TALKBACK NEWS 5
Rehab should be first option for pelvic floor disorders
committed to multidisciplinary maternity teams that include physiotherapists who can advise women after childbirth on strengthening pelvic floor muscles, through exercise. Rachel Newton added: “This level of support needs to be available to women of all ages with pelvic health issues and women should be referred for pelvic rehabilitation before surgical options are considered.” The deadline to submit evidence for the Women’s Health Strategy is 31 May.
Advice function set up to improve efficiency of NHS e-Referral Service will only be able to convert the advice and guidance conversation into a referral with the agreement of the referrer, where both agree it is in the best interests of the patient to do so. Image: pressfoto/freepik
NHS Digital has improved the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS), to make referring smoother and easier. Provider clinicians can now turn an advice conversation directly into a referral, making it easier and quicker for busy clinicians to use the e-RS. Further changes will also allow the advice and guidance function to be integrated into provider systems so that conversations can be directly embedded into the patient’s medical record and clinicians do not have to switch between systems to seek advice from each other. Martin O’Keeffe, senior clinical lead from NHS Digital, said: “By making it easier for primary and secondary care clinicians to talk to each other, we know that GPs can get the advice they need at their fingertips while hospital consultants can have greater confidence that a referral is appropriate before a patient is referred to them.” Consultants and other provider clinicians
aims to smash record
LACE UP your running shoes and take part in something iconic. While 50,000 people will be running the Virgin Money London Marathon 2021 in London, another 50,000 people will have the opportunity to run the same marathon virtually over the course of 24 hours. From midnight on 2 October until 23:59:59 on 3 October you will be able to take part in one of the World’s greatest marathons, from wherever you are on the planet – and attempt to smash a Guinness World Record for the most runners participating in a remote event. This year we have 15 virtual, Virgin Money London Marathon places available and we hope our supporters will run for BackCare (or maybe you know a friend or relative who can). All virtual runners will receive their running numbers before the event as well as their coveted official finisher medal – and if the Guinness World Record is broken you can also claim your Official World Record certificate. Registration is £50 (+vat) and all we ask is that you raise as much money as you can to help us to help people living with back pain.
Contact details: events@ backcare.org.uk
TALKBACK l SPRING 2021
Image: katemangostar/freepik
A NEW women’s health strategy is examining ways to tackle health inequalities. The government is welcoming written submissions from individuals and organisations who have expertise in the area. Despite living longer than men, women spend a greater proportion of their lives in ill health and disability. Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said the “male by default” problem of the past must be put right. “It can lead to poorer advice and diagnosis and, as a result, worse outcomes. Symptoms can often differ between men and women, and studies show some conditions, like coronary blockages, are more likely to be misdiagnosed among women than men.” The spotlight on women’s health has been welcomed by healthcare professionals. Rachel Newton, head of policy at the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, said: “Women tend to have poorer access to rehabilitation services to prevent deterioration or help manage a whole range of long-term health conditions.” A key area where action is needed is in pelvic rehabilitation. The NHS Long Term Plan is
Image: katemangostar/freepik
New strategy on women’s health Virtual marathon – a call for evidence
