Rookwood and Research

Dr Jenny ThomasConsultant in rehabilitation

jennifer.thomas@cardiffandvale.wales.nhs.uk

Why am I here?

An opportunity to talk about the service? To convince you that rehabilitation is

important? To help me deliver a world class service? To promote academic excellence?

Rookwood hospital

32 inpatients beds Regional service for specialist neurorehabilitation Age 18 years and above Rehabilitation community setting Population of 1.25 million Cardiff and vale, Gwent, RCT All Wales service for minimally aware patients

What are we interested in?

Patients and their stories Safe care Appropriate care Minimise impairment Maximising activity Discharging patients home

How do we deliver care?

Research opportunities?

Busy clinical load – increasing complexity Emphasis on service development Restrictive job plans Emphasis on targets and waiting times Little chance of pure academic interest No emphasis on outcomes Funding / ethics / junior staff / admin support

Research opportunities

Evidence base Robust support for business cases Specific information for populations Evidence for treatments especially

therapeutic Payment by results

Research opportunities?

Rich source of clinical cases Oncology model – every patient is a

research project Team work – expertise in complexity Enthusiastic staff Expectation that some research/ audit is

done

How do we deliver care?

Research opportunities?

Emphasis on service development Restrictive job plans Emphasis on targets and waiting times Busy clinical load – increasing complexity Little chance of pure academic interest No emphasis on outcomes Funding / ethics / junior staff / admin support

Build in research to development plans Support for allocated time / supervision Improved ability to deliver Decrease waste Ready supply of research material Evidence based practice Publish outcomes Support for practicalities

Prioritise clinically relevant research

Clinical networks linking with research networks

Research champions Promote clinical academics Research as part of the clinical culture

Culture shift?

SPI – safer patient initiative 1000 lives Bundles of care