Physiotherapy Report - Visit to Suva and Lautoka
MAY 28th - JUNE 6th 2008

LAUTOKA
Thursday June 5th

  • Review of donated equipment in the hospital on orthopaedic ward, childrens ward and in pt department.
  • Met with visiting Paediatric registrar who was interested in the manufacture of AFO splints for CP children.
  • EM reviewed this with Lautoka PT dept who can make static CP splints, however otherwise only crude AFO splints.
  • Lautoka PT's refer patients to Suva where there is a splint maker at the hospital who does this for $F20 per pair.
  • Lautoka PT's said this was of a high standard and their preference. EM Explained the local PT service to him, as well as alerting him to their good clinical paediatric skills.
  • Spoke on Cerebral Palsy (CP) seating, and explained my experience working in India with CP childrens, as well 2 year Paediatric Physiotherapy experience in Sydney.
  • EM Directed him to David Werner's book "Disabled Village Children" - freely downloadable online. My opinion is to use locally available resources for the manufacture of such equipment. D. Werner's book shows this very clearly; for e.g. CP seating made out of buckets etc.
  • Current waitlist for wheelchairs for children in Lautoka is 2 years, they can be made from bike wheels and again with local equipment.
  • Email address given for future advice, as well as referral onto Sydney Children's hospital Physiotherapy Dept.
  • Spoke with PT's about Hand log book, hand assessment for they had designed, and further education. Review of Hand Therapy protocols on tendon injuries and for fractures with local interested staff in OPD department. Discussed future teaching- ongoing hand therapy support and orthopaedic cover.
  • PT students assisted local PT and attended theatre.
  • Collected 6 pairs of crutches and assisted Seta in how to consider managing the lending pool ie patients paid an affordable amount, which would be reimbursed once they returned the crutches. Hospital management to clarify a reasonable minimum amount. In the past they have not been returned on this system as they were not charged enough - reportedly. This will be reviewed on the next visit.

Friday June 6th
  • Post op patients seen on the ward and thermoplastic splints made - equipment for this had to be unlocked from the PT head's room.
  • Attended Debriefing meeting. Mentioned problems expressed by PT's with the Head of PT, running of the crutches lending pool.
  • Final review with PT department and discussion re next visit. Brief review of patients on ward round.
TEACHING
  • Hand Trauma management for physiotherapists and surgeons: Suva and Lautoka
  • A review of Thermoplastic splinting and plastering for extensor and flexor tendons nerve injuries and Hand fractures & their respective rehabilitation protocols
  • Patient assessment, and documentation
PLAN FOR PHYSIOTHERAPY ON NEXT VISIT:
  • participate in Lautoka Hospital audit
  • confirm timetable prior to visit by email
  • review running of crutch lending pool
  • assess likely source for the donation of ward chairs
  • buddy with orthopaedic physiotherapist outside of clinic times for the week
  • posters on positioning of CP child and feeding children for Paed ward.
DONATIONS & ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED TO THE TEAM BY:
  • Surgical Synergies: fibreglass plaster, Thermoplastic splinting material (9 sheets)
  • Waterfront Hotel Lautoka discounted room rate
  • Rosies Holidays: vehicle for the week and discounted air flights
  • Fiji Trust fund/ Rosies holidays: crutches
  • Bounty Island: discounted accommodation
  • NSW Public Hospital Hand Therapy Interest Group - 30kgs +of scrap Thermoplastic

Lautoka June 2008 Photos:
Suva Lecture to School of Physiotherapy and Suva Hospital staff


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The conscientious Outpatient/ Hand Physiotherapists in Lauotka-Rinesh and Shofeen reviewing their manual Hand Log book which captures all Hand patient data before assisting a hand patient with digital stiffness
Hand patient with digital stiffness
Part of the enormous quantity of donated thermoplastic co-ordinated by EM from the NSW Public hospital hand Therapist group

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