Private occupational therapy in Derby

Qualifying as an occupational therapist in 2006, Louise has specialised in treating clients with housing & equipment, rehabilitation and seating & postural needs. She is based in Derbyshire and travels to Derby, Ashbourne, Chesterfield and Long Eaton to visit clients and deliver assessments at home.

Louise is committed in supporting her client reach their personal goals and increase their independence, allowing for them to take part in their every day activities and live safely at home. Since qualifying in 2006, Louise has gained wide-ranging experience in both community and hospital settings and in both mental and physical health. She has a thorough understanding of the effects of pain, illness and disability on the quality of life.

She has spent her career working in community and hospital settings, treating clients with neurological conditions, orthopaedic conditions and those requiring help with fatigue and anxiety management. Her knowledge of neurology is extensive, including having worked with brain injury, stroke rehabilitation and chronic fatigue syndrome. Before leaving the NHS in 2016 to focus solely on her private practice and medico-legal work, Louise was the lead occupational therapist for elderly medicine therapy in Derby Hospitals. Additionally, she acted as a Key Manual Handling Trainer, the Dementia Lead and the Falls Lead.

Louise now undertakes work on private basis for clients who have suffered catastrophic personal injuries as a result of road traffic accidents, medical negligence or accidents in the workplace. She provides recommendations for major adaptations, equipment assessments, work place assessments and ongoing rehabilitation packages to maximise client’s return to independence and inclusion in pre-injury activities. Alongside her private practice she also works as an expert witness preparing care and equipment reports for personal injury or medical negligence cases.

Louise continues her professional development by attending conferences and training events, including being a member of the College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Sections in Independent Practice.

Ali qualified as an occupational therapist in 1999 and has since specialised in neurological rehabilitation, as well as providing moving & handling and functional rehabilitation support. She works in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the East Midlands, visiting clients at home. Ali has completed various postgraduate training courses, including levels 1, 2 and 3 in Bobath techniques.

During her career, Ali has worked in a range of clinical areas, including within mental health, acute settings and the community. She currently works in a rehabilitation centre in the NHS, supporting clients with complex neurological conditions, including acquired brain injury. She assesses overall function and provides adaptations and equipment, including falls prevention items, to facilitate independence and manage safe moving & handling within the home.

Offering a holistic approach, Ali considers all functional, cognitive psychological and environmental needs of the client. She sets achievable goals with an aim to maximise independence at home and within the local community. The therapy provided by Ali is varied and includes encouraging clients to complete daily life activities, supporting them with dexterity and handwriting skills, providing advice on psychological adjustment and strategies and providing training to carers and families on safe manual handling.

Ali holds an MSc in Advanced Occupational Therapy and continues to develops her clinical knowledge, having completed further training in cognitive rehabilitation, motivational interviewing and Brief Solution Focused Therapy.

Trained in sensory integration, Susan provides expert occupational therapy to children and young people. She works closely with families, teachers and carers focusing on the child's housing, equipment and seating needs, as well as ensuring safe moving & handling within the home and school. Susan works within the area of Nottinghamshire, visiting families in Mansfield, Nottingham, Retford and Southwell.

Having spent her career in both public and private sectors, Susan has gained vast experience working with children with neurological, physical and sensory needs. This includes treating children with autism, cerebral palsy and brain injury, as well as focusing on handwriting needs and balance or co-ordination difficulties.

Visiting children and families in their own home, Susan provides expert assessment and treatment sessions which aim to encourage the child to reach their maximum potential. She recommends pieces of specialist equipment, as well as providing sensory based therapy and advising parents on sensory strategies to support the child's needs. Susan also prescribes wheelchairs and seating solutions, including power chairs, specialist buggies and trikes.

Susan is a member of the Sensory Integration Network, as well as the Children, Young People & Families section of the College of OT.

Jessica has extensive clinical experience of working with adults of all ages in community settings, whom have a very wide variety of physical and cognitive conditions. She covers the East Midlands area.

Jessica has specialist clinical skills that span across a broad spectrum which include neurological assessment and rehabilitation, seating and postural management, functional rehabilitation, moving and handling and equipment provision. She has worked with adults with conditions such as Stroke, Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neuron Disease, traumatic brain injury, dementia, cognitive difficulties, arthritis, osteoporosis, respiratory conditions, heart conditions, amputees and diabetes.

