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ESCAPE-pain classes extended to Gujarati speakers

I would like to tell you about some of the good work our trust has been doing to ensure a wider variety of patients can access the ESCAPE-pain classes in our local area. Recently, we delivered the classes to patients in Gujarati and this was very well received by them.

One local patient, Aruna, on completing the course said that having this translated in Gujarati helped her to understand properly, as her English is not particularly good. ESCAPE-pain had given her the knowledge about what to do to reduce pain and in a group everyone can do this together.

We’re immensely proud of our ethnically diverse workforce and our physio staff who have gone above and beyond to meet the needs ofour local Gujarati-speaking population.

• Tanya Aptowitzer, musculoskeletal therapy lead , Northwick Park Hospital and Central Middlesex Hospital

Sustainable wheelchairs

We are British physios from the World Health Organization (WHO) and mobility charity, Motivation,  responding to Frontline’s article (16 January) on a physio delivering donated wheelchairs in Kenya.

Over the past 10 years WHO, Motivation and others have been proactive in strengthening wheelchair provision in low and middle income countries.

We are keen to share resources and highlight some important issues that arise from the article.

A key point is that a system for service provision needs to be established to enable people with mobility disabilities to access a wheelchair that meets their individual needs. It must provide appropriate postural support, be safe and durable and meet the environmental conditions. This requires a local multidisciplinary team.

Planning for a sustainable supply of wheelchairs in-country must be the priority.

Donations often have associated customs clearance and transport costs.

Governments need support to develop national standards. And to work with suppliers to establish a sustainable supply of wheelchairs that meet those standards.

• Rosy Dorman, technical resource manager, Motivation and  Emma Tebbutt, technical officer, Global Cooperative for Assistive Technology, WHO

Eco-friendly Frontline?

One of my bug bears is receiving Frontline in a plastic bag that cannot be recycled. As an organisation that has thousands of members, please can you rethink your packaging? Is the magazine recyclable? Our organisation can make a big impact.

• Rachel Green, community physiotherapist