Feature
Delivering transformative patient care
An exciting new initiative brings together multiple stakeholders to develop a new 70-bed national rehabilitation centre . Freya Shephard , Shirley Thomas , Steven Hardy and Pip Logan report .
The National Rehabilitation Centre ( NRC ) is an exciting new initiative bringing together Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust ( NUH ), University of Nottingham and Loughborough University , with other regional and national universities , the Ministry of Defence , and industry stakeholders .
The 70-bed rehabilitation facility will fully integrate clinical practice , education and training , and research and innovation , to deliver transformative patient care and improved clinical outcomes .
The centre , based at the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate in Leicestershire , just 400 metres from the existing Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre , is due to open to patients in November 2024 .
The centre is part of the UK Government ’ s New Hospitals Programme and is strongly supported by the Grosvenor Trust . The University of Nottingham and Loughborough University lead the academic programme for the centre and bring together a wealth of expertise and experience to enable the NRC to become a national centre of excellence and world-leader in rehabilitation services .
The centre will offer valuable new opportunities for NHS staff , with particular interest for occupational therapists as it will be an integrated clinical , education , research , and innovation space .
The centre will include activities of daily living flats to enable occupational therapists to work closely with patients in an independent living environment and facilitate their return to the community , a gym and activity rooms .
Professor Pip Logan , Professor of Rehabilitation Research and Occupational Therapist , Academic Lead for the NRC at the
University of Nottingham says : ‘ This is a hugely exciting time for occupational therapists to become part of a new , unique rehabilitation experience .
‘ Through new , innovative ways of working , the NRC workforce will deliver improved care to a range of patients , including those suffering from major trauma , musculoskeletal complex fractures , neurological conditions , deconditioning resulting from long periods in intensive care following surgery , and traumatic amputees .
Staff will be supported with novel education and training programmes to develop a strong learning culture and enable a highly skilled workforce to positively transform the way in which rehabilitation is delivered .”
‘ Staff will be supported with novel education and training programmes to develop a strong learning culture and enable a highly skilled workforce to positively transform the way in which rehabilitation is delivered .’
World-class , research-informed education and training will underpin the ethos of the centre with pre-degree through to PhD level programmes delivered through a variety of platforms to
14 OTnews June 2022