Physios provide back care on the move

Occupational health physio Susie Williams and manual handling advisor Mark Holmes give back care advice to staff at the Bristol Heart Institute

The bespoke sessions were held in various clinical areas, including the cath lab at Bristol Heart Institute. They were led by a physiotherapist from Avon partnership occupational health service and manual handling advisors from the safety department of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Trust.

Susie Williams, an occupational health musculoskeletal specialist physio, told Frontline: ‘A lot of clinical staff find it hard to be released to set times or to come along to information stands, so myself and one of the safety team went to clinical areas and provided them with exercises, stretches and back care resources.’

In addition staff were signposting to occupational health resources, such as the Physio Direct service.

Emily Braddock, a staff nurse at the Bristol Heart Institute said: ‘Everyone found the session really helpful and we enjoyed doing the exercises all together.’

As well as the ‘back care on the move’ sessions the physios also marked the week by provided staff at the trust with workplace workout sessions, a back care information stand and electronic resources.