Jessica is passionate about working with adults and supporting her clients to maximise their independence. She is committed to establishing ways to overcome any functional difficulties and work collaboratively with her clients to set achievable, person centred goals.

Jessica qualified in 2011 and is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists as well as the RCOT Specialist Section for Neurological Practice.

Qualifying in 2002, Debbie is an expert occupational therapist who specialises in neurological rehabilitation. She is based in Leicestershire, travelling to Hinckley, Leicester, Loughborough and Melton Mowbray to deliver independent assessments to clients at home.

Having spent her early career working in community NHS teams, Debbie has extensive experience delivering functional assessments and rehabilitation programmes.

She now works independently, treating clients who present with neurological conditions, head/brain injury, acute rehabilitation needs and orthopaedic conditions, such as hip and knee replacements, fractures, carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis. Developing personalised treatment plans with the client and their family, Debbie aims to reach the client's personal goals and increase their independence within their home environment.

She maintains her professional development, continuing as a member of the College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Sections in Independent Practice.

Sarah is a highly motivated and experienced Occupational Therapist who is passionate about providing quality care. Her specialisms include moving and handling, ADL assessments, end of life care planning, stress and fatigue management.

Sarah is based in the West Midlands and also works in the East Midlands, Sheffield and surrounding areas, Leicestershire, Stoke-on-trent.

Sarah has experience of working with clients with conditions such as Dementia, Parkinson's, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophies, Degenerative Neurological Disorders, Falls and Fractured bones, Stroke, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Arthritis, Respiratory Conditions, Cardiac Conditions, Cancer and Functional Neurological Disorder.

Sarah is a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists.

Aimee is an expert occupational therapist (OT) who specialises in housing & equipment. Her post qualifying training includes a Professional Health & Social Care Diploma in Housing, broadening her knowledge of this clinical area. Working within West Yorkshire, Aimee travels to Wakefield, Leeds, Huddersfield and Pontefract to visit clients.

Aimee has extensive experience in the field of housing & equipment, spending most of her career working for the NHS and within social services. Within these roles, Aimee carries out assessments for minor and major housing adaptations, provides specialist equipment and produces moving & handling plans for clients and their carers. She also has experience in completing Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) assessments.

As an independent OT, Aimee treats clients at home and helps enable them to be as independent as possible within their home environment. To deliver the highest standards of care to her client, Aimee maintains active professional development through her membership of The College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Sections in Housing and also the Housing Association Forum for Occupational Therapists.

Joanne qualified as an occupational therapist in 2004 and has specialised in seating & postural management and moving & handling. She lives in Warwickshire, travelling to Coventry, Birmingham, Solihull and Warwick visiting clients at home. Joanne has completed various postgraduate training courses to ensure her clinical knowledge is up to date, including a course in palliative care.

Joanne has worked in various clinical settings, including acute hospitals, hospices and within the community. Having treated clients with various medical and physical conditions, she has chosen to specialise in oncology and palliative care conditions, ensuring her care is always client-centred.

Joanne completes comprehensive assessments of her client's needs, focusing on physical and cognitive function, environmental factors and risks of falls within the home. She also completes detailed seating assessments, providing wheelchairs and seating solutions, as well as advice on pressure prevention and relief.

Working holistically, Joanne ensures all of her client's needs are met and delivers a treatment plan that aims to maximise function and safety within the home. The includes symptom management advice and techniques and help with self-care tasks, also offering support with fatigue and anxiety management.

Joanne has actively been involved with teaching, specifically on topics on palliative care, non-pharmacological symptom management and communication skills. She is also a member of the College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Sections in HIV, Oncology & Palliative Care (HOPC).

Laura has worked as an OT since qualifying in 2001. She has successfully assessed and treated clients in the field of neurology and aquired brain injury since 2005.

Working with a diverse age range and disabilities she prides herself on being able to develop great working relationships and adapts her approaches, which are key to achieving confidence and clients goals.

