- Email: [email protected]
Management Course
The Failings of Council MADAM - We, being Chartered physiotheranists. are stronalv of the oDinion that the CSP douncil is guifering from:
1. Lack of initiative. 2. Lack of urgency. 3.A failure to grasp that with 1 9g 1 Only years away the preparation work necessary for the Society to be able to face the changes and new challenges Of the White Paper Working for Patients must be started in earnest now. The White Paper fails to acknowledge quality in patient care, or care itself as a goal for the Health Service - and we claim to be the 'caring professions'! The gaps and lack of concrete proposals should be seen for what they are, namely a careful strategy t o opt out of these areas themselves. We urge the Council to be vigilant in defence of a unified and non-6litist service and to make contact with other professional bodies who have already started answering these problems. In order that:
Management Course MADAM - I was interested to see the announcement of the course on 'Effective management in the NHS' at Ashorne Hill Management College in the February issue of Physiotherapy. page 99. I attended this course in 1987/88 as part of my management development while a superintendent II at Nottingham General Hospital. Before 1 started, my unit general manager, a course tutor and I met t o look at my career and management skills, and identified areas that needed development both from my point of view and theirs. We agreed and recorded my objectives for the course. The course membership was very varied with managers from most areas of the National Health Service and this was most stimulating.
1. Conditions of service and contractual changes which occur are kept under rigorous scrutiny,
2. Members are not led t o believe that market forces are central to the provision of service. 3. That quality of service, that has been hard fought for, in an area which has been historically underfunded, shall not be undermined by using efficiency, bed turnover, and profit margins as sole criteria. It is our concern that the Chartered Society will not be at the forefront in these matters, and that this will encourage some members to fail to seek its advice, or, to ignore what is eventually said. CELIA BECKETT MCSP JOHN CLEAK MCSP Doncaster This letter was dated March 70, 1989, five days before the first meeting of the CSP Council after publication of the White Paper, so it is difficult to know on what evidence these criticisms are based. For an account of what Council actually decided and did please see pages 204 and 211.-Editor.
Everyone was given the responsibility for their own learning so people got out of it what they were prepared to put in. Objectives were set between blocks which gave continuity and maintained development. I found the course extremely useful as it helped to identify my strengths and weaknesses, gave me confidence to use the skills I had, and gave me the tools necessary to improve in areas that I had previously avoided. If participants are to get as much as possible from this excellent course they must have the support of their managers without this they would find the experience extremely frustrating. MARGARET CHURTON MCSP Physiotherapy Manager University Hospital Nottingham
Disabled Parents - The Unmet Needs MADAM - The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) first became aware of the unmet needs of disabled parents in 1981, the International Year of Disabled People, when we interviewed 24 mothers with various disabilities. We published the results of this research in our booklet The Emotions and Experiences of Some Disabled Mothers (still available from the address below). We then set up the Parents with ~ i abilities Group to implement the recornmendations made in the booklet - to set up a contract register to provide mutual friendship and support; to make information on pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood more accessible; and to raise awareness of the needs of disabled parents both within and outside the NCT. AS our work in this field has progressed, we have become increasingly aware of the needs of professionals working with disabled parents, ie for exchange of information and mutual support. Are these needs being met? Helping a disabled mother may involve co-
216
operation between midwife, GP, medical specialist in the disability, obstetrician, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, health visitor, home care organiser, NCT. self-help group and so on. Is this interdisciplinary co-operation happening? TO help us in our continuing work, We would be very grateful to hear from any Of your readers who ~0 Feel - their needs and those of disabled mothers are being met in their area. Have experience of exchanging information and mutual support on a local, regional or national basis. Can suggest ways in which they and the NCT - perhaps together? - can increase awareness Of the needs Of disabled parents. JO O'FARRELL for the Parents with Disabilities Group The National Childbirth Trust Alexandra House Oldham Terrace Acton London w 3 ~ N H
Welcome for Helpers MADAM - In any post that I have held, physiotherapy helpers have been vitally important. Many have great skills and knowledge of patient handling learnt 'on the job: and the volume of physiotherapy that would be achieved without them would be greatly reduced. Worries about insurance and public liability are pushing these people towards COHSE and NUPE, already eager to recruit. Why is the CSP so resistant to taking them under its wing? I think it is rather insulting t o welcome helpers in the hospital environment and expect a great deal of them, but not consider them worthy enough to become associate members of our illustrious society. Demography may force our hand! ELIZABETH M BEMBRIDGE MCSP Buckland Hospital Dover The Association of District and Superintendent Chartered Physiotherapists, as the managers' Occupational Group of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, cornments: The A DSCP shares the concern regarding physiotherapy helpers and has been working in conjunction with the Organisation of District Physiotherapists and the CSP to produce a paper on the role and training of physiotherapy helpers. This, along with a paper on the relationship between physiotherapists and community and other support workers, was ratified by Council in March and will be published in the near future. A small working group is now producing guide lines for the training of physiotherapy helpers. From this it is evident that we are fully aware of the enormous contribution physiotherapy helpers make to patient care and wish to give as much support as possible to enhancing their position.
Pelvic Floor Exercises Perineometers MADAM - We are at present involved in a research project into the effectiveness of taught pelvic floor exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. We would be interested and welcome information from your readers on the following points:
1. Do they use a perineometer in the assessment of pelvic floor strength? 2. Is the perineometer used to teach pelvic floor exercises? 3. How many use only taught exercises? 4. What other methods of treatment do they employ?
