Physiotherapist Lal Russell (pictured above) has been appointed as clinical academic lead at the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), which is due to open later this year. She will oversee the launch of the NRC Academy, which has a brief to transform rehabilitation training and education nationally.
The NRC is a 70-bed, purpose-built rehabilitation centre for people who have experienced life-changing illnesses or injuries. Based at the Stanford Hall Rehabilitation Estate near Loughborough – which houses the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre – it will be staffed and run by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH).
‘In love’ with physiotherapy
Lal has worked at NUH for 23 years, mainly with neurological and stroke patients at both of the trust’s acute sites. This included a spell at Linden Lodge, the current rehabilitation unit. During her time at the trust, Lal has completed two master’s degrees and a PhD at the University of Nottingham.
Lal said: ‘I love being a physiotherapist and working with a multidisciplinary team to support people with complex disabilities. The NRC is particularly exciting because it’s all about blue-sky thinking – it’s starting with “what does the patient need” and then looking at how we can work differently and push the boundaries to achieve those goals.’
Lal added: ‘I’m also delighted to be leading on setting up the NRC Academy to support people from across all disciplines – nurses, clinicians, medical engineers, researchers – to be the very best rehabilitation professionals they can.
‘It’s our opportunity to role model what rehabilitation could look like at a national and international level – what we will offer won’t just be a course, it will be a culture.’
‘The NRC is particularly exciting because it’s all about blue-sky thinking – it’s starting with “what does the patient need” and then looking at how we can work differently and push the boundaries to achieve those goals’ [Lal Russell]
Alison Wildt: new innovation lead
Alison Wildt is another physiotherapist by background who is joining the NRC’s senior leadership team. Having worked with the NRC programme for three years in a variety of roles Alison becomes the NRC’s first innovation lead.
As a physiotherapist, she gained experience in a variety of settings: in the NHS, the community and in private practice.
Alison said: ‘I have seen the inequity in rehabilitation provision and want to be part of the change to drive the standard for rehabilitation nationally.
‘In my new role, my focus is enabling everyone to be able to access the latest technology and advancements in rehab treatments, so that this access becomes the standard, not the exception.’
Alison added: ‘I’ve always been excited by how technology and robotics can be used to enable patients to access additional functional task practice, but in an interesting and engaging way. I see this as a once in a lifetime opportunity to bring these passions together and to help fulfil such unmet need.’
Meanwhile, Lucy Nankivell has been appointed as the NRC’s lead nurse.
To find out more about the NRC, see: https://nationalrehabilitationcentre.nhs.uk/
