Events/News

»TABLE QUIZ IN AID OF LYMPHOEDEMA SUPPORT NI«

 

   A Table Quiz in aid of LYMPHOEDEMA SUPPORT NI 

will be held

 

@

7.30 PM FOR 7.45 PM

On

Friday 17th February  

In

 St Bride’s Hall, Derryvolgie Avenue, Malone Rd, Belfast 

                                                        

Light supper provided. Bring your own choice of beverage 

To book a table – Phone Joan (Tel: 90229272)

 

 

»NORTHERN IRELAND LYMPHOEDEMA SUPPORT GROUP (NILSG)«

»NAME CHANGE«

 

As a result of a strategic review of the NILSG carried out in 2011, the name  was changed to 'LYMPHOEDEMA SUPPORT NI'.  It was recommended that 'Lymphoedema Support NI’ would be a more appealing name and would better reflect the aspirations of the organisation.  It would also enable a wider audience to be reached via the website.  Revisions to the website will follow in due course.

 

This review was a Business in the Community (BITC) 'Building on Talent' project, carried out by Paul Bryans, Deputy Principal, Investors in People/Northern Ireland, Department of Employment and Learning(DEL).

 

Pictured (L to R) below at BITC Building on Talent awards: 

Peter Morris, BT, Peggy Moore, Chairperson, Lymphoedema Support NI, Paul Bryans, DEL, Sharon Wilson, Lymphoedema Support NI, Martin Howell, BITC

 

 

 

 

»LYMPHOEDEMA SUPPORT NI ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING «

 

The Annual General Meeting of Lymphoedema Support NI will take place in Patton Memorial Hall, 452, Lisburn Road, Belfast from 11.00 am - 2.00 pm on Tuesday 29th November 2011.

  

» LAUNCH OF PATIENT INFORMATION BOOKLET AND WEBSITE«

 

On 12th April 2006, we launched our website and patient information booklet, entitled 'Lymphoedema - your questions answered', which was produced in co-operation with the Physiotherapy department of N & W Belfast Health & Social Care Trust, when the first (Pilot) Lymphoedema Service in N. Ireland was set up there in 2003.  Lymphoedema Support NI was responsible for all production costs and issues the booklets free of charge to patients and healthcare professionals throughout Northern Ireland.

Our aim was to raise awareness and provide information about lymphoedema and its treatment.  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 both the staturory and voluntary sectors in Northern Ireland to attend a three-week Lymphoedema Therapy Certification Course 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 Lymphoedema Therapy Certification 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

 

We secured funding to enable Ms Julie Reid, FRCS, Consultant Vascular Surgeon in the Belfast Health Trust, to attend a three-week Lymphoedema Therapy Certification Course at the Földi Clinic in June 2010.  (See below)  "Expertly performed CDT represents the first-line treatment for lymphoedema, and it must be embedded into comprehensive medical care, remembering that the majority of lymphoedema patients often suffer from one or even several accompanying diseases." (Professor Ethel Földi)

 

 

 

           

 L - R:  Cliona McCotter, Breige O'Kane, Tanya Coppel, Julie Reid, Peggy Moore and

           Sharon Wilson

 

In March 2011, we provided funding in partnership with the Marie Curie Hospice in Belfast for one of their physiotherapists to attend a Lymphoedema Therapy Certification Course with Klosetraining & Consulting LLC.

 

 » 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 (including NILSG) 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 (including NILSG) 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. 

 

            

 

 

 

@

7.30 for 7.45 pm

On

Friday 17th February