8 F I S I O T E R A P I E DESEMBER 1974 Report on A nnual M eeting NATIONAL COUNCIL for the CARE of CRIPPLES in S.A. by ANNA M A THIA S Representative S.A .S.P. present a t meeting In May 1973, I was once again privileged to attend the A nnual Congress o f the N ational Council for the Care of Cripples in South Africa, as delegate o f the South African Society o f Physiotherapy. The Congress was held in Kimberley, the hosts being the N orthern Cape Society for the Care o f Cripples, and from the moment of being met at the A irport by a row o f members who took turns to do this duty, the whole week was spent in an atm osphere of w armth, friendship and interest in the many ramifications o f comm on cause. A fter the Meeting o f the Executive Comm ittee o f the Council on M onday, the Congress delegates met and were entertained at a Civic Reception given by the M ayor and Mayoress of Kimberley. Professor du T oit recalled the first Meeting held in Kimberley, and the tremendous advances made since then, with the virtual elimination o f polio and decrease in T.B. As the Meeting of N ational Council was due to start on Tuesday afternoon, I spent the morning first visiting, at D r. G uthrie’s invitation, the Physiotherapy D epartm ent of the new N on-E uropean H ospital in Kimberley. Miss D e Smidt showed me around, and I was certainly impressed by the planning, space, equipm ent and programme. I had arranged with Mrs. Klemp to visit the Elizabeth C onradie School, as I was particularly interested in their com bination o f therapy and physical education. Mrs. Klemp fetched me, and we took with us Mrs. Vona du T oit and Prof. Louis Solomon. A t Elizabeth Conradie there are six physio­ therapists and eleven physical education instructors. I think th a t this co-operation between the two disciplines is an area which should be fruitfully exploited; seeing the achievements o f a team o f handicapped children who had been trained by a physical education instructor, but had obviously initially needed more physiotherapy made me realise th at this was yet another aspect o f rehabilitation where we have to stretch out and reach out and co-operate. One was also impressed by the stress placed on the abilities o f the child, after the m aximum reduction o f his disability. t T he Meeting, the them e of which this year was “ Sheltered Em ploym ent” , was opened by the Chairm an, D r. Goedvolk, who, to the end, suavely steered proceedings. M r. J. J. K ruger from the D epartm ent o f Social Welfare and Studies read the opening address on behalf o f the D eputy Minister, the H on. J. T. K ruger, who was unable to attend. The speaker outlined the facilities and trends in the employment o f handicapped people, and said th at he did not see the establishment of protected workshops as a State function but as a responsibility of the private sector, with State assistance; without undue reliance on legislation as far as the employment of the handicapped is concerned. H e once again stressed the im portance o f co-operation and co­ ordination in a field where several G overnm ent D epartm ents and other bodies are concerned with the provision of services. A departm ental working group has been established to investigate rehabilitation services which, to be effective, should start early. In the discussion which followed the point was made th at although rehabilitation starts when the patient enters the hospital, “rehabilitation” as such is not catered for by the H ospital O rdinance (D r. Grove). There was a gap from after the first year in hospital to the time o f going home which was nobody’s responsibility. W ork assessment was carried out by Province, but this was also not their responsibility. Rehabilitation now fell under the D epartm ent of Health, with Dr. Schiller at the head. Professor G. T. du Toit (Cripple Care) with representatives of the D epartm ent of Health and money-raising organisa­ tions and D r. Grove, form a Committee who are concerned with the building of a Spinal Unit at Pretoria. Prof. Solomon pointed out th at such a unit was needed for the Southern area, and D r. Grove gave a broad hint th a t this would be established if accommodation was made available in Johannesburg. The care of the patient during the period of hospitalisation and home-coming was the concern o f the Quadruplegic As­ sociation of South Africa. As a fervent believer in total rehabilitation, I found it very frustrating to listen to the fragmentation o f services, and I feel th a t this m atter should surely receive priority in attention. Province was asked for help in “ preparative surgery” , i.e. the transplanting of joints and organs. D r. Sidney Sacks reported on the South African Rheum atism and Arthritis Association, which had in 197/>f \ held a national congress, the