Aimee qualified from The University of Liverpool in 2007 and has experience across health and social care including working within a charitable organisation. She is a member of BAOT and the housing specialist section, acting as northwest regional representative for the section from 2013 – 2017.

Aimee’s main areas of expertise are in major and minor adaptations and moving and handling. Alongside her independent work with The OT Service Aimee currently works as an occupational therapy team lead within a local authority providing supervision and leadership for a team of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. Aimee has experience in design and consultation around accessible housing, rehousing support and complex housing dynamics, working with clients to ensure homes that facilitate occupational performance and personal growth.

Aimee is passionate about training and development and devised and implemented manual handling and trusted assessor training for the provision of equipment and adaptations. She is also enthusiastic about design and creative thinking to continually develop her skills working collaboratively with clients.

Emma graduated from St Andrew’s School of Occupational Therapy in Northampton and has over 20 years clinical experience working in acute and community settings for the NHS.  Throughout her career she has had experience within the areas of orthopaedics and surgery, respiratory, elderly medicine, oncology, spinal and neurological rehabilitation including traumatic and acquired brain injury.

Emma has significant experience in stroke and neurological rehabilitation including setting up and running a community stroke team for 10 years as the clinical lead specialist.  Recently, Emma worked within a specialist brain injury and neurological treatment unit in providing occupational therapy for complex cases and worked collaboratively with commissioners and local authorities.  Emma is currently working in an Early Supported Discharge Stroke Team completing risk assessments, specialist cognitive assessments and developing person-centred rehabilitation plans.

Emma is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapy specialist section for neurological practice and is registered with the Health Care Professions Council.

Albana qualified in 2014 and has since has worked in social care settings, predominantly with children and young people aged 0-25 years. She has also experience working with adults over 18 years in a fast response team, assessing adults in their home environment to assess functional abilities.

Albana is a senior occupational therapist working in the community with paediatrics and young adults diagnosed with complex health needs, profound and substantial disabilities such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, microcephaly, gastrostomy, scoliosis, muscular dystrophy, autism, global developmental delay and more. Her areas of expertise include specialist equipment for bathing, toileting, bedroom, stairs, specialist seating and optimising a safe home environment. She specialises in minor and major adaptations, new builds, working with local authorities and housing associations. Albana has extensive experience alongside social workers, education and healthcare professionals.

Albana is well versed in equipment provision and MDT working to provide packages of care, adaptations and rehousing needs. She is a highly passionate and enthusiastic OT who seeks to develop a therapeutic and person-centred rapport with her clients.

Jane is a committed and friendly occupational therapist who qualified in 2000.  She has a wealth of experience working in a very diverse range of settings including mental health services for both children and adults, and physical settings where she provided occupational therapy assessments for people with both acute, chronic and life limiting health conditions in the community.

Jane has skills and knowledge in completing specialist manual handling assessments and can provide vocational interventions for clients.  She works holistically when completing client assessments and uses her strong observation skills to inform sound clinical reasoning.  She enjoys working with families and people from a diverse range of backgrounds and has worked in many different areas of the UK from inner London to rural Worcestershire. A particular interest is the impact of the environment on health and wellbeing as people age and the impact on families and carers. Jane also has extensive experience and knowledge of working with people at the end of their lives.

As part of her continuing professional development Jane attends the OT Show and participates in regular mentor updates as part of her role as a practice educator for Worcester University. She is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and is registered with the Health & Care Professions Council.

Stuart is one of our paediatric specialists. He graduated in 2009 with a BSc in occupational therapy from Northumbria University following the completion of his first degree in sports studies. His experience is predominantly paediatric and of a neurological nature although he also has 5 years’ experience working in adult acute hospital and community based settings.

In his present role Stuart assesses and manages complex health, social, and educational needs of children and adults with a range of neurological, non-neurological and sensory conditions.

Stuart is an expert in postural management assessment and intervention including specialist seating, bespoke wheelchairs, dynamic movement orthoses, second skin, and sleep systems. He enjoys using and developing adaptive switch and eye gaze technologies to support access to activity and enable functional independence. Stuart also has a particular interest in environmental assessments using interventions such as equipment provision and adaptations to meet the complex needs of others.

He is well-versed in assessments such as the Movement ABC, Sensory Profile, DTVP-2 and Beery VMI. These assessments allow him to provide effective interventions when treating clients with fine motor, visuomotor, bilateral coordination, balance, gross motor and sensory processing deficits.

