Just to reply to a few of your points:
> Maybe we should be looking to assess and change the systems in which UK
> Physio's work rather than witchhunt a couple of out-of-date individuals
I think the NHS is undergoing remarkable change at present and a lot more
physios are currently being trained. But to say that bringing to the
attention of management a physios practice who is usually poor and
occassionally down right dangerous is a "witch hunt" I think you are not
only being inflamatory but also counter productive.
Just because the system is hard pushed does not mean we should settle for
poor clinicians.
> Outpatients would be a good start. It is not unreasonable for someone
> deemed chronic from two lines written by a GP to have to wait 3 months to
> be seen in the NHS. Then they are only allowed a maximum of six brief
> sessions (15-20 minutes) with a Physio who on occasion will be jumping
> from cubicle to cubicle. Is that truly effective care? And does the
> Physio really feel they have job satisfaction?
I do feel that I have job satisfaction in the NHS. And I feel that after
my up to one hour long sessions assessing and there indefinete treatment
periods most patienyts are happy too.
I would rather see this system than a system of buying healthcare.
> Before anyone writes back to complain "what do I know?" I cut my teeth in
> the NHS and have worked through a number of GP Practices. I've also
> worked as a locum in a number of Outpatient Departments throughout the
> country and in the USA. My comments are born out of observations made
> over a number of years in an array of different localities. Unfortunately
> I don't have an answer to the problem, although the system in the states
> certainly was more effective from a clinical point of view - it would be
> interesting to hear comments.
What do you base the effectiveness thing on? I am currently seeing a lady
who moved to the UK and continued PT I have made more positive outcome in 1
month than in 6 of US PTs hour long treatments, purely because there MD had
advised them wrongly. I would rathert be an overworked underpaid
independant clinician than a physio dictated too by doctors and insurance
companies.
If we were concernmed about competency and aonly the amount of PTs we could
solve that easily, just nip down to any old dole office and employ the
people waiting.
Now who's being inflamatory?
Yours sincerely,
John Willenbruch
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