Friday 28 May 2010

Treloar’s Direct meets the Rugby Football Union

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) Injured Players Foundation recently benefited from Treloar’s Direct, the UK's first mobile assessment and therapy service for disabled people when it was based at Salisbury Rugby Club.

Treloar's Direct is the culmination of over 100 years of expertise and experience of assistive technology and therapy skills for which Treloar School and College in Hampshire are widely renowned. This innovative service visits communities throughout the South with a state-of-the-art vehicle (the Trailblazer) enabling multi-disciplinary assessments and resulting in cost effective assistive technology and therapy recommendations. It is answering the increasing call from people with physical disabilities and learning difficulties to enjoy their lives independently.

Bob Bayley, Business Development Director said: "Treloar's Direct has been established to take our expertise beyond our School and College and into the wider community. After meeting with Dr Mike England (Medical Director) and Dave Phillips (Injured Player Welfare Officer) at the RFU, we were able to determine the best way to facilitate Treloar's Direct unique service for the benefit of members of the RFU Inured Players Association. We identified a number of injured rugby players who would benefit most from our multi-disciplinary assessments and recommendations on board the Trailblazer. With diverse needs, these clients required a bespoke service that for some would enable them to return to their own home from residential care and for others would allow them to test drive the latest technology.

Our first programme with four injured players has proven to us all that we can make a valuable contribution to the Foundation providing help and support to players and their families. We are looking forward to helping more players in the future."

Players who as a result of a Rugby accident have suffered different injures, some resulting in tetraplegia or a brain injury had the opportunity to work over two intensive days with experienced engineers and therapists. Clients also looked at the latest assistive technology equipment and discussed with Treloar’s Direct staff how their needs can be met.

Dave Phillips, Injured Player Welfare Officer said:” It is always our aim to provide the best support and help to our injured players. Their needs are continually changing from the time of their original injury through their life stages. The help and assistance from family and friends varies as they get older. Increasingly technology can provide the answers to enable them to gain the most independence and in many instances be in a position to achieve employment.

Treloar's Direct assessments are the ideal arrangement to enable us to fully understand each players individual needs and focus on bespoke recommendations. Our first four pilot assessments proved to us the value of this service and we are considering more in the future.”

Yvonne, whose son took part in an assessment said: “ The day went very well and I was particularly impressed by the professional staff. It was useful to be able to narrow down the exact details of my son’s disability enabling us all to focus on priorities.”

Photo by Jessye Nolan

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