Stuart’s directed therapy sessions focus on assessment of priority areas of need and implementation of treatment plans, enabling independence whilst promoting positive health and well-being outcomes. He can provide EHC/ETCH reports, including setting short, medium, and long term goals to support child development and transition into adulthood.

Stuart is on the funding adjudication board for The Sunshine Fund ran by Newcastle Evening Chronicle, allocating funding for life-changing specialist equipment. Additionally he works as a National, European, and International Medical and Sports Classifier of Powerchair Football. This involves assessment of the ability levels of the athletes to enable fair and equitable access to the sport. Stuart is also a member of the Children, Young People and Families Specialist Section (CYPFSS), and the Northern Region Paediatric Interest Group (NRPIG).

Since qualifying as an occupational therapist in 2011, Faye has worked in acute and community settings across NHS and local authority, gaining extensive experience in rehabilitation services and social care. Faye’s main area of expertise is housing adaptations and equipment, moving & handling assessments and specialist seating.

Faye takes a holistic approach to assessments, developing therapeutic relationships and implementing person-centred interventions to promote a person’s occupational performance. She possesses excellent analytical skills and uses robust clinical reasoning to support decision-making and recommendations. Having spent over 5 years as a team leader in a large local authority, Faye has developed leadership and mentorship skills through managing a team of OT’s and assistants. she has been instrumental in driving service improvement and development, and leading on new innovative projects.

Faye is a member of the RCOT specialist sections – Independent Practice and Housing, The National Back Exchange and keenly maintains her CPD, regularly attending training courses, webinars, and conferences to ensure she is up to date.

Carol qualified in 1994 and has had a varied career working across health and social care in both acute and community settings. Working with adults and children experiencing long-term complex disability needs and specialising in community paediatrics.

Carol has sound knowledge and skills in providing technical advice and support with equipment provision, minor and major housing adaptations, and specialist social housing needs which is evidenced by extremely effective clinical reasoning.  She was instrumental in setting up the Buckinghamshire Children’s Paediatric Occupational Therapy Service in social care which provided specialist occupational therapy provision to children and young adults with permanent and substantial physical and behavioural disabilities, often complex and varied in nature.

Carol is experienced in working collaboratively with internal and external departments, professionals, clients, and their families.  She keeps up to date with best practice, changes in legislation and professional developments.  In addition, Carol is a member of the The Royal College of Occupational Therapy Specialist Section in Housing as well as being registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council.

Caroline qualified in 1985 and has worked extensively in social care and housing adaptations in a variety of settings. She is an experienced leader and manager who is able to work with complex cases with professionalism and autonomy. Over the last 8 years she has worked in independent practice, specialising in working with children and families. This has led to a variety roles both in the private voluntary and statutory services sectors.

Caroline runs a charity that supports children with special needs in India, and trains internationally in developing play skills.

In 2019 she became a qualified sensory integration practitioner with Ulster University and uses these skills to work with children and families both at home, school and in an SI Clinic.

Caroline has a passion for working with children who have experienced early years trauma and supports parents and carers with sensory based adaptations and strategies that lead to achievable “fun” and “functional” goals.

Caroline is registered with the Health Care Professional Council.

Aimee qualified as an occupational therapist in 2009 and has since specialised in the field of adult physical disability. Her clinical experience includes dementia, chronic respiratory conditions, chronic cardiac conditions, rheumatology, trauma and orthopaedics, cancer, diabetes and various neurological conditions. In 2016, Aimee begun working as an independent occupational therapist. Her independent practice has given her the opportunity to support clients following traumatic injuries including orthopaedic injuries and traumatic brain injuries. She uses goal setting to enable clients to be as independent as possible and works closely with clients, carers and family members to offer her expertise and deliver the best possible outcomes.

Following thorough assessment, Aimee makes recommendations to reduce physical barriers and maximise her client’s independence and safety. Within her clinical practice, Aimee has gained significant experience in social care assessment, advising various local authorities on the implementation of care packages for clients living in the community, including direct payments, home care packages, day care, sitting services and long-term care including residential or nursing home placements. She has extensive experience in housing, equipment and adaptations, and has worked for two large housing associations to ensure best use of housing stock. Aimee has gained skills in delivering specific programmes including fatigue management, vocational rehabilitation, pain management and bespoke specialist rehabilitation.

Lorraine graduated from the University of Teesside in 1999 and currently works as a specialist paediatric occupational therapist.  Throughout her career, she has developed expertise working with adults and children in a variety of clinical and social care settings throughout the UK.

