Page 158 - Mind, Body and Spirit No. 105 2021/22

156
www.raptcassociation.org.uk
PRIMARY CARE REHABILITATION FACILITY (PCRF) BRUNEI
SSgt (SSI) A Rizvi RAPTC
Arrival. After a three year ‘home posting’ with RRU Aldergrove, it was time to mix things up and go over 7000 miles from home to my next challenge overseas. First effort was trying to organise moving my entire life halfway around the world during the COVID era in a locked down country. Thankfully, my predecessor was extremely generous with his time, and we managed a thorough HOTO virtually; massive thank you to SSgt (SSI) Pradip Rai for his help. Next effort was getting to Brunei – a negative PCR test then flights from Belfast to London, Brize to Cyprus, Cyprus to Brunei and I was greeted in my new home with 15-nights hotel isolation in the country’s capital. Finally, I was released from captivity and greeted by my new partner in crime for at least the next two years, my Band 7 physio, David Bradshaw, who took me for lunch at the six-star Empire Hotel, which was a welcome change after a fortnight surviving on hotel quarantine food!
Getting to work. PCRF Brunei is located within the Primary Care Medical Facility, an extremely mixed and large team comprised of doctors, medics, nurses, and admin staff, who are a mixture of military and civilian British, Nepalese, Bruneian and Chinese nationals; it is certainly the most diverse department I’ve ever worked in. It’s also one of the largest with over fifty staff working in the building. Thankfully the PCRF has its own wing and after a big equipment uplift in 2021 adding to what was already a top-quality new facility that opened in 2019, the gym is now gold standard. The PCRF itself is a small team, the husband-and-wife physio duo of Dave and Mel Bradshaw and myself - their son! - as the sole ERI in country (in fact in the whole of British Forces Brunei there
Hydrotherapy in the 32 Degree Brunei Sun
The PCRF Team – Dave Bradshaw, SSgt Rizvi and Mel Bradshaw
is only one other RAPTCI). I must say both are extremely friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable and I have honestly really enjoyed working alongside them in the year and a half I’ve now been here. As you all know the people you work with is at least half the battle to having an enjoyable posting and to be out here with this team is a blessing.
The Resident Infantry Battalion is 2nd Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles and it has been enlightening and unique working alongside them; it is also my first direct exposure to working with Gurkhas in my career. Our main effort is of course to deliver the best of care and rehabilitation to all soldiers who require it and, as an overseas location, the PCRF rehabilitates dependants and families. We have been highly successful at taking patients from initial injury to completion of rehab and discharge onto Reconditioning PT in a very quick and efficient time frame. In my time here, we haven’t had a single discharged patient return to the PCRF for the same injury, which I am very proud of. Due to COVID and the restrictions on travel, combined with the closure of and limited access to RRUs in the UK, we have decided to run our own RRU-style course in-house. Allowing patients to receive intensive specialised rehab without having to leave the country, these courses are led by myself and run alongside daily PCRF business. So far, we have run four which have been highly successful receiving outstanding feedback to the point they have been officially given the green light by DPHC HQ. This also resulted in the department being nominated for a Divisional award in the category of financial governance due to the massive cost savings achieved, I’d say that was the highlight of 2021 professionally, alongside being promoted to SSgt.
To conclude, this is the fourth country I’ve been permanently assigned to in my career (N Ireland, England, Cyprus, Brunei) and it certainly hasn’t been without its challenges. Brunei has had its borders closed the entire time I’ve been here, and I haven’t left the country once. We also entered a full lockdown in Aug 2021 which lasted 5 months and restrictions here continue to this day, even as much of the rest of the world moves forward. However, I’m hopeful for the future that the situation will improve and I’m taking the positives that I’m able to experience Nepalese culture and work in such a unique environment. All things considered my time here thus far has been superb.