Laura believes that everyone deserves the right to access therapy as there is always something that can improve someone's day to day life and loves problem solving and new challenges.

Laura is client centred, holistic, driven, passionate and the best advocate for her clients. Always striving for the best, Laura has excellent communication skills and the ability to deliver timely assessments and detailed professional reports. Laura keeps herself motivated and up to date with continuing professional development and always believes she has something new to learn.

Catherine is a self-motivated, enthusiastic and proactive Occupational Therapist with 19 years experience in a wide range of areas in physical health, including over 6 years in the employment field. Catherine is a Matheson trained UK functional capacity evaluator and regularly uses functional assessments for clients within her NHS Occupational Health role. She is experienced in carrying out workplace visits, job analysis and work rehabilitation.

Catherine's Masters Degree in design research has assisted her to devise innovative and unique solutions to functional problems and her advanced communication and motivational interviewing skills are utilised when liaising with clients, employers and stakeholders to enable change. Catherine is trained to carry out health and well-being assessments and she is a health and work champion for Public Health England.

Alongside Catherine's highly specialist assessment and rehabilitation skills she has a range of experience in service development, business planning, team leadership and research.

Holly qualified as an occupational therapist in the USA in 1997, choosing to specialise in hand therapy quite early on in her career. She has completed levels 1 and 2 of the British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT) training courses, enabling her to provide expert hand therapy and rehabilaition to clients. Holly is based in Cheshire, visiting clients in North West England, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.

Holly has developed her clinical skill in various settings, including in NHS and private hospitals and in the community. She was OT lead at The Alexandra Hospital in Manchester and developed the hand therapy service there. This included the development of and adherence to relevant hand therapy protocols and incorporating the assessment and fitting of pre-fabricated splints. She also provided splinting for children with cerebral palsy, including tendon lengthening and improving function.

Working with clients with acute and chronic conditions, Holly provides bespoke and intensive treatment programmes to increase function and improve overall independence. Using a holistic approach, Holly works with clients on all aspects of rehabilitation, including mobility and function, improvement of independence in home and leisure tasks and advice on home adaptations and equipment procurement.

Based in Nottingham, Helen visits clients in the areas of Mansfield, Derby, Retford and Southwell. She specialises in hand therapy and rehabilitation, delivering specialist assessments and treatment at home. To enhance her learning, Helen has completed post graduate training in hand therapy and related conditions.

In Helen's current NHS role, she treats adults with hand, wrist and upper limb conditions and is the organisation's lead therapist for splinting. Her experience covers chronic and acute wrist and hand conditions, including scar management and desensitisation programmes.

Helen provides independent assessments and treatment programmes to clients in their own environment and is committed to maintaining her clients' independence at home. She will set achievable and realistic goals, with an aim to improve on their functional rehabilitation and carrying out daily tasks.

She is a member of the British Association of Hand Therapists (BAHT) and has BAHT Level 1 and Level 2 qualifications. She also completed the Derby University Masters module on Hand Therapy in Practice.

Qualifying in 2003, Paul is an experienced occupational therapist specialising in housing adaptations, disabled facilities grants, housing suitability, equipment, assistive technology and moving and handling. He provides expert advice and enjoys helping his clients to achieve a higher quality of life by working collaboratively with them as well as with their carers & families.

Paul has a wealth of experience working as an Occupational Therapist within a social services role as well as with private clients with physical disabilities, including age related conditions, sensory impairment, neurological conditions, palliative conditions, catastrophic injury, amputation and brain injury, mental health difficulties and learning difficulties.

With a previous background in the construction industry, he has worked closely with architects, housing associations, councils, charities and contractors providing expert advice on the suitability of accommodation, adaptations to existing properties and new builds and has an in depth knowledge of assistive technology.

Julie specialises in adult rehabilitation across North West England and the West Midlands including, Manchester, Liverpool, Wolverhampton, and Stoke-on-Trent. She has been delivering expert care and advice for over a decade, covering neurological conditions, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, and depression.