theme of which was “A rth ritr^ ' in A frica” and was attended by overseas experts and visitors’ from African States with assistance from N ational Council. T he South African Association has been invited to become affiliated to the International League against R heumatism and Arthritis. D r. Sacks and Prof. Solomon have been invited to read papers at Congress at this League in Japan later this year. Following this, representatives o f G overnm ent D epart­ ments made statements on reports which h ad been submitted. Owing to pressure of time no reports were read in full, but representatives were invited to comment on particular aspects. D irector of Health Services in South West Africa submitted reports upon the development o f orthopaedic services and other services provided by their departments which concern a n d are o f benefit to cripples. M r. Louw from Cape Town reported on the Orthotics and Prosthetics Association of South Africa. The critical shortage o f personnel is not restricted to this country but is world­ wide, and to com bat this, many of the com ponent parts for orthoses and prostheses are now mass produced, and im ported, which has led to a “ very radical change in orthopaedic technical services” . N ote the change o f nam e of the Association as well. Both a D iplom a and a Degree course will be offered to O rthotists and Prosthetists, and the present “ O rthopaedic W orkshops” will become known as “Prosthetic and O rthotic—, D epartm ents” . T he South African Society of Physiotherapy reportV' subm itted by your delegate, aroused comm ent on post­ graduate training. D r. Burger of Cape Town comm ented that the University there was planning such courses, and Prof. Solomon announced that similar courses could be motivated for with confidence by the Physiotherapy Society by applying to the C hairm an o f the Special Health Services Committee. H e mentioned the Course ‘Ante and P ost-N atal C are’ which will be held at the University o f the W itwatersrand next year. D r. Burger reported that the D iplom a C ourse in Physio­ therapy in Cape Town was being converted to a degree course next year. I thanked N ational Council for the assistance given to therapists to attend post-graduate courses overseas. Mr. M arden mentioned that the num ber of blind and partially sighted persons from the Republic accepted for training in physiotherapy in London was restricted and fewer vacancies were being allocated to the Republic. He enquired w hether facilities for training these people could not be made available in the Republic; and I undertook to bring this m atter to the attention o f the Society. Mrs. H. J. V. du Toit of the S.A. Association o f Occu­ pational Therapists mentioned that a refresher course for staff members of Cerebral Palsy School would be sponsored R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. ) by N ational Council and held in Pretoria in September, 1973. The “ Medical Fitness for W ork U n it” o f the H .F.V erw oerd Hospital was ready to come into full operation. This had grown from the original W ork Assessment U nit. The new Unit w ould involve all other Allied H ealth Services and w o u ld have a full range of w orkshops in which to test the abilities and limitations of patients, to improve their abilities, work habits and w ork capacity to effect placement of patients after treatm ent. Prof. Solomon stressed the need for funds for research, a n d suggested th at such bursaries be made available. He was s u p p o r te d by Prof. Lower Allen o f Cape Town. Dr. Sidney Sacks reported on the Tissue Bank, which now had a worldwide reputation an d even supplied overseas countries. On W ednesday 22nd delegates visited Y onder Settlement, which is a training centre for ineducable children (I.Q. less than 50) from the age of five years upwards. I cannot bu t use the hackneyed words o f dedication, devotion, achievement, but they are filled with truth. All children live in small hostels as family units. I urge anyone concerned with the education o f handicapped ildren to visit this centre. From the humble settlement o f little houses we went to inspect the palatial new Elizabeth C onradie School. While admiring the superb appointm ents and being awed by the vastness of it all, many people wondered w hether it was good for children to, tem porarily, become used to such luxury, and then to have to return to the lesser reality. Mr. Craig spoke on the rehabilitation o f the Cerebral Palsied and showed a film illustrating the results o f surgery and therapy, in the treatm ent o f the cerebral palsied. I commented on a film , “The Integration of Therapy and Education” at the Forest Town School for Cerebral Palsied children, which was very well received by the audience who were very interested in seeing “ what