Lorraine utilises her expertise to deliver assessments and interventions across a range of conditions and diagnoses including stroke rehabilitation, acquired and traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, profound and multiple learning difficulties, Down’s syndrome, sensory processing difficulties, neuromuscular and development coordination conditions.  Her work with clients also extends to the utilisation of standardised assessments as well the provision of equipment and minor works.  Additionally, she is also able to carry out measuring for lycra orthoses in children and has gained qualifications in SI and Constraint Induced Movement Therapy interventions.

Lorraine supports clients in home, school and wider community settings to help them reach their maximum potential.  She also has experience providing occupational therapy for local charities to provide assessment and intervention for specialist case management firms to assist with medico-legal claims.  She has developed and delivered specialist training packages to colleagues in health and social care settings including education staff.

Lorraine is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists and is also registered with the Health Professions Council and continues to develop her skills through training courses and practical experience.

Lisa graduated from The London School of Occupational Therapy in 1993. To date her career path has allowed a wide variety of clinical experiences in both acute and non-acute settings. Her experience as an occupational therapist covers health, adult social care and housing.

Lisa’s areas of expertise include major adaptation work for adults and children with physical disabilities, assessment and recommendation for housing needs including housing needs reports, equipment provision to maximise independence in the home environment, experience in new build design for wheelchair housing and refurbishments. As an occupational therapist and building surveyor Lisa is hands on to advise regarding new builds, plans and general disability legislation within the building sector. Accessible Housing is her main interest and passion.

Lisa is experienced in assessing functional difficulties within the home environment and has good knowledge of equipment for adults and both minor and major adaptations for adults and children. Lisa can also provide advice on major adaptations and new build design to meet the needs of an individual. Lisa is an experienced manager with experience of training, providing clinical supervision to occupational therapy staff, appraisals and management of a team. She maintains her CPD and has been the vice-chair of the specialist housing group of RCOT, vice-chair of the English board and represented RCOT for NHS England on an integration of Health, Housing and Social wellbeing paper.

Maddie qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2009 and has experienced a huge scope of practice within the NHS, social care services and private sector. She is proficient in completing client-centred assessments, goal-setting and implementing therapeutic interventions for adults and children with physical, cognitive, emotional, sensory and behavioural difficulties.

Maddie’s has also worked in an older person’s mental health services supporting those experiencing mental health or cognitive difficulties (particularly memory issues), generally through a dementia or injury and often required contribution to best interest decisions. Maddie is passionate about positive risk-taking enabling individuals with fluctuating capacity to remain at home through a holistic treatment plan, including therapy, equipment and packages of care. She has extensive knowledge of memory techniques, ‘telecare’ and other equipment which enable individuals to remain safe and comfortable in their own homes. Maddie’s mental health expertise does not end there, in adult mental health services she has worked with acutely unwell patients in a hospital setting, supporting people to identify goals in areas of self-care, productivity and leisure. This also extended to assessments in outpatient settings and facilitating individual and group sessions of anxiety management, confidence building and managing emotions.

Maddie’s other areas of expertise include reablement, implementing therapy to re-establish meaningful activity following injury or a change in health needs. Her work in the community involved equipment provision, simple and complex moving and positioning risk assessments, postural management, seating assessments, rehousing assessments, minor and major environmental adaptations, she is able to work closely with architects to provide a functional perspective on housing and extension designs.

Maddie also has experience in paediatric services for children with significant needs as a result of congenital conditions, long-term conditions and injury. Her assessments and interventions involved equipment provision, charity funding, simple and complex manual handling risk assessments, rehousing assessments, safety within the home, minor and major environmental adaptations.

Wayne qualified as an occupational therapist in 2008 and has developed his experience through various fields and positions including the Regional Clinical Lead for Opcare’s NHS wheelchair services and clinical lead for Millbrook’s Somerset Wheelchair Service.  He has worked within the areas of stroke, neurological conditions, orthopedics and currently working within a multi-disciplinary intermediate care team using the Discharge to Assess model.

Wayne’s specialist areas are in complex postural management, training in moving and handling, rehabilitation and provision of equipment, care plans, minor and major adaptations within home environments.  This experience enables him to provide quality assessments and interventions to promote people’s independence. He has extensive knowledge in recommending and prescribing specialist seating and manual or powered wheelchairs.

Michele graduated in 1984 in occupational therapy, subsequently gaining qualifications in business management and health studies, the latter at MSc level. Her specialities include accessible housing and rehabilitation and has worked as a senior and head occupational therapist in a variety of organisations as well as in a self-employed capacity.

