Denmead man left 'paralysed' thanks NHS staff after learning how to walk again with aquatic therapy

A RETIREE who was left ‘paralysed’ by a rare syndrome has thanked NHS staff for helping him to walk again.
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Paul Lacey from Denmead was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre syndrome two years ago when he was 60, after he woke up feeling tingling in his hands, feet and on the tip of his tongue.

He quickly went downhill after seeing doctors who weren’t sure what was wrong and was then admitted to Queen Alexandra Hospital.

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He said: ‘I could just about walk from the car park to the entrance. I was put in a wheelchair and it has been downhill from thereon. I ended up pretty much totally paralysed.

Paul Lacey Picture: Solent DifferencePaul Lacey Picture: Solent Difference
Paul Lacey Picture: Solent Difference

‘All I could do was communicate by nodding my head. I had a tracheotomy so I was on a respirator. It was quite a low period for me.’

The syndrome is thought to be caused by a problem with the immune system which usually attacks germs that enter the body but mistakenly attacks and damages the nerves.

The Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust team put their heads together with the Solent NHS Trust hydrotherapy team and offered Paul the chance to try aquatic therapy to help him gain muscle movement and control earlier than otherwise possible.

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Paul Lacey Picture: Solent DifferencePaul Lacey Picture: Solent Difference
Paul Lacey Picture: Solent Difference
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He said: ‘It was quite a big step I think for the hospital and the hydrotherapy people because they had never had anyone who’d had a tracheotomy go in the pool.

‘This huge great team of people standing by with respirators and drugs in case something went wrong but luckily nothing did go wrong.

‘It was amazing because I couldn’t move much at that point but as soon as I got in the pool, I could move my legs, I could move my arms so it was quite exciting.’

Now Paul is at home and walking independently.

Paul Lacey undergoing hydrotherapy Picture: Solent DifferencePaul Lacey undergoing hydrotherapy Picture: Solent Difference
Paul Lacey undergoing hydrotherapy Picture: Solent Difference

He said: ‘In the hydrotherapy area they were absolutely superb. As soon as I arrived they just worked together. It was really impressive.

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‘The facility is wonderful and it is a brilliant opportunity that I have been through and I’m very, very grateful.’

Now Solent NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust have been named finalists in this year’s Health Service Journal Patient Safety Awards for making outstanding differences to patients with GBS.

Claire Jeffries, physiotherapy clinical specialist in Hydrotherapy and Rheumatology for Solent NHS Trust, said: ‘We were really excited to be at the forefront of this type of treatment for Guillain-Barre patients. We are happy to be doing this collaborative piece of work, being innovative within the risk mitigation for these patients.

Paul Lacey in the pool Picture: Solent DifferencePaul Lacey in the pool Picture: Solent Difference
Paul Lacey in the pool Picture: Solent Difference

‘Ultimately we want to say thank you to our two amazing patients, who put their faith in us and came on this journey with us.’

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Susie Calvert, physiotherapy team lead in critical care at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust, said: ‘It’s fantastic to hear that our work has been shortlisted for this award. With very little precedence outlining the use of this treatment with this patient group, the process of planning and risk assessing between not only two departments, but two separate trusts, was not a simple one. However, the impact and value that these sessions had was huge.

‘We are really proud of what was achieved and most importantly, want to share our experience in the hope that it may encourage others and see more patients being offered this opportunity.’

The full list of nominees for the 2020 HSJ Patient Safety Awards can be found on awards.patientsafetycongress.co.uk/2020-shortlist

Winners will be selected ahead of the ceremony, which will take place virtually in November.

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