Julie has extensive experience evaluating safety concerns in the home and community, conducting assessments to support suitable treatments and facilities, and the review of care packages. This includes suggesting specialist home adaptations and aids, such as beds and seating. She strives to enhance her client’s independence, delivering the best possible care and advice in regards to both physical and mental well-being. She can provide expert treatment on areas including fatigue management, routine planning, daily living skills, behaviour management, social integration, and anxiety management. Julie also spends time providing invaluable support to families and carers, whom she recognises are just as important to the overall care experience.

Julie qualified in 2006 from York St John University College. Her career has seen her working in a variety of settings, including in-patient psychiatry, community services, and forensic services. Julie is a member of the Independent Practice specialist section of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, and actively engages in peer supervision on topics surrounding mental health, brain injury, and dementia services, and is experienced working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

Sam qualified in 2009 and has since become an expert in her field of neurology, working with clients with a range of neurological conditions. She works closely with her clients, carrying out full assessments and providing bespoke treatment plans to her clients to help them to gain as much independence as possible.

Sam also provides training and advice to families and carers to help them understand her clients condition and the most effective ways to care for them as well as training carers in safe moving & handling techniques.

Sam is a friend of Headway charity and works closely with the charity on a regular basis. She has completed a Bobath course in normal movement and has completed training in neurological splinting and casting to manage abnormal tone.

Lisa qualified as an OT from Derby University in 1993 and has worked in the NHS, within a Local Authority setting and in private practice since qualifying.

She has held a number of senior and managerial positions within the local authority setting, being responsible for occupational therapy teams and the delivery of the service.

Lisa has chosen to specialise in home functional assessments of adults and children with highly complex physical disabilities. This can be a result of illness or trauma, neurological and congenital conditions, birth injuries and chronic pain.

She also collaboratively identifies housing & equipment, moving & handling and seating & postural needs with the client and their family, successfully implementing solutions to enable individuals to participate in day to day activities, engage in purposeful roles and support them to lead an independent life.

Covering the West and South West of England, Emily works with adults in a variety of areas including community and acute settings. aiming to enable her clients to be as independent in their everyday life as possible and to improve their well-being and quality of life.

Her areas of specialism are housing & equipment, seating & postural management and moving & handling. Emily provides clients with assistance on housing and equipment providing detailed reports for clients wishing to move house or adapt their accommodation. Completing moving and handling risk assessments to ensure clients and their carers carry out safe practices.

Working with clients in their home environment, Emily completes detailed assessments and provides treatment and recommendations to help increase her clients' overall independence and improve their quality of life.

Based in Cambridgeshire, Lucy provides independent occupational therapy assessments to clients in the areas of Cambridge, Huntingdon, Peterborough and St. Ives, as well as visiting Norfolk and Suffolk. She specialises in rehabilitation, seating & postural management and equipment, treating adults with those particular needs.

Currently working as professional lead occupational therapist within the NHS, Lucy works with clients with physical, learning and mental health needs. She provides assessments and intervention to clients to maximise their current skills, develop new skills and build on new coping strategies to support them in their everyday life. Lucy uses the Assessment of Motor Process skills (AMPS) to guide her interventions.

Visiting clients at home, Lucy provides intervention that is based on the client's functional goals. This includes providing expert advice on specialist equipment and seating that would increase the client's independence in their own environment. Lucy is also able to deliver accredited postural care training to families and carers.

Qualifying as an occupational therapist in 1993, Val specialises in housing & equipment and rehabilaition for adults. She is based in Cornwall and will travel across the UK, completing assessments with clients in their own environment. Val is an accredited Best Interests Assessor (BIA), having developed sound knowledge of the legislation to support clients, families and Local Authorities.

Val's experience is in working with adults with a variety of physical and mental health needs, providing equipment and adaptations to homes to promote independence and safe living conditions. This includes completing BIA assessments, where Val requires knowledge of both the Mental Health Act and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards assessments and applications. She also carries out Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) assessments.

To continue her professional development, Val has completed postgraduate training including courses in counselling and therapeutic listening. She also keeps up to date with the current legislation and policies surrounding her work.

Since qualifying as an occupational therapist in 2009, Heather has specialised in the area of neurological rehabilitation. She works with clients in their home environment, visiting areas of Northampton and Kettering, as well as homes in Warwickshire, Leicestershire and Nottingham. Heather ensures her clinical knowledge is up to date, maintaining her memberships of the College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Sections in Independent Practice and Neurological Practice.

