We would like to draw attention to the need for prosthetic and orthotic intervention to continue for children and young people. We ask that prosthetic and orthotic services are protected to enable this aspect of the service to continue throughout the pandemic and ensuing winter pressures.
The impact of COVID-19 on children and young people, especially those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), has been significant. Access to prosthetic and orthotic services in the UK is vital in supporting children’s physical health, mental health and development. With orthotics, access to timely treatment ensures the effectiveness of some therapy treatment which relies on orthotic intervention for optimum results. It is important that children have access to prosthetic treatment to ensure that the prosthetic devices they use for daily activities are revised appropriately to prevent mobility issues and potential physical damage due to ill fitting devices.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we need to protect families, children and young people who rely on prosthetic and orthotic treatment as an adjunct to surgery, medical intervention, serial casting or therapy treatment, to be able to function at their best. Children are growing, conditions changing constantly and with targeted input from our services when they are required, long term disability and harm can be avoided.
We therefore ask that services remain open and an appropriate number of Prosthetists and Orthotists are protected from redeployment, to ensure that families with children and young people, have access to the support they sorely need.
We recognise the need for flexibility in areas where acute pressures are high, where individual discussions may be appropriate, however, we ask that the impact of the lack of access to prosthetic and orthotic services are discussed and understood from a multi-disciplinary perspective. Prosthetic and orthotic services should not be left without the staff or facilities to deliver essential treatment as occurred earlier in 2020.
British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists
