Thursday 19 September

Plenary 4
DisabilityCare Australia – the National Disability Insurance Scheme
Presenters:
Mr David Bowen
Mr John Walsh

Plenary 5
Activity Based Rehabilitation: FES, SCIPA trial
Presenters:
Professor Sarah Dunlop
Professor Mary Galea

Internationally, there are over 100 registered trials for spinal cord injury covering a wide range of interventions with exercise comprising the majority followed by drug treatments. Cell-based and biologically-inspired drug-based trials are also emerging. Nevertheless, medical management, rehabilitation and exercise are still the predominant treatments, however, strong evidence to support the role of exercise in promoting neurological recovery and overall health is lacking. In Australia and New Zealand, 3 randomized controlled trials are currently being undertaken with another Australian trial being planned with a focus on prevention of massive secondary loss of tissue spared by the initial injury by administering immediate hypothermia.

Plenary 6 
Assessing Fitness to Drive: Clinical Implications
Presenters:
Dr Stacey George 
Dr Zoe Adey-Wakeling
Dr Roy Beran
Professor Ian Cameron

This session aime to explore issues related to fitness to drive that have been raised by the publication of the 2011 revision of the Austroads Guide and to highlight clinical issues of importance to Rehabilitation Physicians with reference to driving with neurological impairments.

Concurrent 2.1
Sprains, Strain & Pain
Presenters:
Dr Louise Tofts
Dr Stuary Tan
Dr Clive Sun
Dr Mick Vagg 

Despite soft tissues being a crucial component of the musculoskeletal system, soft tissue injuries are often misdiagnosed and inadequately treated. The speakers will cover soft tissue injuries moving though different stages of life from childhood and adolescence through to adulthood and working life including the management of soft tissue pain.

Concurrent 2.2
Subacute Models of Care
Presenters:
Dr Phil Conroy
Mr Steven Wood
Dr Greg Bowring
Dr John Estell
Dr Steven Faux

Concurrent 2.3
Showcasing our Young Researchers
Presenters:
Dr Sarah Kofoed
Dr Louisa Ng
Dr Pearl Chung
Dr Alaeldin Elmalik
Dr Edwin Luk 

This session will outline outcomes of various rehabilitation research programs at Royal Melbourne Hospital conducted by young researchers. These will address a range of disabilities in various neurological cohorts and other conditions, such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorders, Spinal Cord Injury, Spina bifida, Brain injury and Spasticity Outcomes.

Concurrent 2.4
Early Rehabilitation in Trauma Management 
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Presenters:
Dr Jane Wu
Professor Ian Cameron
A/Professor Steven Faux

In this session participants can expect to receive information on 2 current RCTs in early rehabilitation following multi-trauma and 1 epidemiological into the long term functional outcomes following motor vehicle accidents. Results of the ROARI study will be presented an RCT with 182 participants undertaken in 4 hospitals in NSW on early rehabilitation physician consultation within 4 weeks of road trauma. This will be following with interim results of NSW largest epidemiological study into the long term functional outcomes of road trauma and the interconnecting data sets being used. Finally interim results of the first Australian RCT in early rehabilitation through the use of mobile rehab teams for moderate to severe trauma following road crashed will be presented.

This session is a must for those treating compensable and non compensable trauma rehabilitation cases. The most recent data, approaches and outcomes will be presented in the management of long term disability, pain and return to work. Issue such as screening to predict those likely to suffer from chronic pain or disability are discussed as well as costs of treatment. For those managing trauma patients, writing medicolegal reports, sitting exams in trauma related rehabilitation or advocating for resources this session will l be of great relevance.