Between 2007 – 2009 Michele held the position of Vice Chair to the COTSS (housing) and for many years she has been heavily involved in helping organise their conferences along with presenting and holding workshops on a variety of housing based topics all over the UK.

Michele has also attended the House of Lords to participate in DFG adaptations think tank and is an ongoing member of the Age Friendly Manchester Design Team.

Jen is a highly qualified, experienced occupational therapist and coach, who has worked for over twenty years with individuals and teams. Her varied and extensive background leads her to work powerfully with individuals who may have hidden challenges which are impacting on relationships and performance at work, including:

People with hidden problems e.g. neurodiversity, sensory integration issues and mental health challenges. Highly creative people who struggle to harness and integrate their strengths at work. Individuals in crisis who need to make a radical shift.

As a coach, she works with a variety of tools, developmental frameworks and theoretical models. She is a visiting lecturer at Worcester University and regularly teaches coaching skills to various groups. She also work with teams at an organisational level, especially where radical creativity and systemic change is required. Jen has a special interest in developing new ways of working and the use of social media to promote therapeutic businesses.

Jen is a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists as well as being registered with the Health Care Professionals Council.

Jen says she “is a domestic goddess whose talents are thwarted by a dirty dog and an inability to work the dishwasher.”  She “fancies herself as a comedian but unfortunately finds herself funnier than others seem to.”  She “has skills in flea chasing, killing red mite and treating chickens who are depressed.”

Amy qualified in 2004 from Coventry University. She has 14 years clinical experience working within both health and social care statutory services and has worked within the private sector since. She also has experience working in the field of personal independence payment, local authority parking and concessionary travel for both physical and hidden disabilities.

Amy works with clients of all ages and varying health needs, predominantly those with physical health conditions but often additional needs such as sensory, mental health or cognitive impairment. She has specialist skills and knowledge relating to equipment needs, tele-care, minor and major adaptation, specialist equipment, complex manual handling, rehousing needs, and new-build housing

As with all our therapists, Amy is registered with the Health Care Professions Council and is a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists. She is also a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist sections – Independent Practice and Housing.

Kayla obtained her MA degree in occupational science and occupational therapy from the University of Southern California. She then practiced in New York within private clinics, public schools, private schools, skilled nursing facilities, homes and via tele-therapy. She is now based in central London and treats children as young as 2 years-old to adults. Her specialty areas include autism spectrum disorder; attention deficit disorder; developmental delay; developmental coordination disorder and learning disabilities. Kayla is well-versed in treating the associated issues such as processing differences; executive functioning difficulties; emotional processing difficulties; self-regulation difficulties and social skill deficits.

Kayla is also trained in Sensory Integration, DIR, reflex integration practices, Brain Gym behavioural management and Yoga for the Special Child. Her practice style is child-led and play-based to keep individuals engaged and intrinsically motivated to reach their highest potential. In her free time, Kayla enjoys traveling and learning.

Joanna graduated from York St John University in 1999.  She is a highly experienced occupational therapist and has worked in both the NHS and the private healthcare sector.  She is a very motivated professional who aims to provide the best possible care to those she works with.  Her experiences include neurology, orthopaedics and physical rehabilitation.

Through her clinical pursuits Joanna has developed notable skills in assessment, goal setting, treatment and the evaluation of client progress.  She is a particular advocate of SMART goals and puts great value in the outcome measures COPM and FIM to review progress.  She has extensive experience of standardised assessments, particularly for cognitive and perceptual issues.

Joanna’s experiences have allowed her to develop skills in carer and relative training with regards to equipment use, moving and handling and communication aids.  Alongside manual handling, Joanna’s specific areas of expertise can be listed as pressure and posture management; upper limb management; cognitive rehabilitation and vocational rehabilitation.

Faye is a highly skilled occupational therapist with 20 years of experience working within social care. Her specialisms include housing adaptations for adults and children, housing design for social, private and local authority housing.

Faye has knowledge and skills in providing occupational therapy interventions in the management of long-term neurological conditions, specifically multiple sclerosis, motor-neurone disease and progressive supranuclear palsy.  In addition, she is experienced in providing rehabilitation programmes for adults, providing assessment and risk management plans for plus-size moving and handling clients along with postural and seating assessments.

Faye has strong clinical assessment skills and is holistic in her approach ensuring advocacy for clients allowing their voice to be heard.  She has a wealth of knowledge and experience in community equipment from both an operational level and in procurement of community equipment contracts.

Faye is a member of the independent practice and housing specialist sections with the Royal College of Occupational Therapy and regularly participates in continued professional development activities to ensure that she is current in her knowledge and skills.