physiotherapy, occu­ pational therapy and speech therapy actually looked like” . Mr. J. G. le R oux, principal o f Tlamelang School, showed DECEMBER, 1974 a series of slides depicting his hundred handicapped B antu pupils, aged from 6 to 18 years. This School, sponsored by the D utch Reform ed Church, assisted by the D epartm ent of Bantu Education, sell hand-m ade articles which were exhibi­ ted. T heir sales rose from R77 to R7 000 per annum in less than 5 years. O rthopaedic and therapeutic services are urgently needed. Prof. Solomon offered to help as did your delegate on our behalf. Mr. A. J. van Wyk, Chief Production Officer in the Sheltered Employment Division o f the D epartm ent of Labour, addressed the Council on the Scheme operated under the wing of th at D epartm ent, and described the adminis­ tration and control o f this Scheme— anyone interested would w ant to read the whole talk, which is available. R eports of sheltered employment projects o f Cripple Care and Cerebral Palsy Bodies were then presented also from Rhodesia . The report o f the N orthern Transvaal Cripple Care Association, followed by presentation o f slides plus com ­ mentary given by M r. J. A. Pienaar was an inspiration to all those faced with the handicapped school-leaver. The slide presentation is the best I have ever seen on the subject. One really cannot mention every speaker or paper, and on the other hand one feels bound to acknowledge those marvellous people like Mrs. R. M. de Villiers of the B eaufort West W orkshop, who started these ventures with little m ore th an faith and a desire to help others less fortunate. Mrs. Webber, Free State, reported th a t they had been fortunate in getting the services o f an excellent physiotherapist. The film on Sheltered W orkshops in Australia made us realise how very unsophisticated our services are by com­ parison. M r. P arker gave a most informative paper on this subject. The Meeting ended with the report o f the Executive Committee. I felt, at the end of this Meeting, th at physiotherapy was alive and well in the minds o f the participants. 9P H Y S I O T H E R A P Y ANGLO AMERICAN CORPORATION OF SOUTH AFRICA LIMITED S E N IO R P H Y S IO T H E R A P I S T ( M A L E ) Applications are invited for the post of senior physiotherapist (male) at the Ernest Oppen- heimer Hospital in W elkom, O.F.S. The Ernest Oppenheimer Hospital is a private industrial hospital w ith 850 beds which caters for the needs of the Black employees on the seven Anglo American Corporation gold mines in the area. The successful applicant w ill be in charge of a department w ith a complement of five physiotherapists. The department is large, modern and well equipped. The physiotherapists w ork in asso­ ciation w ith the occupational therapists in the rehabilitation of industrial injuries. The depart­ ment also undertakes the normal range of physiotherapeutic treatm ent of other medical and surgical conditions. Salaries are attractive. Cognizance w ill be taken of previous experience in determining the starting salary. Other benefits include: Membership of the M'ines Benefit Society; Pension Fund; Generous leave privileges; Holiday leave allowance — approximately a 'month's salary; Subsidised single or married accommodation. Applications should be addressed to: The Medical Superintendent, Ernest Oppen­ heimer Hospital, P.O. Box 87, Welkom, O.F.S., 9460. VACANCIES IN THE HOSPITAL SERVICE OF THE CAPE PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons for appointment to the follow ing vacant posts: P H Y S IO T H E R A P I S T ( 3 P O S T S ) R3 000/3 660 per annum at the Frere Hospital, East London Qualification: Qualification in Physiotherapy acceptable to the S.A. Medical and Dental Council. The salary indicated represents the minimum and maximum commencing salary payable. Pre­ vious appropriate experience and/or higher edu­ cation qualifications w ill be taken into con­ sideration in the determining of the commencing salary. In addition to the salary shown, subject to compliance w ith certain conditions, the suc­ cessful applicant is entitled to an annual vaca­ tion savings bonus, an annual travel concession, medical aid scheme and holiday and sick leave privileges. Applications of serving Public Servants should be submitted through -the heads of their De­ partments. Application should be made on the prescribed form (Staff 23) which is obtainable from the Director of Hospital Services, P.O. Box 2060, Cape Town 8000, or from the Medical Super­ intendent of any provincial hospital in the Cape Province. Applications must be forwarded to the M edi­ cal Superintendent of the hospital concerned to reach him as soon as possible. R ep ro du ce d by S ab in et G at ew ay u nd er li ce nc e gr an te d by th e P ub lis he r (d at ed 2 01 3. )