PhysioUpdate 4th May 2023

A ‘digital hospital’ company based in London and Berlin said today (27 April) has suggested that patients need more help to negotiate the healthcare system – whether they are paying directly for treatments or not.

Releasing the results of survey conducted in March among 2,000 adults in the UK, Medbelle said that 70 per cent of people aged from 18-34 years would consider using private or self-paid healthcare. The fact that only a third of all those surveyed would rule this option out suggests that Britons’ acceptance of private healthcare is greater than is generally believed, it suggests.

Medbelle, which was created in 2016, aims to use technology and individualised support to provide a ‘more streamlined experience’ for patients and clinicians, with efficiencies making its prices more ‘competitive and transparent’. It argues that many people lack confidence about paying for healthcare because of its ‘complexity’ and suggests that the sector needs to do more to help them.

Physiotherapists based at AECC University College (UC) in Bournemouth are linking up with Dorset Musculoskeletal (MSK) to provide a triage service in its on-site clinics. Working in multidisciplinary teams, three physiotherapists and four chiropractic clinicians will start triaging a caseload of 700 patients with lower limb pain or discomfort.  

Physiotherapist Neil Langridge, who is the director of AECC UC's clinical and rehabilitation services, said: ‘We are really pleased to be supporting the NHS locally in this way and working together to help reduce waiting lists.  

‘Our clinical service aims to represent a gold standard for collaboration between services; we’re a forward-thinking organisation that prioritises collaboration to help patients reach their potential.'

The first UK-wide concussion guidelines for people of all ages playing grassroots sport were published today (28 April) by the government and the Sport and Recreation Alliance.

The aim of the guidelines is to help players, coaches, parents, schools, national governing bodies and sports administrators to identify, manage and prevent cases of concussion. Developed by an expert panel of domestic and international clinicians and academics in neurology and sports medicine, they aim to improve the treatment of concussion in grassroots sport – where trained medical professionals are less likely to be routinely present.

The key message of ‘If in doubt, sit them out’ – stressing that no-one should return to sport within 24 hours of a suspected concussion – builds on guidance published in Scotland in 2021.