LD Physiotherapy

About our service

The aim of the LD Physiotherapy Service is to provide a comprehensive range of specialist assessments and interventions in order to minimise the risk and manage the impact of complex physical health needs for people with a Learning Disability. People accepted to the service must have clearly identified,  Physiotherapy-specific goals and the requirement for active physiotherapy intervention. Service users will be prioritised based on clinical need and risk.

 

There are seven core pathways within the LD Physiotherapy service:

• Deteriorating conditions,
• Falls and mobility,
• Musculoskeletal,
• Respiratory,
• Postural care,
• Rehabilitation,
• Transition (from paediatrics to adults).

 

The role of the LD Physiotherapy team is to provide assessment and treatment of people with learning disabilities who are unable to access mainstream physiotherapy care, despite reasonable adjustments being implemented.  There is also scope within the team to provide support to mainstream services in the implementation of reasonable adjustments with a view to reduce health inequalities in the LD population in Birmingham.

 

 

What support is offered?

Physiotherapy service provision includes the following:

• 24 hour Postural Management assessment, advice, guidelines and recommendations;
• Respiratory management;
• Management of a wide variety of mobility problems requiring different knowledge and skills, for example cerebral palsy, Down's Syndrome and dementia;
• Falls prevention and intervention;
• Longer term rehabilitation where the impact of their learning disability prevents them accessing generic services and / or is impeding their progress.

 

We have postural management specialists and Older Adults specialists and so are able to support those with profound and complex conditions. We also offer remote support and advice to other Physiotherapy clinicians in order to support those with a Learning Disability to access mainstream services with reasonable adjustments where possible. We work closely with the person, their network of care, multidisciplinary team members to ensure an individualised and holistic approach to people’s care; and optimise and maintain the person’s physical presentation, function and quality of life.

 

 

Referrals

Eligibility criteria:

• Aged 19 years and over (or within 6 weeks of their 19th birthday).
• Diagnosed learning disability and needs specialist health support that cannot be met through mainstream services even with the use of reasonable adjustments.
• Registered with a Birmingham GP.
• Moving into the Birmingham area with a Birmingham residential postcode and an identified Birmingham GP, but are unable to register with the GP until they have moved into their property (for example, a service user discharged from hospital or a complex case moving into the area and going through the transfer or handover of care process). Confirmation will be required for service users eligible for s117 that the transferring Learning Disability Service have had a conversation with the local Integrated Care Board (ICB).

 

A referral to the service can be made through a number of means including a patient’s GP, carer, or family member.

 

You can make a referral by calling the Learning Disability’s Single Point of Access:

• Phone: 0121 466 4980
• Email:  BCHNT.ldreferrals@nhs.net.

 

This will require completion of a referral form that needs to be sent through.