The Huntercombe Group

Fete at brain-injury rehabilitation centre raises charity cash
Posted May 21st 2012

Families of patients of a brain-injury rehabilitation centre joined villagers for a charity fete at the specialist unit.

More than 60 people attended the event at Stocksbridge Brain-Injury Rehabilitation Centre in Stocksbridge, South Yorkshire, and which featured diverse stalls and performances from Dave Friskney and Friends, a folk band from the village.

The fete on May 17 marked Action For Brain Injury Week (May 14 to May 20 2012), and raised £363 for Headway, a national charity aiming to improve the lives of people who have suffered brain injury.

Stocksbridge Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre,on Haywood Lane,provides specialist rehabilitation and long-term care for adults affected by brain injury, stroke or other neurological conditions.

The centre, which employs 60 staff and is run by The Huntercombe Group, uses a person-centred approach to enable patients to achieve as independent a life as possible.

Centre Manager Jill Salmon said: “The fete was a fantastic day, and it was great that so many patient families and villagers attended.

“Our staff organised the event, and in the end we had everything from hot-dog and bric-and-brac stalls, to stalls with cakes and cards made by staff.

“Representatives from the village police and fire stations were also here, making it a real community event.

“We are also immensely grateful to village businesses which provided raffle prizes, including free sessions at a local gym and appointments at a hair salon.

“As well as raising money for Headway, the fete was an opportunity to publicise that from last year the centre has been part of The Huntercombe Group, and that we are very proud to be part of what is one of the UK’s leading specialist independent healthcare providers.”

Stocksbridge Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre is a Headway-accredited provider of neuro-rehabilitation care.

* photo of patient Lee with his mother Margaret

Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Consultant invited to present at 7th World Neurorehabilitation Congress in Australia
Posted May 17th 2012

Dr Angus Graham, Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine, from North Bristol NHS Trust andFrenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre, has been invited to give a podium presentation at the 7^th World Neurorehabilitation Congress in Melbourne, Australia on 16 -19 May 2012.Dr Graham will be presenting his paper entitled “Botulinophilia: An Usual Case Study” to an international field of professionals in neurorehabilitation.

The case study involves a patient with a psychological need for Botulinum toxin injections when not medically indicated.Accompanying Dr Graham to the congress are two senior therapists from the Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre in Bristol.During the four day conference both therapists will be showcasing posters that demonstrate research they have undertaken at theBristol centre. Gerry Roxburgh, Senior Speech and Language Therapist, has produced a research poster which challenges widely-held assumptions about feeding dysphagia patients and advises on the benefits to patients’ overall wellbeing and quality of life from introducing patient-centred feeding interventions to brain injured patients at an early stage in the rehabilitation process.Donna Wilding, Senior Physiotherapist, will be presenting a poster exploring the use of Mirror Therapy to facilitate distal recovery of the hemiplegic upper limb with a brain injured patient. The poster uses both qualitative and quantitative data to demonstrate that Mirror Therapy can have positive effects on upper limb motor function.

The Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre is a 24 bed in-patient unit, offering intensive rehabilitation for both adults and adolescents with a traumatic or acquired brain injury, specialising in the treatment of patients with complex physical and cognitive needs and challenging behaviour. The specialist inter-disciplinary team provides comprehensive assessment, rehabilitation, therapy and community reintegration to help maximise the patients’ independence and quality of life.

Chinese officials visit Edinburgh hospital for advice on eating-disorder services
Posted May 15th 2012

The six-member delegation of Chongqing Municipal Health Bureau attended Huntercombe Hospital Edinburgh as part of a fact-finding mission and to benefit from the specialist knowledge of the hospital’s management and clinical team.

Ms Liu Wenhua, of the Chongqing Municipal Health Bureau, said the delegation wanted to tap into “the rich experience” of eating-disorder care for young people provided by the hospital, which is on Ecclesmachan Road in Uphall, and is run by The Huntercombe Group.

Diane Whiteoak, manager of Huntercombe Hospital Edinburgh, said: “The Chinese delegation did appear to gain a lot from the visit around the hospital.

“They were certainly extremely inquisitive, and wanted to gain information about everything from how to set up an eating disorder service, to what treatments are available, and how the NHS worked.

“The presence of an interpreter helped the language barrier as the delegation was non-English speaking. But ultimately everyone understood each other.”

Eating disorders are becoming a rapidly increasing health problem in China, reports indicate.

“There are no – or very few - eating disorders hospitals in China, which is one of the reasons why they asked to visit us,” said Diane Whiteoak.

Before leaving, the Chinese delegation presented the hospital with traditional painted silks to be displayed around the hospital.

“They are really charming pieces of art, and will add some additional colour and interest to the hospital,” said Diane.