Anna is a Senior Occupational Therapist with 23 years clinical experience in the industry, she has worked in local authority, NHS and third sector organisations with the majority of her experience being in social care roles. Her main expertise is working with children, young people and adults whose health or disability impacts on their ability to participate in meaningful day to day activities. She enjoys working with individuals from a diverse range of backgrounds

Anna is well-skilled in assessing and collaborating with the individual, as well as their wider support network to create and deliver person-centred interventions in-line with our values. In addition to her work with The OT Service she currently works in the community with individuals with conditions including but not limited to Cerebral Palsy, Acquired Traumatic Brain Injury, Global Developmental Delay, Profound and Multiple Learning Disability, Down’s Syndrome, Autistic Spectrum Condition, amputees, and Neuromuscular Conditions.

Anna’s areas of expertise include minor and major housing adaptations to facilitate, assistive technology and specialist equipment provision for all activities of daily living. She is well-known in her profession for her open communication, ability to put people at ease and to think outside the box to support individuals to attain the goals that are important to them.

Anna is registered with The Royal College of Occupational Therapists, and the Specialist section – People with Learning Disabilities.

Liz specialises in the assessment and provision of equipment and adaptations to support and enable adults with conditions which affect their physical function. She has 28 years experience as an OT, 15 of those working within a social services setting, dealing with simple to complex equipment, minor and major adaptations and assessment for DFG.

Liz is one of our moving and handling experts, specialising in single-handed care, she possesses a comprehensive knowledge of moving handling equipment and techniques to ensure safe, risk-assessed care for clients in their own home and aside from her work with The OT Service Liz also works for one of the UK’s leading moving and handling training companies.

Gemma graduated from the University of Teesside and has 20 years of clinical experience starting in the NHS, where she has since developed her clinical and managerial skills. Gemma has also practised independently within the private sector for the past five years.

Gemma is a highly skilled therapist, specialising in neuro-rehabilitation, working with clients experiencing acquired brain injuries, strokes, and other neurological problems including cerebral palsy. Gemma has also worked with clients who have experienced complex medical diagnoses including polytrauma and psychological problems resulting from road traffic or industrial accidents for example. Gemma also has experience of delivering assessments for clients with hand injuries and providing bespoke treatment programmes. Work-site, vocational assessments and functional rehabilitation are also areas of expertise.

Gemma has experience of working with all ages within a variety of settings including the hospital environment, rehabilitation units, clinics, schools, and the community. During her time working with paediatric clients she acquired skills in postural care management both at home and in the school environment, bathing and showering equipment, hoisting and slings including bespoke designs, and specialist seating.

Gemma is also trained in the fields of fatigue management, neurological hand therapy and splinting, postural management for people with complex disabilities, motivational interviewing, vestibular rehabilitation, and vocational rehabilitation. She is passionate about developing her own learning for the benefit of her clinical practise and being able to offer her clients a well-rounded skill set.

With a 15 year career in health and social care Kirstie has held a variety of roles supporting people to live safe, well and fulfilled lives in the community. As an occupational therapist Kirstie has experience of complex moving & handling, equipment provision, minor adaptation and works particularly within elderly mental health addressing issues in cognitive impairment.

A champion for occupational therapy in diverse areas and accessible forms of continuous professional development, Kirstie frequently delivers guest lectures, CPD sessions, conference presentations & consultancy across the country.  Kirstie is an accomplished writer having been published in peer reviewed journals, magazines & other professional publications, writing on topics from technology, gaming and sport for well-being, and the use of social media within occupational therapy.

Kirstie is HCPC Registered, the current Vice Chair of the Royal College of Occupational Therapist West Midlands Region & working on a number of projects with the Royal College and other organisations to support the progression and development of the profession.

Amy graduated from Robert Gordon University in 1999 with a BSc in occupational therapy. She has 13 years clinical experience in acute, intermediate and community services working across medical, surgical, orthopaedics, surgery, neurology, elderly care and rehabilitation fields.

Amy has worked as a locum for many years within the NHS and for the last 5 years, as a specialist occupational therapist in community brain injury rehabilitation. She specialises in cognitive and vocational rehabilitation and is highly skilled in completing risk assessments, developing client-centred rehabilitation plans, promoting independence and maximising quality of life.

Amy has significant experience in moving and handling, equipment provision, complex case management, and has a special interest in elderly care and neurological rehabilitation.

Sacha has over 30 years’ experience working as an occupational therapist in health, neuro-rehabilitation, adult social care and housing.

