heather Wicks (Commissioner & Orthoptist). She how AHPs can influence decisions through getting taking a lead and understanding the process and roles practices, PCTs, health professionals and patients. become strategic thinkers, recognising the needs in localities, and linking these needs to national agendas, planning how services should be provided. Utilising such as national guidelines, Local Development Plans, Integrated Service Implementation Plans or 'Therapists delivering the long-term solutions', will add weight to commissioning requests.

As AHPs we have a role to inform and educate commissioners or face the peril of being left out of the equation. Our our hands. To say the day was thought provoking would understatement! The challenge for the TiMS education to follow that…

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