Updated: 9 August 2007
Sports
Medicine
Medical
services for sport and physical activity have evolved significantly over the
last 50 years moving from an emphasis on treating injuries to a
multi-disciplinary approach which considers the prevention, treatment,
rehabilitation of injury and the promotion of safe practice.
There is also an increasing focus on education and research, helping to
ensure the delivery of high quality services to both the physically active
public and elite performers.
Practitioners
from a wide range of professions are involved in the provision of medical
services for sport and physical activity. They
include: primary care, cardiology, respiratory medicine, orthopaedic surgery,
traumatology, physiotherapy, podiatry, exercise physiology, nutrition,
psychology and health promotion.
Following
representation from a number of these practitioners and other interested
parties, Sport NI convened a working group to
produce a strategy for the Development of Sport and Physical Activity Medicine
in Northern Ireland in 2001. The full Strategy document can be downloaded.
The
strategy makes recommendations and develops an agenda for action in 6 key
areas:
- promotion
of safe and healthy sport and physical activity;
- clinical
services – National Health Service;
- clinical
services – Private Provision;
- provision
for High Performance Athletes;
- sport
and Physical Activity Medicine Education and Training;
- sport
and Physical Activity Medicine Research.
In 2006 the Northern Ireland Sports Science and Sports Medicine Working Group was established and has representation from all they key agencies. The group meets on a bi-monthly basis.
Over the next three years some of its key actions in the areas of sports medicine are:
- To produce and oversee the implementation of a Sports Science and Sports Medicine delivery framework document that outlines and prioritises the desired competencies, service levels and infrastructure required to deliver sports science and sports medicine services within the High Performance System in Northern Ireland.
- Agree and document standards for quality assurance and employee competencies across all disciplines.
- Recognise and promote practitioners with the competencies to work within the High Performance System through the development and maintenance of an online register.
- Develop a bursary scheme that will enable existing practitioners to undertake personalised professional development programmes.
- Develop a knowledge diffusion system that will disseminate best practice to practitioners and support personnel working within the high performance continuum through:
- delivery of a series of workshops and conferences
- liaising with professional bodies to ensure that through professional development programmes practitioners meet the needs of the High Performance System in Northern Ireland
- supporting succinct research and innovation programmes.
For
further information contact
r.smyth@ulster.ac.uk
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