Opcare
NHS Services » Belfast
Belfast
Tel: 028 9090 2700
Disability Services Manager
Regional Disablement Services
Musgrave Park Hospital
Stockmans Lane
BELFAST
BT9 7JB
Tel: 028 9090 2700
Web:www.belfasttrust.hscni.net
Patient Guide to the Limb Fitting Centre
Opening Times
Monday - Thursday: 08.30-5.00pm
Friday: 08.30-4.30pm
Emergency Repair Clinic
Tel: 028 9090 2700 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 08.30-09.30am / Tuesday: 1.30-2.15pm)
Other useful telephone numbers
Regional Disablement Service Reception / Prosthetic Helpine: 028 9090 2700
Limb Fitting Service Appointments: 028 9090 2724/2723
Physiotherapy Advice Line: 028 9090 2702
Consultant's Secretary: 028 9090 2722
Withers Ward 3A: 028 9090 2160
LATEST NEWS!
01.09.11: 2016 Paralympic Hopes for Louise
Louise, a quadrilateral amputee, has been horse riding for most of her life. Now aged fourteen, her ambition is to be on the British equestrian team for the 2016 Paralympics. At aged two Louise contracted meningitis which lead to her amputations. At age three she joined her local Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) and has been training with them ever since.
Louise has had much success over her riding career with her competition horse named Mission Accomplished. Dressage is her area of expertise and she competes against other able bodied competitors. Recently she attended a trial day in Dublin and was picked to be on the Irish paratraining squad. Also in July 2011 she will be travelling to England to compete in the National Championships after qualifying in both the RDA competition and Regional Championships.
For riding, Louise does not wear her ordinary prosthesis any more. She now uses custom made riding sockets that her residual limb fits into. The sockets are strapped to the saddle and she is attached to them with a quick release in case she was to fall. Louise commands the horse by squeezing her thighs and using voice control. There are two loops on the reigns made from webbing and leather that she holds on to.
When not horse riding, Louise also enjoys swimming and archery, the swimming particularly helps with muscle strength and flexibility. This year she also intends to complete her Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award.
27.08.10: Our Golden Games
On Friday 13th August a group of 13 amputees, 2 nursing staff, 2 prosthetists, 1 occupational therapist and 1 physiotherapist departed Belfast City Airport en route to the Stoke Mandeville Stadium to attend the 2010 Amputee Games. This is the third year that LimbPower have organised the Amputee Games and the third time a team from the Belfast Limb Fitting Centre has attended to represent Northern Ireland. The host venue is the National Centre for Wheelchair Sport and boasts the highest grade of facilities for sportsmen and women as well as our home for the weekend, the Olympic Lodge.
Our journey started without too many problems. Airport security was very understanding and we passed through quickly but our flight had been delayed and we arrived at the Olympic Lodge slightly later that anticipated. The games commenced with a welcome meeting at 9am with many activities on offer. There was rowing, wheelchair basketball, table tennis, archery, tennis, indoor cycling, fencing, badminton, field and track events, sitting volleyball, powerlifting, shooting, cue sports and swimming. With so many activities on offer it was enough to keep everyone occupied. Participants were issued with a scorecard and they were awarded points for attending the have-a-go sessions as well as extra points if they won a medal in the competitions. In total the Northern Ireland team came home with 12 medals in swimming, table tennis and shooting, and 2 trophies for gaining the most points. The participant's hard work was rewarded with some Saturday evening entertainment. A BBQ feast was followed by belly-dancing from Tracey Jones, a transtibial amputee, and involved some audience participation which provided some amusement!
All in all everyone, amputees and staff, had a brilliant weekend and we look forward to next year.
09.07.10: BBC educational video stars Belfast Prosthetic Manager!
The BBC approached the manager of the Regional Disablement Services inviting the Limb Fitting Centre to take part in an educational video for their website. The aim of the video is an informative tool used to advise secondary school pupils on career choices. Prosthetic Manager Gavin Campbell had a starring role and enlisted the help of Leonard Blakely, a transtibial amputee, to demonstrate the Omega Scanner and the process of fitting and aligning a limb.
Click here to watch the BBC video
Read previous news articles here
Centre Information
The Northern Ireland Regional Disablement Services at Musgrave Park Hospital aims to provide a high quality service to patients across Northern Ireland who require artificial limbs. In Northern Ireland there are around 1,700 people who have had amputations and approximately 100 new people have an amputation each year. Most of these are lower limb (leg) amputations.
opcare's team at the Regional Prosthetic Service has 6 prosthetist's and 9 prosthetic technicians. It is supported by an NHS multidisciplinary team consisting of a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine, Specialised Amputee Physiotherapist, Head Occupational Therapist and a specialised nursing team, with dedicated ward facilities for amputee rehabilitation and management.