The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) will today (23rd March) put forward a motion, at the Northern Ireland Committee Irish Congress of Trade Union (NICICTU) virtual conference, calling for the Northern Ireland Executive to prioritise rehabilitation as a part of Covid recovery and demand that politicians and policy makers take urgent action to ensure that this is delivered.
Proposing the motion Claire Ronald, Deputy Chair of NICICTU Health Services Committee said: 'Recent evidence suggests that a significant number of people who develop Covid will require health and care input to support their recovery and that rehabilitation is central to the short and long term management of patients with Covid.
In December 2020 the Office for National Statistics released survey results which revealed that:
- one in 5 of those testing positive for Covid have symptoms for five weeks or longer, and that
- one in 10 of those testing positive for Covid have symptoms for twelve weeks or longer.
In addition to those with Covid there are significant non-Covid rehabilitation needs as a consequence of the pandemic, including people whose health and function are now at risk due to pauses in planned care, delayed diagnosis and treatment, and deconditioning in those with long term conditions.
The CSP motion is calling on the Northern Ireland Executiveto significantly increase investment in community rehabilitation services and support a ‘right to rehabilitation’ for everyone who needs it
We are also asking for the Department of Health, to publish as a matter of urgency, a Rehabilitation Framework for Northern Ireland, to support future service planning for the expected demand for rehabilitation and recovery of both Covid and non-Covid populations.'
'The full agenda, with motions, can be viewed here.
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