Osteopathy bristol nhs

Osteopath Bristol New Baby Growth Charts

2009-05-06T23:35:00.000-07:00

New child growth charts are being introduced to combat obesity and boost breastfeeding rates.

The UK still uses charts from 1990 which are based on growth rates for formula-fed babies which grow quicker.

The charts, which are being introduced in England with the other nations expected to follow soon, will mean more children are classed as overweight.

But the government hopes it will help to reassure mothers who breastfeed that their babies are not under weight.

Guidelines suggest mothers should give their babies breast milk for the first six months of life and then supplement that with food for a further six months.

In retrospect, I think health staff realise we have probably been worrying some mothers unnecessarily about their baby's weight

Professor Charlotte Wright, of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

But breast-fed babies are known to gain weight more slowly during that period and the charts reflect this as by the age of one there is a 1kg difference with the old charts.

But the flip-side of the new system is that the number of babies classed as overweight will double to 6%.

Experts believe this will help identify those at risk of obesity at an earlier stage.

Dr Sheila Shribman, the government's maternity tsar, said: "Breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for infants.

"The new charts will not only provide more accurate measurements for infant growth of breastfed babies, but will also help healthcare professionals and parents to identify early signs of overweight or obesity and provide support."

And Professor Charlotte Wright, of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, which helped design the charts, added: "In retrospect, I think health staff realise we have probably been worrying some mothers unnecessarily about their baby's weight."

Healthy children

The charts are based on ones developed by the World Health Organisation after a 15-year study of 8,500 children from across six countries established firm and in-depth data about the growth of healthy children for the first time.

They will be used on all new babies from 11 May with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland expected to adopt them in the coming months.

Tam Fry, of the UK National Obesity Forum and chairman of the Child Growth Foundation, said there should have been better training for health workers to help them prepare for the new charts.

However, he welcomed the move, saying the changes should help encourage breastfeeding and "lessen the likelihood of inappropriate referrals to clinics for failure to thrive".

Belinda Phipps, chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust, welcomed the new charts.

She said: "Now that the new charts have been introduced, the next extremely important step is for health professionals to be appropriately trained on how to work with them in order to ensure parents are given the correct information about their child's weight."

Ms Phipps said the previous charts had led to some breastfeeding mothers being advised to use formula milk, or introduce solids as a "top up" because their babies were not gaining weight fast enough.

She said: "The introduction of formula milk or solids too early can interrupt breastfeeding and often brings it to an end earlier."

In England, eight in 10 mothers start breastfeeding but only 22% carry it on until six months. The rates are much lower than other European countries.

Osteopath Bristol Latest Addition

2009-04-18T02:57:00.000-07:00

Osteopath Bristol Family Practice update.

2009-04-18T02:00:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce that Juliana is pregnant with her third child and is due in July. Gill Jones and the other Osteopaths will be covering her maternity leave. We wish Juliana all the best. Get some sleep in!

Bristol Osteopaths x

Bristol Osteopath appointed as General Osteopathic Councillor

2009-04-13T22:40:00.000-07:00

Bristol Osteopath Nick Hounsfield has been appointed to sit on the General Osteopathic Council. He was selected from hundreds of candidates and was finally appointed by the Appointments Commission after an interview. The New council will be formed on 1st April 2009. Please click this link for the full press release.
http://www.osteopathy.org.uk/media/

Saturday Mornings

2009-04-10T03:17:00.000-07:00

Gill Jones has kindly decided to do Saturday morning cover for the Osteopaths. Out of hours appointments are a premium here at The Family Practice, so those patients wanting an appointment out of work hours can now see us on a Saturday morning.

BSO Outreach Clinic, London, Osteopathy Bristol

2009-02-22T03:03:00.000-08:00

BSO outreach osteopathy - pilot scheme launches in east London

[ Jan 12, 2009 11:49:19 AM ]

The British School of Osteopathy (BSO) has launched a new pilot scheme to provide osteopathy to patients at the Bethnal Green Health Centre in east London.

From 14 January 2009, the BSO will run a weekly osteopathy clinic at the centre on Wednesday afternoons. Treatment will be provided in two treatment rooms by two teams of final year BSO osteopathy degree students, supervised by an experienced tutor who is a fully qualified osteopath.

The BSO, whose courses are validated by the University of Bedfordshire, runs a growing number of outreach community clinics for people who might not otherwise be able to access treatment. These also include a weekly clinic for homeless people at the Manna Day Centre at London Bridge; a clinic at the Beormund School for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and treatment in their home setting for older people at the Lucy Brown House sheltered housing unit. In 2008 the BSO won a Southwark Civic Award for its outreach work.