MORAG THOW BSc MCSP DipPE Lecturer Department of Physiotherapy The Queen's College Glasgow 1 Park Drive Glasgow G3 6LP
CLOSING DATES 'Noticeboard' and 'Personal': 13th of the month preceding publication.
physiotherapy, April 1989, vol75, no 4
1. Lack of initiative. 2. Lack of urgency. 3.A failure to grasp that with 1 9g 1 Only years away the preparation work necessary for the Society to be able to face the changes and new challenges Of the White Paper Working for Patients must be started in earnest now. The White Paper fails to acknowledge quality in patient care, or care itself as a goal for the Health Service - and we claim to be the 'caring professions'! The gaps and lack of concrete proposals should be seen for what they are, namely a careful strategy t o opt out of these areas themselves. We urge the Council to be vigilant in defence of a unified and non-6litist service and to make contact with other professional bodies who have already started answering these problems. In order that:
Management Course MADAM - I was interested to see the announcement of the course on 'Effective management in the NHS' at Ashorne Hill Management College in the February issue of Physiotherapy. page 99. I attended this course in 1987/88 as part of my management development while a superintendent II at Nottingham General Hospital. Before 1 started, my unit general manager, a course tutor and I met t o look at my career and management skills, and identified areas that needed development both from my point of view and theirs. We agreed and recorded my objectives for the course. The course membership was very varied with managers from most areas of the National Health Service and this was most stimulating.
1. Conditions of service and contractual changes which occur are kept under rigorous scrutiny,
2. Members are not led t o believe that market forces are central to the provision of service. 3. That quality of service, that has been hard fought for, in an area which has been historically underfunded, shall not be undermined by using efficiency, bed turnover, and profit margins as sole criteria. It is our concern that the Chartered Society will not be at the forefront in these matters, and that this will encourage some members to fail to seek its advice, or, to ignore what is eventually said. CELIA BECKETT MCSP JOHN CLEAK MCSP Doncaster This letter was dated March 70, 1989, five days before the first meeting of the CSP Council after publication of the White Paper, so it is difficult to know on what evidence these criticisms are based. For an account of what Council actually decided and did please see pages 204 and 211.-Editor.
Everyone was given the responsibility for their own learning so people got out of it what they were prepared to put in. Objectives were set between blocks which gave continuity and maintained development. I found the course extremely useful as it helped to identify my strengths and weaknesses, gave me confidence to use the skills I had, and gave me the tools necessary to improve in areas that I had previously avoided. If participants are to get as much as possible from this excellent course they must have the support of their managers without this they would find the experience extremely frustrating. MARGARET CHURTON MCSP Physiotherapy Manager University Hospital Nottingham
Disabled Parents - The Unmet Needs MADAM - The National Childbirth Trust (NCT) first became aware of the unmet needs of disabled parents in 1981, the International Year of Disabled People, when we interviewed 24 mothers with various disabilities. We published the results of this research in our booklet The Emotions and Experiences of Some Disabled Mothers (still available from the address below). We then set up the Parents with ~ i abilities Group to implement the recornmendations made in the booklet - to set up a contract register to provide mutual friendship and support; to make information on pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood more accessible; and to raise awareness of the needs of disabled parents both within and outside the NCT. AS our work in this field has progressed, we have become increasingly aware of the needs of professionals working with disabled parents, ie for exchange of information and mutual support. Are these needs being met? Helping a disabled mother may involve co-
216
operation between midwife, GP, medical specialist in the disability, obstetrician, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, health visitor, home care organiser, NCT. self-help group and so on. Is this interdisciplinary co-operation happening? TO help us in our continuing work, We would be very grateful to hear from any Of your readers who ~0 Feel - their needs and those of disabled mothers are being met in their area. Have experience of exchanging information and mutual support on a local, regional or national basis. Can suggest ways in which they and the NCT - perhaps together? - can increase awareness Of the needs Of disabled parents. JO O'FARRELL for the Parents with Disabilities Group The National Childbirth Trust Alexandra House Oldham Terrace Acton London w 3 ~ N H
Welcome for Helpers MADAM - In any post that I have held, physiotherapy helpers have been vitally important. Many have great skills and knowledge of patient handling learnt 'on the job: and the volume of physiotherapy that would be achieved without them would be greatly reduced. Worries about insurance and public liability are pushing these people towards COHSE and NUPE, already eager to recruit. Why is the CSP so resistant to taking them under its wing? I think it is rather insulting t o welcome helpers in the hospital environment and expect a great deal of them, but not consider them worthy enough to become associate members of our illustrious society. Demography may force our hand! ELIZABETH M BEMBRIDGE MCSP Buckland Hospital Dover The Association of District and Superintendent Chartered Physiotherapists, as the managers' Occupational Group of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, cornments: The A DSCP shares the concern regarding physiotherapy helpers and has been working in conjunction with the Organisation of District Physiotherapists and the CSP to produce a paper on the role and training of physiotherapy helpers. This, along with a paper on the relationship between physiotherapists and community and other support workers, was ratified by Council in March and will be published in the near future. A small working group is now producing guide lines for the training of physiotherapy helpers. From this it is evident that we are fully aware of the enormous contribution physiotherapy helpers make to patient care and wish to give as much support as possible to enhancing their position.
Pelvic Floor Exercises Perineometers MADAM - We are at present involved in a research project into the effectiveness of taught pelvic floor exercises to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. We would be interested and welcome information from your readers on the following points:
1. Do they use a perineometer in the assessment of pelvic floor strength? 2. Is the perineometer used to teach pelvic floor exercises? 3. How many use only taught exercises? 4. What other methods of treatment do they employ?
MORAG THOW BSc MCSP DipPE Lecturer Department of Physiotherapy The Queen's College Glasgow 1 Park Drive Glasgow G3 6LP
CLOSING DATES 'Noticeboard' and 'Personal': 13th of the month preceding publication.
physiotherapy, April 1989, vol75, no 4