Why neurorehabilitation matters

Neurorehabilitation is such an important part of an individual’s journey and when delivered in a timely way, it can make a huge difference to an individual’s life. Find out how a new seminar series for King's Health Partners (KHP) staff and students can help.

Colleagues working within neurorehabilitation services across KHP Neurosciences are continually striving for ways to improve services, and over the coming months we will be sharing examples of our work.

Here we catch up with Dr Lenyalo King, Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine, King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (FT), to find out more about the lead she is taking on establishing a new neurorehabilitation seminar series for staff, starting this month.

Why did you want to set up a seminar series?

Neurorehabilitation is such an important part of an individual’s journey, whether their needs arise as a result of a sudden onset condition such as a stroke or a traumatic brain injury, or whether they need help with functioning as a result of a long-term neurological condition. If rehabilitation is delivered in a timely way, it can make a huge difference to an individual’s life.

The monthly seminar series has been set up to raise awareness of neurorehabilitation and how it can improve people’s lives. It will provide healthcare professionals with the opportunity to learn about developments and innovations in neurorehabilitation from research to clinical practice.

How was the idea for these seminars developed and what do you hope to achieve?

We have thought about developing education and training initiatives for a while and initially wanted to plan for an annual event, but we opted for a recurring education and training event in the form of a seminar series where healthcare professionals can join when they are able to do so or for particular areas of interest.

It also provides an ideal space to share new developments and innovations as they arise in neurorehabilitation, so that our healthcare professionals can be updated on the latest evidence-based practice to ultimately deliver improved outcomes for patients.

KHP has a wealth of experience in neurorehabilitation from specialist inpatient provision through to neuro-navigators and services based in the community. These seminars will help to showcase our work through sharing the knowledge and expertise of our staff and increasing the profile of services, enabling us to attract and develop a highly skilled workforce, delivering excellent outcomes for our patients. These seminars will bring together our wide range of staff and act as a platform for wider engagement, develop links, and promote strong collaborations with colleagues across different specialties.

What topics do you aim to cover in the neurorehabilitation seminars?

A multidisciplinary team of clinical staff and academics who have extensive experience in neurorehabilitation services and driving change in their field will share their expertise by delivering seminars on a range of specialist topics. These will include areas such as:

• neurorehabilitation clinical pathways;
• community neurorehabilitation;
• digital assistive technologies;
• outcomes measurement;
• patient experience; and
• COVID-19 recovery.

Who are these seminars aimed at?

These seminars have been set up by our staff, for our staff. They are open to anyone working within rehabilitation services across KHP, and particularly for those with a focus on neurorehabilitation.

Heather Campbell, Clinical Lead and Head of Community Neurorehabilitation Services, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS FT, welcomes this seminar series. She says:

I have been leading proposals for the development of a standardised ‘core offer’ for community neurorehabilitation services across south east London, and this seminar series will help to shed a spotlight on this work and to look at further opportunities to develop skillsets and knowledge across all the staff that work in neurorehabilitation services across south east London as we implement new approaches to care.

Dr David Okai, Clinical Lead for Neuropsychiatry services at South London and the Maudsley NHS FT, is one of the presenters at the inaugural seminar. He said:

The Psychological Medicine Service (consisting of both neuropsychology and neuropsychiatry) are extremely pleased to be asked to present at this seminar series. We will illustrate, with some fascinating cases examples, our new model of integrated care and highlight the joined-up work with the neurorehabilitation consultants and allied health care professionals, which has proved successful in strengthening physical as well as cognitive and psychological rehabilitation for our patients.

How do staff join the seminars?

These seminars are currently open to all staff who work at KHP or in the South East London Integrated Care System. If staff would like to join they need to register here.

Topics for the next few sessions are set out below:

• 24 February – Psychological Medicine in Orpington Neurorehabilitation Services: An Integrated Approach;
• 31 March – COVID-19 Vocational Rehabilitation;
• 28 April – Trauma.