Page 129 - Mind, Body & Spirit Number 104 2020/21

2020/21 has been a very challenging year for all, but it was made significantly harder at the RRU due to the unit move from Tidworth to Bulford. A move that has been a very long
time in the making; into a new purpose built RRU gym facility.
I returned to the RRU in August 2020 as the RTSA after a long period with the position being gapped. This obviously made a unit move more difficult for the OC and the skeleton ERI staff at the time. With the size of this new facility, the RRU has now grown in stature and is now the biggest RRU in defence. It has capability of running up to 5 residential courses of 15 patients at any given time. Clearly this has not happened yet with the current COVID restrictions. At present we are running 2 courses with smaller numbers to ensure that the rehab care pathway is still available for our patients.
In my short time in the role there has been a turn around of staff, we said farewell to Sgt (SI) Waz Vasey who left the military after 22 years’ service, and Sgt (SI) Joe Cooper who moves onto his next ERI challenge at PCRF Tidworth. In their place we now have Sgt (SI) Rich Edwards and Sgt (SI) Shaw as well as two new permanent civilian ERIs, bringing my team of ERIs to a total of 5.
Sgt (SI) Will Ficken has found his role in the RRU has become much busier with the turnaround of staff. He is now the continuity with the ERIs, having spent the most time in the area, and has taken over all the roles and responsibilities that the two outgoing ERIs had. Not phased with this extra work he has also taken on the role as the RAPTC secretary for the new E-cycling league. An event that is ever growing in popularity and as a cyclist himself he is developing a real passion for the sport.
Sgt (SI) Shaw and Sgt (SI) Edwards have both hit the ground running since starting. At a challenging time with no courses running and when there were many staff working from home, both have combined their previous knowledge and experience to evolve our patient booklets, our course lectures and more importantly, bring us back to the 21st Century by creating a defence connect page for the RRU that is already being heavily used by patients.
From an RTSA perspective its been difficult to get out to do the full role around the region and meet, in person, my fellow RAPTC ERIs. The RRU courses have been stop start with the lockdowns and since the last lockdown I have been temporarily re-rolled within CWX Region DPHC HQ to assist with the planning and organisation of the COVID vaccinations for the staff and patients within Central Wessex. This is an extremely busy, yet extremely rewarding role that sees me orchestrating the training and competency sign off for vaccinators and administration staff, in order to utilise them when working with the NHS practices in the area to deliver COVID vaccinations.
WO2 (QMSI) Gledhill, Sgt (SI) Ficken and Sgt (SI) Edwards providing support to a vaccination clinic in Tidworth.
New RRU S&C Gym
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REGIONAL REHABILITATION UNIT (RRU) BULFORD
WO2 (QMSI) D Gledhill RAPTC
WO2 (QMSI) Gledhill, Sgt (SI) Ficken, Sgt (SI) Edwards, Sgt (SI) Shaw, Mr Micah Smithard, Mr Will Boutwood