Patients across Shropshire are receiving a variety of services to help them recuperate thanks to close working between Therapists at Shropshire’s acute hospitals and in the community.
The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust’s (SaTH) Therapy teams provide support to patients needing everything from physiotherapy and occupational therapy to those needing support with their speech and language or with their diet.
And the teams embody the ethos of partnership working as they work closely with colleagues from other health organisations to provide care closer to home for patients.
Dianne Lloyd, Therapy Centre Manager at SaTH, said: “Our Care Closer to Home Therapy Centre provides a range of countywide services delivered by multidisciplinary teams of Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech & Language Therapists, Dietitians and Assistant Practitioners.
“Our therapy teams work closely with community colleagues in health and social care and voluntary organisations to ensure patients receive effective treatment and co-ordinated care in the most appropriate location.”
Services provided by Therapists for patients in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and those in Powys who have a Shropshire GP include:
Stroke Early Supported Discharge Team (ESD) – The ESD Team provides specialist goal-orientated rehabilitation at home and within the community for patients who have suffered a stroke, for up to six weeks following discharge from hospital. Staff are based at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford. They provide a range of approaches and treatment techniques to tailor rehabilitation programmes to individual needs, including advice and emotional support, education, and physical and cognitive therapies.
The team helps to ensure patients can be discharged in a timely manner, without having to have an unnecessarily long stay in hospital. Goals and rehabilitation are centred around each patient and the team works in the patient’s own home and in care homes.
Macmillan Integrated Therapy Service – The Macmillan Integrated Therapy Service (MITS) aims to deliver integrated, efficient and appropriate therapy to patients with complex needs. The aim of the service is to deliver equitable, effective and responsive therapy services for all patients being treated for cancer, ensuring they are treated in a timely manner, supported to leave hospital in a timely way once they no longer need hospital care, and prevent unnecessary admissions. The multidisciplinary team provides specialist therapy for patients living with cancer including assessment, therapy and signposting for patients, families and carers. It provides support for patients in hospital and the community, as well as a programme of education and development for healthcare professionals
Adult Community Speech & Language Therapy – Services are delivered in Ludlow, Bridgnorth, Whitchurch and Bishop’s Castle Community Hospitals, patients’ own homes and care homes. The team helps patients who have difficulties with eating, drinking or swallowing, difficulties with speech and communication problems.
Community Dietetics Service – The team supports patients receiving artificial nutritional support in their own homes or in care homes, and also provides a service at Ludlow, Bridgnorth, Whitchurch and Bishop’s Castle Community Hospitals.
Dianne added: “A recent development is the secondment of one of our Community Dietitians to work as an integral part of the Primary Care Support and Medicines Management Team within Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
“This role involves working collaboratively with patients, carers, GP practices, care homes, and community pharmacists to promote a ’food first’ approach and appropriate use of oral nutritional supplements to prevent and treat malnutrition in the community.”
She added: “Our ethos is to have our patients at the heart of everything we do and this is achieved by working really closely with colleagues in the community to help patients who no longer need hospital care and benefit from receiving our support in their own homes or in the community.
“It’s a great example of NHS team work and shows how health organisations work together every day to provide the best care possible for our patients.”