Sacha’s areas of expertise include major adaptation work for adults and children with physical disabilities, assessment and recommendation for housing needs including housing needs reports, equipment provision to maximise independence in the home environment, experience in new build design for wheelchair housing and refurbishments.

Sacha is experienced in assessing functional difficulties within the home environment and has good knowledge of equipment for adults and both minor and major adaptations for adults and children to maximise independence within the home environment.

Sacha can provide advice on major adaptations and new build design to meet the needs of an individual.

Sacha has experience with providing clinical supervision to occupational therapy staff, appraisals and management of a team.

Sacha is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section in Housing and a member of Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section Independent Practice.

Sacha maintains her professional development and supervision regularly, attending CPD sessions, training courses and conferences to enhance her practice.

Louise qualified from St Loye’s School of Occupational Therapy (Exeter) in 1996.  She is also a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Housing Specialist Section.

Initially working in the NHS, for the past 23 years Louise has worked within both the public and private sectors in London, the South East and the South West of England. Over the years she has gained extensive experience with grant and private funded major adaptations, requiring close liaison with home improvement agencies, surveyors, architects, and housing associations.  More recently she has held positions within a local authority specialist housing team and a disabled children’s team assessing for major adaptations, alongside standard and bespoke equipment.

Louise’s assessments focus on a wide variety of factors that can impact on occupational performance and she is committed to enabling people to regain independence in their lives and maximise their potential. Louise continually strives to carry out holistic needs-led assessments, whilst developing trust to bring about positive change. She maintains a high level of professional development through regular training, peer supervision and attendance at study days, conferences, and seminars.

Adriana is a specialist neuro occupational therapist, passionate about improving the lives of individuals who have neurological conditions and disabilities. With over 25 years clinical experience, Adriana has developed a comprehensive understanding of the intricate connections between the brain, body, and behaviour. Adriana’s work involves assessing and addressing the unique challenges that arise from events such as stroke, traumatic brain injuries or the diagnosis of a long term neurological condition.

Adriana’s skills are in personalising treatment plans that focus on enhancing an individual’s independence and quality of life by addressing their physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioural and sensory needs. Her approach is without doubt holistic, working with the client and those who are significant to them, to set achievable goals, implement adaptive strategies, and provide ongoing support, ultimately helping them regain and maintain engagement in meaningful daily activities.

Adriana’s areas of expertise cover a wide range of specialist areas including cognitive rehabilitation, posture and positioning, upper limb management and splinting, emotional adjustment, fatigue management, vocational rehabilitation and transitionary living skills. She has experience of working in a range of settings both in acute and longer-term stages of the rehabilitation process including hospitals, rehabilitation centres and community settings. Adriana values collaborative working with clients and the wider professional team to overcome challenges, adapt to new circumstances, and lead fulfilling lives.

Fiona is a highly specialised occupational therapist with 14 years’ experience working in a variety of clinical settings including adult rehabilitation, condition management and paediatrics.

Recently working in paediatrics with children and young adults who present with a wide variety of needs including those with chronic, complex, disabling and life-limiting conditions, Fiona also has experience working within the community setting providing therapy within homes and schools. She works closely with childrens’ family or care givers, allied health professionals, education staff and social care to ensure a holistic approach, regularly supporting with the transition between services.

Fiona specialises in providing comprehensive assessments, including specialist standardised assessments, treatments and therapeutic interventions and promotes dignity and independence with daily living activities by engaging in play and fulfilling meaningful roles.  She has comprehensive experience in prescribing standard and specialist adaptive equipment, postural management, manual handling and assessing for housing adaptations.  In addition, she is skilled in upper limb splinting and the use of orthosis to facilitate function.

Fiona is passionate about occupational therapy and how this can enhance independence.  She finds her job extremely rewarding and feels lucky to have the opportunity to work with such amazing children and adults in her role.

Since qualifying as an occupational therapist in 1998 from York St John’s University, Heather has worked in adult social care for five years, followed by six years working for the NHS providing re-ablement to patients in intermediate care settings who required treatment after trauma, surgery or illness. 

Since 2009, Heather has worked within an NHS community health trust, as a senior occupational therapist in a multi-disciplinary falls prevention service, building extensive knowledge. She is able to complete detailed assessments and recommendations on practical strategies to reduce risk of falls, maintain bone health, maximise independence in daily activities, reduce carer needs and increase confidence with mobility both indoors and outdoors to enable individuals to access the wider community.

