Scottish amputees no longer have to travel to England for private treatment with new clinic launch

Pace Rehabilitation, the UK’s largest independent private provider of amputee rehabilitation services, has launched its first clinic in Scotland.

A trio of Scotland’s most experienced clinical professionals has teamed up to launch multidisciplinary private services specifically for amputees from premises in Glasgow. It means amputees no longer have to travel to England for private treatment.

The practice is led by David Morrison, a leading prosthetist in Scotland.

David graduated from Strathclyde University in 1997 in Prosthetics and Orthotics and has since worked at a number of NHS services in the UK, including Wolverhampton, Preston, Leeds and Glasgow.

He is joined by Helen Scott, one of Scotland’s senior physiotherapists with clinical responsibility for amputee rehabilitation. Helen graduated from Robert Gordon’s School of Physiotherapy, Aberdeen in 1981 and has worked in London and Glasgow for the past 30 years specialising in amputees.

David Morrison, Lead Prosthetist at the Glasgow clinic, said: “We have a very good level of NHS provision in Scotland, however private provision gives the clinician more time with patients throughout the process. Combined with individual physiotherapy sessions tailored to our patient’s needs, we can make sure they achieve the best possible clinical outcomes.

“The prosthetic hardware NHS Scotland provides is high quality but it does have its limitations.  Private services can offer the best, most appropriate equipment unhindered by the restrictions imposed on the NHS.”

Louise Whitehead has spent 25 years in the vascular and amputee rehabilitation service in Dundee and also teaches physiotherapy students from Aberdeen and Edinburgh Universities.

Pace Rehabilitation was established in 2003 by a small team of experienced clinicians who wanted to provide a more integrated approach to the treatment of people who had sustained limb loss.

It has treated more than 3,000 patients during the past decade from two sites in England using the latest in prosthetic technology.

Toby Carlsson, Founding Director at Pace Rehabilitation, said: “We are proud to launch this service for amputees in Scotland. NHS provision is good in Scotland, but some aspects of prosthetic provision can only be accessed privately. We are excited to be able to address that need locally with the help of such an experienced team.

“As well as giving patients swift access to the latest technology in prosthetics our presence in Scotland opens up more choice for integrated treatment ranging from psychological support to physiotherapy.”

Patients are referred to the clinic by serious injury law firms, insurers and case managers working with individuals who have sustained major trauma in a road accident or a workplace incident. Most patients have undergone major amputations of the upper or lower limbs.

The clinic manufactures bespoke prosthetic devices in-house. Patients are assessed, measured and treated over several sessions to optimise their outcome. Technology plays a key role in delivering positive outcomes for patients.

David concluded: “I’m excited about launching our clinic in Glasgow and I’m delighted to be joined by two trusted colleagues I have worked with for many years. Launching our services in Scotland will make a positive impact for patients and their families impacted by limb loss.

“All our work is geared towards enabling our patients to return to the quality of life they had before their life-changing incident. Anyone can become an amputee and we see people from all walks of life. Some patients have been involved in a motorcycle accident and need a lower limb amputation whilst others have sustained an upper limb injury at work.

“They all have one thing in common which is the need to get their lives back on track with minimum delay so they can go back to work and support their families.”

As well as providing physical rehabilitation in the form of prosthetic and therapy input, the clinic also provides psychological support to safeguard the mental wellbeing of its patients who have often experienced a major traumatic event.

Pace Rehabilitation also works with researchers from some of the world’s leading universities, including Salford University and Strathclyde University, to provide expert input on research projects and participate in testing and advising on new technology as the sector evolves.

The new clinic is based at 603 Helen Street, Glasgow, GS1 3AR.