Rehabilitation research, practice and education the era of COVID-19’
This was the theme of our 2020 conference, jointly hosted with the British Society of Rehabilitation Medicine, Association of Chartered Physiotherapists for People with Learning Disabilities, and supported by the European Forum for Research in Rehabilitation, like many events in 2020 went online.
As you will all have seen rehabilitation was highlighted publicly and politically by the pandemic. Before COVID-19, rehabilitation services were already under strain. In 2020, new COVID-19 related rehabilitation needs emerged – not only from those who survived COVID-19, but also among those whose health has been impacted by isolation and other COVID-19-related factors. Taken together, more people need high quality, evidence-based rehabilitation for their long term, complex needs than ever before.
These urgent and important demands on rehabilitation affect everyone working in this important field; new questions arose. That included discussion about how best to adapt services to ensure they are fit for purpose and adaptable in future. There continue to be important questions relating to new education and training, required by practitioners to deliver these services, as well as an urgent need for new research to strengthen the evidence underpinning rehabilitation practice.
Further information about the content of the conference can be found in our events section. These are just a few of the excellent talks that took place:
Impact of COVID 19 on function, activity and participation, and the need for rehabilitation
Professor Lynne Turner-Stokes
International perspectives on COVID-19 and the need for rehabilitation
Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Gutenbrunner, Department for Rehabilitation Medicine, Hannover Medical School
How acute illness and the need for acute rehabilitation go hand in hand in people living with frailty
Professor Kenneth Rockwood, Professor of Medicine (Geriatric Medicine & Neurology)
Kathryn Allen Weldon Professor of Alzheimer Research, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS Canada
SRR Philip Nichols Lecture
Professor Philip Rowe, Professor of Rehabilitation Science, University of Strathclyde
Rehabilitation for COVID-19 survivors
Rehabilitation post ICU – Professor Sally Singh, Leicester
Long term rehabilitation and support needs – Dr Manoj Sivan, Leeds
What is Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR) surgery?
Mr Norbert Kang, London
The impact of COVID-19 to Orthoptics: lessons for fast-tracking survey studies
Professor Fiona Rowe
Trauma Rehabilitation
Trauma Rehabilitation Training – results of a survey
Dr Celine Lakra
Current training – the North West Experience
Dr Lin Cheng, Preston
From RM trainee to Trauma Rehab Consultant – a personal experience with tips and tricks
Dr Shigong Gou
