NSW Artificial Limb Serviceupdate

Sandeep Gupta

(Acting) Manager, ALS

Overview

Fact sheets

RRD working party

Interim program

Rural interim working party

Fact sheets

• 4 are available through the Enable website– How to obtain an artificial limb– Caring for your residual limb– Falls– Pain

• There are more in the pipeline– Caring for prosthetic limb (upper and lower)– Services for amputees (3 pages)– Driving following amputation

RRD working party

• Second monthly meetings (first met July)• Representatives from AHS and AOPA:

– Vascular surgeons– Rehab specialists– Physiotherapists– CNC– Prosthetist

• Discuss methods to increase uptake of RRDs at more centres

RRD working party• Current strategies

– Manufacture DVD– DVD distributed through Director of Clinical Operations in

AHS– Target registrars at Basic and Advanced surgical training– Target hospitals that perform the majority of amputations

(wollongong, liverpool, gosford)– Target surgeons

• Networks (Team meetings, vascular surgeons, vascular meetings/conferences/workshops)

– Target physiotherapists• NSW PAR• Inservice programs

Interim program

• Slightly different each hospital– Casting to fabrication 1 week max– Casting mainly occurs in hospital– Some hospitals will send to PSP for casting– Adjustments by prosthetists, a couple of hospitals have

an informal process where PTs can alter alignment– Packing can occur in hospital or limb is taken away for

a day to be packed– Socket change with foam cover after 3 months

• How can this program be improved?

Rural interim working party

• Comprises:– Prosthetists– PTs– EnableNSW

• Has met twice since December

• Seeking legal advice from NSW Health re PT adjusting interims

• Discussion paper being prepared

Questions????