Events/News

» NORTHERN IRELAND LYMPHOEDEMA SUPPORT GROUP MEETING«

 

A meeting of the Northern Ireland Lymphoedema Support Group will take place:

 

on 

 Thursday 17th June 2010

 

6.30 pm – 9.00 pm

in 

Patton Memorial Hall

Belfast.

 

Patton Memorial Hall is in the grounds of Malone Presbyterian Church

close to King’s Hall at the Lisburn Road/  Balmoral Avenue junction. 

Entrance to car park is on Lisburn Road just before slip-road to Balmoral Avenue

 

 

Guest Speakers 

 

Danielle Sinclair, Regional Coordinator for Patient Information

Janis McCulla, Regional Coordinator for Public & Patient Involvement,

Northern Ireland Cancer Network (NICaN)

 

New members welcome

 

A light supper will be provided at end of meeting

 

 

» LAUNCH OF PATIENT INFORMATION BOOKLET AND WEBSITE«

NILSG, in partnership with the Physiotherapy Department of Ballyowen Health Centre, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust, launched their Patient Information Booklet and Website at NICVA (Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action), Duncairn Gardens, Belfast, on Wednesday 12th April, 2006. 

Our aim was to raise awareness and provide information about lymphoedema and its treatment. 

Lymphoedema affects thousands of people of all ages in Northern Ireland.  Representatives from the Department of Health and other public bodies, together with doctors, physiotherapists, nurses and patients attended this event.  

 

»  BURSARIES FOR TRAINING«

The NILSG has provided bursaries to enable twelve healthcare professionals from Northern Ireland to attend the MLD/CDT Certified training course in lymphoedema management at the world-renowned Földi Clinic in Germany (nine of whom have gone on to attend the Földi Advanced & Review Course) under this scheme.  (www.klosetraining.com/pages/international.html)

Pictured below are two physiotherapists, who completed the MLD/CDT course at the Foldi Clinic,  and who gave a demonstration of CDT treatment at our support group meeting.

 Tanya

L - R:  Physiotherapists, Tanya Coppell and Paula Donnelly

 

» DHSS REPORT ON LYMPHOEDEMA SERVICES«

A review was commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer in February 2003 to make recommendations to help commissioners and providers of lymphoedema services and the primary care sector meet the needs of those who suffer from lymphoedema in N. Ireland.  The Lymphoedema Services Review Group, chaired by Dr. Angela Garvey, Consultant in Palliative Care Medicine, included healthcare professionals and patients from varied backgrounds and representatives from the Department of Health and other public bodies.

 

The 'LYMPHOEDEMA SERVICES REPORT OF THE LYMPHOEDEMA SERVICES REVIEW GROUP'  was published in September 2004 by the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Health. 

This report concluded that, "in general there is limited provision of lymphoedema education and a lack of knowledge or awareness amongst healthcare professionals, leading to under diagnosis and inappropriate management of patients."  "The survey of HPSS provision of lymphoedema care, which was commissioned by the Review Group, has revealed a distinct lack of lymphoedema care.  There is inequality in service provision, with some areas having limited service and other areas having no service at all.  There is also inequality in access to service provision for patients with cancer related lymphoedema and patients with non-cancer related lymphoedema."

Copies of the report (ref:248/2004) are available from the Department of Health (DHSSPS): DHSSPS, Castle Buildings, Belfast, BT4 3SQ.  Tel: (028) 90522126

 

» CLINICAL EFFICIENCY SUPPORT TEAM (CREST) «  

 

Following the Regional Review of Services for Lymphoedema, an expert panel was convened under the auspices of CREST to review the evidence for diagnosing, assessing and treating lymphoedema.  The panel, again chaired by Dr. Garvey, also included patients and healthcare professionals from varied backgrounds and representatives from the Department of Health and other public bodies.

 

 

The CREST 'GUIDELINES FOR THE DIAGNOSIS, ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF LYMPHOEDEMA'  and the Northern Ireland Lymphoedema Network (LNNI) were launched by Dr. Michael McBride, the Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, on the 1st February 2008.  The event was attended by representatives from the Department of Health and other public bodies, as well as patients, doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and other allied health care professionals.

Copies of the CREST 'GUIDELINES FOR THE DIAGNOSIS, ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF LYMPHOEDEMA' (www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/hss/gain.htm) are also available from the DHSSPS at the above address.

 

Healthcare professionals and patients from the NILSG played an active part in the Lymphoedema Review and CREST Lymphoedema Guidelines Groups to ensure that Complex Decongestive therapy (CDT) was recognised as the treatment of choice for lymphoedema. 

Pictured below are NILSG members with Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Michael McBride at the launch of the CREST Guidelines.

L - R:  Patricia Magee, Myra Perrott, Dr. Michael McBride, Emma Christie, Ena O'Hanlon, Breige O'Kane, Cliona McCotter. 

 

 » NORTHERN IRELAND LYMPHOEDEMA SUPPORT GROUP MEETING «

 

 

 

 

 

A meeting of the Northern Ireland Lymphoedema Support Group will take place