During her career, Heather has gained clinical experience in the NHS, working for charitable organisations and also in the independent sector, specifically in post acute, rehabilitation and community settings. She carries out specialist assessments on clients with complex neurological conditions, including brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis and those in prolonged disorders of consciousness.

Heather provides clients with a range of expert intervention, ensuring these are evidence based and meet best practice guidelines. This can include physical rehabilitation, focusing on upper limb rehab, balance and equipment provision, as well as cognitive rehabilitation and help with self care. She also provides education and training to the client's family and carers, ensuring they know how to use equipment safely and appropriately.

Karin is a paediatric occupational therapist who specialises in treating children with autistic spectrum disorder. She carries out assessments and treatment of children at home and school, helping them to achieve their maximum potential. She is trained in sensory integration and treats children with neurological and physical disabilities. Based in Peterborough, Karin covers the areas of Northamptonshire, Rutland and Cambridgeshire.

Karin graduated with a degree in Psychology in 2005 and went on to complete her BSc in Occupational Therapy in 2014. She has worked for the NHS as a paediatric and learning disabilities occupational therapist, working with children who need support to develop their fine motor skills, including handwriting as well as sensory processing difficulties and support with self care.

Throughout her career, Karin has become proficient at carrying out comprehensive assessments and creating child centred treatment programmes to help children achieve their goals and develop their skills. The home and school based treatment she provides includes advice and guidance for parents and teachers to help them work collaboratively ensuring the child is supported in gaining independence.

She is a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT) and the Sensory Integration Network. She has also previously volunteered for for the NHS, running an independent living skills group.

Lynn is a highly experienced Occupational Therapist with 24 years post-graduate experience. She works with children in school and home settings carrying out goal based occupational therapy assessments and intervention. She has specialist skills in paediatric assessments, including School Amps (Assessment of Motor and Process Skills) and is an Advanced Practitioner in Sensory Integration(SI) having successfully completed levels 1-4 Sensory Integration training.

Lynn devises treatment programmes tailored to the assessed needs of the individual child. She uses Ayres Sensory Integration assessment and treatment approaches and works with parents and teaching staff to empower them to implement strategies and activities at home and in the child’s setting.

She is skilled in writing reports detailing the assessment, outcomes and treatment recommendations, including reports for Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunals. She also delivers training to schools and parents on topics including sensory processing.

Cathy is an experienced and enthusiastic OT who has developed a vast depth of knowledge and experience in her chosen fields.

Since graduating from St. Andrew's school of Occupational Therapy in 1992, Cathy has become an expert in her fields of, Seating & Postural Management, Moving & Handling and Housing & Equipment.

She has worked in a variety of settings, working with adults and older people supporting them in the areas of Rehabilitation, Orthopaedics, Neurology, older peoples mental health, Dementia and supporting adults with learning disabilities. Carrying out detailed assessments and expert treatment, Cathy helps her client to live as independently as possible.

Cathy has experience in facilitating equipment & adaptations, reablement, moving & handling and managing a Dementia team.

Based in Warwickshire, Paula delivers specialist assessments to clients at home, travelling to Coventry, Birmingham, Solihull, Warwick and Stratford-on-Avon. Qualifying as an occupational therapist in 2000, Paula specialises in both neurological and functional rehabilitation, as well as vocational rehabilitation with adult clients.

Paula has experience of working in acute hospitals, community hospitals, specialist neuro-rehabilitation centres, as well as being part of a community neuro-rehab team. She works with clients with various conditions, including traumatic and acquired brain injury, stroke, visual impairment, as well as fatigue management. She has a particular interest in working with clients who experience cognitive or behavioural difficulties due to brain injury.

Specialising in vocational rehabilitation, Paula helps clients by getting them back into work after sustaining traumatic brain injury or orthopaedic injuries. Visiting her client at home or in work, Paula provides detailed assessments and treatment programmes, with an aim to help her client reach realistic and achievable goals.

Paula is a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists, as well as The College of Occupational Therapists specialist sections in Independent Practice, Work and Neurological Practice.