Heather has worked with people who have a wide range of health conditions, advising on equipment and adaptations to the home environment; addressing fatigue management and energy conservation and also using health coaching techniques to enable self-management of conditions.

Louise qualified in 2006 and has worked in a variety of settings including community, hospital and accident & emergency. She is an experienced leader and manager with a background in elderly medicine.

Since 2015, she has worked in independent practice, specialising in working with adults experiencing a broad range of difficulties through physical conditions from polytraumatic injuries, orthopaedics, lower limb amputees, elderly, chronic fatigue syndrome and stroke.

Highly experienced in manual handling assessments, postural seating assessments and major and minor housing adaptations and equipment provision, Louise’s focus is to provide high quality client-centred interventions for all.  She also carries out expert witness work and has undergone formal training in the medico-legal process.  In addition, she is a Certified Disability Management Professional (CDMP).

Alan qualified in 2006 and specialises in postural management, seating, and wheelchairs.  He has a passion for rehabilitation, in particular from amputation and trauma.

Alan has worked in a variety of public and private settings including acute and rehabilitation roles and in a clinical lead position where he gained experience in the assessment and treatment of children and adults who have been born with conditions that require the use of a wheelchair, as well as adults diagnosed with degenerative conditions or traumatic episodes. He is experienced in completing comprehensive assessments and detailed goal-orientated report writing. Also, working with case managers, independent therapists and equipment providers in order to achieve the best outcomes for clients.

In recent years Alan has worked as a national lead therapist for a private healthcare provider.   In this role he managed and developed a successful team in delivering occupational therapy services to clients with amputations, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury and cerebral palsy.

Through practical experience, personal research, and attendance on specialist training courses Alan has developed expert supervision skills. Recently, completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Professional Practice, he is now working towards his Master of Science (MSc).  This has given Alan a high-level of clinical reasoning when assessing and treating patients with highly complex needs and when providing expert opinion to other professionals, clients and family members.

Simon graduated from Charles Sturt University in Australia in 2002 and a further qualification on People Handling Train the Trainer June 2011.

Simon is a highly experienced occupational therapist since graduating he has gained extensive experience working with clients in a variety of health and social care settings in the UK and Australia. He has worked in private practice, rehabilitation centres, local authority settings, community rehabilitation teams and hospitals. He has experience working with clients in a wide range of clinical fields including spinal cord injury, neurology, acquired brain injury, amputees and orthopaedics.

He has extensive experience in both the private and statutory sectors of providing home assessments and design of major and minor home adaptations. He has worked in specialist housing teams and is experienced in working alongside architects and surveyors. Simon also has expertise in recommending specialist equipment and assistance technology to enable his clients to remain active and independent within their homes and communities.

Simon is a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists and the College of Occupational Therapists Specialist sections – Independent Practice and housing as well as being registered with the Health Care Professionals Council.

Alison qualified from Coventry University and is highly skilled and experienced within the specialism of palliative care and progressive neurological conditions. She has had 11 years experience working in healthcare settings, case management and the private occupational therapy sector.  This has developed her strong skills in moving and handling, housing adaptations and seating assessments.

She is passionate about improving the quality of life for people with life limiting conditions, combining sensory-motor, perceptual-motor, functional and cognitive approaches in order to meet the individual needs of each person she meets.

She has extensive knowledge of assistive technology, supporting adults and children to make the best use of their environment, particularly with access to computers and mobile phones. Alison actively develops her clinical skills through regular postgraduate training, ensuring that her clients receive the best possible treatment.

After qualifying in 2007 Lisa has developed various clinical skills in several areas of occupational therapy, predominantly physical health (neurological conditions; falls; palliative care and neuro-rehabilitation), and has have a wealth of experience with mental health, dementia and other cognitive impairments. Lisa prides herself in developing healthy and therapeutic relationships with individuals enabling full engagement within the therapeutic process.

Lisa is highly skilled in providing individualised assessments for both short-term needs and planning long-term rehabilitation programmes. Lisa’s passion for both moving & handling and rehabilitation has led her to the private sector to pursue the development of clinical skills. Alongside her work with The OT Service Lisa has a role with one of the UK’s leading moving and handling training companies.

Anthea  is a highly experienced occupational therapist who qualified from the London School of Occupational Therapy  in 1985. She has worked in health, social care and private practice including in-patient rehabilitation, intermediate care, palliative care, adult and paediatric social care and housing adaptations. She also uses her qualification as an accredited nordic walking instructor to work with adults with long-term conditions, focusing on health and well-being.

