What was the inspiration behind Pure Sports Medicine?
We branded ourselves ‘Sports Medicine’ very deliberately. Not because we wanted to see elite athletes, but because we wanted to provide everyone with access to the same expert model that you would find working within the medical team behind elite sporting organisations and individuals – like the team at Man Utd, the English Institute of Sport, or working with Andy Murray or Rory McIlroy. In these teams, the focus is on working together to achieve success for the patient, and that is what we aim for at Pure – working collaboratively as a team to help our patients achieve their goals.
How have things changed over the last 20 years?
When we started, no one knew what a Sports Doctor or a Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine (SEM) was. Many GPs didn’t even understand the valuable role this group can play in managing injuries, joint pain, back pain, muscle and tendon problems etc. Most of these things don’t need surgery. In a sports team, these sorts of problems would be managed by the sports medicine team typically consisting of an SEM consultant, physio, massage therapist, podiatrist and strength and conditioning coaches, and that’s how we approach things for every patient we see. One other big change has been the use of Ultrasound scanning to assist with diagnosis. Using Ultrasound allows our docs to examine how the muscles, ligaments and tendons look, move and function and, therefore, establish a more accurate diagnosis which ensures an appropriate treatment plan can be implemented.
How has Pure Sports Medicine evolved over that time?
We have grown! When we opened our doors, we were a team of just two clinicians with three rooms at the David Lloyd club in Kensington. Since then, we’ve grown to seven clinics with over 150 staff. The acquisition of the clinic at Roehampton Club now takes us to eight clinics. Along the way, we’ve also added many new services and specialisms including rheumatology and endocrinology consultants, pain medicine specialists, Pilates instructors, and more. One area we are really excited to launch recently is our chronic disease/lifestyle disease service. The evidence for the use of specific, individualised exercise and nutritional management to treat many diseases like diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, heart disease and lifestyle changes, like menopause, is overwhelming, but people don’t know who to see for this support. We have a team of expert clinical exercise physiologists, physios and nutritionists who are specifically trained in managing people with these conditions.
What does multidisciplinary care mean and why is it important?
Multidisciplinary care means several sets of eyes on the same problem – everyone discussing the patient’s problem and their goals and working out how best to help them collectively. It means leaving the egos and professional competitiveness at the door and focusing on what matters – the patient! It’s important because no one knows everything. Some people think that one person with multiple skills is an expert, but often they are a ‘Jack-of-all-trades’. What you need to achieve great patient outcomes is a team of people with different knowledge, skills and experience all working together. It’s why elite sporting organisations use the same model – it simply gets the best results!
What will Pure Sports Medicine be looking to bring to Roehampton Club and what does this mean for its Members?
Inga Tulloch and her team have provided wonderful care to Roehampton Club Members for nearly 30 years. We want to continue that great care and build on it by adding other members of our multidisciplinary team to the mix – such as our SEM consultants, Ultrasound scanning, osteopaths and specialist coaches. We also plan to develop the infrastructure by moving to computerised note-keeping and online booking, as well as undertake a refurbishment of the clinic to create a rehab space for focused, clinical exercise.
What are the immediate priorities for the clinic at Roehampton Club?
The most important thing is for us to get to know the Members and staff of Roehampton Club, and to learn how we can help Members get more benefits from their membership. We want to work closely with the gym team, the tennis coaches and golf pros to help members deal with any niggles or injuries that are stopping them playing or preventing them from performing at their best. We also want to add value by delivering educational sessions to help members understand how pain and injuries can occur and what they can do about it while providing a clinic that delivers the highest quality of service at times that suit Members.
What is the long-term plan for the clinic?
We want Pure Sports Medicine, Roehampton to be an integral part of the Pure organisation and functioning as part of a high-performance group. We want it to be a clinic where high calibre clinicians and admin staff aspire to work and where Members are so satisfied with the care they receive that they feel compelled to share this with others. The long-term plan is the same as the plan was on day one of Pure opening – recruit and develop great staff to deliver great care for individuals.
Pure Sports Medicine – website and contact information
Book your appointment directly with the reception team in the clinic …
Website puresportsmed.com/roehampton-club, phone 020 8480 4242, email reception.roehampton@puresportsmed.com
