Vale Healthcare signs contract with the Ospreys

"As a professional rugby outfit our interest is naturally in the players' wellbeing and health. As the season goes on we must maintain their standard of fitness and for this we require full time, expert medical care.

"It will be hugely beneficial for our players to have 24/7 access to the best treatments available. This support will be paramount to reducing recovery times and making sure those incidences where players are sidelined during matches is minimised. Injury can cause a massive amount of disruption and frustration, but the best thing we can do is prepare for such situations by ensuring we are fully supported by people who can give us speedy medical assessments, diagnosis and treatment."

Chris Towers, Head Physiotherapist for the Ospreys, works closely with the squad and believes that time is of the essence when it comes to treating injuries:

"Working in professional sport demands fast-thinking and immediate action when injuries occur. Vale Healthcare gives us the efficient, all-round service the squad requires. With expert consultants just a phone call away we have immediate access to valuable medical advice. We now also have access to MRI scanning in Vale Healthcare's radiological imaging department, the results of which we can receive on the same day. This puts us in an excellent position to manage players, inform coaches appropriately and plan ahead for important matches.

"The Ospreys' existing physiotherapy team is able to handle musculo-skeletal, soft tissue and joint injuries and Vale Healthcare complements this with the provision of expert specialist consultants, vital surgical management, and injection therapy."

Tim Atter, Business Director at Vale Healthcare, says:

"We look forward to Vale Healthcare's partnership with the Ospreys this season as official medical services provider, and recognise that rapid access to specialist consultants is fundamental to treating injuries and combating long-term injury worries."

Vale Healthcare is a joint venture between the founder members of the renowned Vale Clinic, an independent medical business, and Nuffield Health. Together they plan to deliver a range of services including diagnostic assessments; health and wellbeing assessments and advice such as health screening and occupational health; plus, in-patient and day surgery treatments and procedures. Rehabilitation and therapy services, including physiotherapy and podiatry, holistic therapies and treatments as well as cosmetic procedures will also be provided.

Vale Healthcare's services will be delivered via two sites - the forthcoming Vale Hospital (opens in June 2010) and the Cardiff Bay Clinic which opened in August 2008 on the Celtic Gateway Business Park. The Cardiff Bay Clinic, which has already developed a reputation for prompt and effective services in attractive surroundings, has 6 consulting rooms, a day surgery suite, diagnostic suite with fixed MRI, physiotherapy department and health screening facilities.

The multi site model being created will ensure a wide geographical catchment area is covered along the M4 corridor from Newport to Swansea as well as the Valley areas, Cardiff Bay and the Vale of Glamorgan. It also ensures that assessments and treatments are provided in the most appropriate and up to date facilities in line with latest clinical practices.