“We are extremely pleased to have developed a relationship with the Bethnal Green Health Centre,” said Charles Hunt, Principal and Chief Executive of the BSO. “It will give us the chance to provide osteopathic care to patients who would not normally receive it. This is good news for the practice's patients, and it is great news for our students, as this new weekly clinic will broaden their experiences of working in different settings.”

The BSO is the largest and oldest school of osteopathy in the UK, and a registered charity. From its new clinic building – opened in April 2008 and the largest osteopathy clinical centre in Europe – it provides approximately 40,000 patient appointments each year. This includes specialist in-house clinics for children, expectant mothers, people with sports injuries and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Bristol Osteopaths go to OSLO 2009

2009-02-22T02:57:00.000-08:00

Oslo Osteopathic Conference 2009

Launch Reception: 2009

FORE is planning to host a high profile reception to launch its three Framework documents: European Framework for Codes of Osteopathic Practice (EFCOP), European Framework for Standards of Osteopathic Practice (EFSOP) and European Frameworks for Standards of Osteopathic Education and Training (EFSOET).

This event, to be held in Autumn 2009, will target national and European decision makers, with the purpose of raising the profile of FORE's work programme and promoting the worth of developing regulation of osteopathy as an autonomous healthcare profession where this does not currently exist.

Scans no help for back pain care, Osteopath Bristol

2009-02-15T14:23:00.000-08:00

From the BBC News

The routine use of scans in patients with lower back pain does not improve their outcomes, US scientists say.

They looked at six trials including more than 1,800 patients and found no benefit from the scans when patients were followed for up to a year.

Previous studies in the UK have shown similar results.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) is expected to publish guidelines on the treatment of lower back pain in May.

The researchers said the results were most applicable to the type of acute lower back pain assessed by a GP.

They looked at pain, function, quality of life, mental health, overall patient-reported improvement and patient satisfaction in the care they received for up to a year after their initial treatment.

All the patients were randomised to receive either immediate scans or standard clinical care.

Some of the standard care group were offered scans if they had not improved within three weeks.

They did not find significant differences between immediate imaging with X-ray or MRI scans and usual clinical care either in the short-term - up to three months later, or the long-term - six to 12 months.

Existing guidelines

Imaging in the first month of low back pain is not recommended in the US or in draft guidelines from NICE that were published in October.
But

Dr Roger Chou, lead researcher from the Oregon Health and Science University said some doctors still do it routinely, "possibly because they aim to reassure their patients and themselves, to meet patient expectations about tests or because reimbursement structures provide financial incentives to image".

He added: "Clinicians should refrain from routine, immediate lumbar imaging in patients with acute or sub-acute low back pain and without features suggesting a serious underlying condition."

In the paper published in the Lancet, the researchers say rates of MRI scans for back pain are rising according to figures from US medical programme Medicare.

They think patient expectations and preferences for imaging should be addressed, because in one trial 80% of patients with low back pain would undergo radiography if given the choice.

"Educational interventions could be effective for reducing the proportion of patients with low back pain who believe that routine imaging should be done."

UK experience

It is estimated that 40% to 50% of the population in the UK experience back pain in any given year.

With normal clinical care 80% of them will recover within six weeks.

The remaining five million go on to have back pain that needs some sort of help and investigation.

Dr Dries Hettinga, head of research at the UK charity Backcare, said: "While back pain is very common, we still have a very poor understanding of this condition and its causes.

"Health professionals play a vital role in reassuring patients.

"While it may seem that sending patients for an X-ray or MRI can provide this reassurance, the scans often reveal very little.

"With the right information and support, most people are able to manage their pain and find that it gets better within days or weeks."

The draft guidelines from NICE say X-ray and MRI investigations of the spine should be limited to when tumours, breaks, fusions or serious inflammation and infection is suspected.

It advises all people with lower back pain to exercise, if necessary in supervised groups, and that doctors should be able to offer a course of manual therapy or acupuncture.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/7872062.stm

osteopath bristol

2009-01-21T19:06:00.000-08:00

Nick will be running the Bath Half Marathon whilst carrying a surfboard.

He will be running in aid of the Aplastic Anaemia Trust.

Thank you for the support.

Nick, Osteopath Bristol

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2008-10-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

Revalidation for Osteopaths in Bristol and UK.

2008-06-09T14:44:00.000-07:00

The Government is making it law that all qualified health professionals need to be revalidated after a given set of time. This is aimed at improving patient confidence in the Healthcare profession. A headache for Osteopaths but good protection for the patient.

Juliana back from Maternity Leave

2007-09-08T01:00:00.000-07:00