The department is one of the departments from the Rashid Hospital, under Department of Health & Medical Services governed by the Dubai Health Authority. The Committee was impressed with the significant service contribution made by the Department which was established more than 30 years ago. 

 

Indeed, the Department in fact incorporates various facets of patient care including Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy (Physiatry), Pain management and Rehabilitation. A variety of diagnostic procedures for confirmation of dicqnosis are utilize an interventions and medical therapy planned appropriately.

 

 

 

Numerous patients have been the beneficiaries with alleviation of often chronic disabling disease or rehabilitation following surgery e.g. limb amputation. An active prosthetics Department customizes limb design and fitting to the needs of the individual patient and this provides for not only improvements in function e.g. enabling patients to walk again, with appropriate training, but tremendous benefits for patient morale and a better sense of wellbeing.

 

Thus, the Department, in a sense, provides holistic treatment, that is to say, care and support to the whole person in a variety of ways to help restore physical function as well as dealing with psychological and social aspects of an individual patient's welfare.

 

The Department produces regular newsletters which help to promote collegiality and a shared sense of purpose among more than eighty staff employed in these endeavours. Much of the news relates to individual staff members and this helps to foster a good and satisfying work environment where care is generously provided according to the needs to be met. The Department deals not only with threatened or actual limb loss but also disabilities related to the ears and eyes.

 

It is also noteworthy that Physiotherapy students from the University of Sharjah, Gulf Medical School and Dubai Higher College of Technology undergo training during attachments to the Department, whose staff are highly qualified. There is a record of academic scholarship with presentation and publication by Department members who are actively involved in Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development initiatives.

 

In summary, the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department at Rashid Hospital deserves to receive the Hamdan Award for outstanding clinical department in the public section in the UAE for the term of 2007-2008.