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REGIONAL REHABILITATION UNIT

TIDWORTH AND WESSEX REGION

RRU TIDWORTH

WO2 (QMSI) DK Godfrey RAPTC

R
RU Tidworth has been established which will include preactivation and compliance, this is a never ending cycle of
for just over three years at the setting of key areas around the deep neck improvement and audit to give assurance
Garrison Super Gym (GSG) in
lexors, the scapulae, the core, the pelvis, to the powers that be (currently AIR but

Jellalabad Barracks, Tidworth after the medial quadriceps and lexor halucis soon to be Defence from Apr 13). The
moving from our previous location at the longus at the big toe to set the forefoot. RRU runs its own accommodation and
old PT School Bulford. We are a shared This different approach has made our has a small MT leet of 3 minibuses and
facility conjoined at the hip with two patients more body aware and goes hand a car. Competing for gym loor space,

mainstream units 2 Royal Welsh and 19 in hand with encouraging good posture swimming allocation times and lecture
Regt RA, along with many other smaller setting prior to any task (lifting a weight, facilities with the rest of the Garrison can
Garrison units that all lay claim to the walking down a hill, running, jumping also be quite challenging at times but we
facility.
etc), it also leads nicely into ensuring the always manage to pull things together
and make the best of a bad job.
patient has good technique, alignment
The RRU has quite a large footprint within and control. When the patient looses
the GSG to cater for up to 45 In-Patients control they reset going through the The RTSA aspect of the role is primarily
each month attending courses for Spines, coaching points given and then restarts concerned with providing support to and
Lower Limb and Upper Limb medical the task/exercise.
ensuring professional standards of all

rehabilitation, this along with a stream military JSERI’s and civilian ET’s within
of Out-Patients attending daily clinics. A Service Rehab has developed the Wessex region and RRU catchment
fourth specialist Hip and Groin course will considerably in the last 10 years with area. Really, you act as the eyes and
also be added to our list later in the year.
JSERI’s taking on far more responsibility ears for the Defence Directorate of

from a medical point of view. The demand Rehabilitation (DDR) at Headley Court.
The unit has up to 16 staff comprising on the JSERI now from the rehab chain You are also there to provide support or
of civilian specialist Sports Doctors, of command is huge which can make it advice to units requiring it or those that
military and civilian Physiotherapists, Joint dificult for the JSERI to control their own have been lagged up as troublesome

Service Exercise Rehabilitation Instructors diary.
from a medical rehabilitation compliance
(JSERI’s), civilian Exercise Therapists point of view. With quite a large region
(ET’s), an RAF Business Manager/Medical In conclusion and before I handover both geographically and population wise
Support Oficer and three Civil Service the rest of the notes to the team, this is it is a stretch to get around everyone but it
admin oficers.
always makes a nice change to get out on
likely to be my last MBS entry as I have
completed over 22 years now and am visits to see what they are all up to.
The QMSI of an RRU has a dual role, that also being medically discharged. I am still
of the RRU WO and of Regional Trade it and healthy but thirty years of playing One recent development at the RRU is
Specialist Advisor (RTSA). The RRU WO rugby, most of which in the front-row has how we approach Core strengthening

role is akin to a CSM/SSM role in many left my neck with irrapairable damage and stability. Traditionally we have taught
respects and similar to a practise manager along with a recovery from a broken ankle “Core” as a individual component of the
from the RAMC in many others. Not only on the later stages of the Commando rehab courses with a focus on spinal and
are you looking out for all the patients that course prior to taking up this post. After a pelvic alignment and the activation of the

are passing through but also for the staff quick rethink of activities to participate in deep pelvic loor muscles, the transversus
and that everything runs smoothly with and a taste of my own “Rehab” medicine abdominus, multiidus, and the other core
no impact to operational capability. With there is plenty to do and so I conclude supporting larger muscles (erector spinae,
healthcare governance at the forefront of about to depart for the Himalayas for a diaphragm, obliques etc) but with a more

any medical organisation, the “Q” is pretty spot of leave.
functional approach it is now our intention
tied up with assisting the OC to ensure
to teach stability as a whole body exercise

WESSEX REGION JSERI’S

PCRF TIDWORTH

Sgt (SI) C Gibbs RAPTC

P
CRF Tidworth is a very busy a variety of challenging work outs. In the has been provided with funding to recruit
department whose catchment area female competition 29 Regt RLC took the a further 8 Locum ERIs. They have been

consists of large garrisons Tidworth,
win narrowly beating the girls from 3 Yorks in post over the last 6 months working
Bulford and Netheravon approx 12,000 Regt. Unfortunately in the male category closely with the regiments to maximize
personnel.
the Navy took 1st-2nd-3rd slot!!! There fully deployable personnel.
will be more events being held over the

Permanent staff consist of Military OIC, course of the year so hopefully the Army With the added man power this has
1 x Military ERI,1 x Civilian ERI, 8 X can break into the top 3.
enabled myself to lead with the irst
Civilian Physiotherapist and 4 x Locum CrossFit competition within the British
Physiotherapists. Due to operational Forces. A successful event ran in Oct
demands within the region the department
2012 which saw 38 teams compete in