Throughout her professional career her interests have focussed on enablement and individual choice for service users, working in collaboration with clients to achieve their goals in a variety of settings. She has extensive experience of adaption to environments and care planning and is skilled in communicating with other disciplines for the benefit of the client

She has a wealth of experience working with physical disabilities including functional assessment, housing adaptation and the provision of advice and information to enable individuals to make choices about solutions. She is a firm believer in the need for a  personalised approach in assisting individuals to achieve their goals.

Anthea is experienced in equipment provision, home adaptations, access to lifestyle choices and has worked with surveyors, care managers, health and social care professionals and charities.

Anthea is committed to life-long learning and is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section –  Independent Practice. She regularly attends on line and in person training events to maintain and enhance her continuous professional development.

Lynette qualified as an occupational therapist from Coventry University in 2009 and is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, registered with the Health Care Professionals Council and a member of RCOT Specialist Sections of Independent Practice; Housing; and Children, Young People and Families.  Her areas of expertise include housing adaptations, home equipment, paediatric functional seating and manual handling.

Since qualifying, Lynette has honed skills in completing comprehensive, high-quality assessments in the home environment. Working with adults, children and their support systems she is able discuss an individual’s wants, needs and desires to improve and maintain their health and well-being.  She is skilled in providing a range of interventions including: equipment, assistive technology, care package reviews, advice and home adaptations.

Alongside equipment and adaptations Lynette is proficient in assessing the need for paediatric, complex paediatric and bariatric functional seating. She also has a ROSPA level 4 qualification in single-handed care manual handling.

Lynette has developed and delivered training courses in trusted assessor provision and is also trained as a practice educator for Coventry University.

In her spare time Lynette is a volunteer gymnastics coach.  She also provides training for midwives and GPs around baby loss and bereavement care as well as fundraising for Birmingham Women’s Hospital. Additionally, she sits on boards for a family run engineering business and the woodland house building project for Birmingham women’s hospital.

Linda has been an occupational therapist for over 20 years and during this time amassed a great deal of practical experience in a variety of settings including housing, moving and handling, and elderly mental health.  

Linda has championed occupational therapy practice at a regional and national level;  led, managed and developed teams and has strong mentoring and coaching skills.

She has held roles as a Clinical Advisor and Lead, developing and implementing processes and procedures to deliver service improvements.  She is an excellent communicator and delivers therapy and training with clarity and conviction.

More recently Linda has been responsible for product innovation and development with equipment manufacturers.  She is a creative problem solver and loves to innovate.

Susan is an occupational therapist with over 15 years of experience in Scotland and Australia.  She has worked in both in-patient and community psychiatric services including forensics and as a result, gained a thorough understanding of risk-management.  Susan over 10 years of experience in adult community neuro-rehabilitation working with clients who are living with acquired and traumatic brain injuries

Susan is confident working with individuals to develop cognitive strategies to increase their independence, including the use of mainstream technology.  She enjoys working with individuals who experience challenging behaviours in order to improve function and engagement with others.

Susan has led research projects within the community TBI population, exploring compensatory strategies and sensory modulation interventions to reduce challenging behaviours. She has also provided teaching in the area of cognitive rehabilitation to both students and clinicians, and enjoys providing mentoring and training support.

Susan is an accredited AMPs assessor and is trained in the motivational interviewing technique, both of which are valuable for use with psychiatric and neuro-rehabilitation client groups.

Ruth qualified as an occupational therapist in 1987 and has spent her career working as a community-based therapist, for 20 years firstly in local authority settings, progressing to senior management positions; followed by 12 years in the independent sector as a specialised housing occupational therapist and manager. Ruth is very experienced in undertaking holistic occupational therapy assessments of the needs of clients with a wide variety of conditions. These include neurological conditions, age related conditions, trauma injuries, and life-limiting diagnoses. She is skilled in making appropriate recommendations for the provision of specialist equipment, minor adaptations and major adaptations, to maximise functional ability and independence. Ruth works with a range of clients from children to adults, older adults and people with learning difficulties, those with sensory impairment as well as physical disabilities.

Ruth is highly specialised in major and minor adaptations including housing needs assessments for rehousing applicants, void property assessments, refurbishment and regeneration schemes and new-build schemes. She is skilled in working alongside surveyors in complex adaptations work and her recommendations often include detailed specifications for adaptations, architect plan reviews and providing drawings if required.

Debbie qualified in 2006 and has worked in a variety of settings, including acute hospitals, community, and inpatient rehabilitation. She is skilled in completing holistic occupational therapy assessments and formulating targeted evidence-based treatment plans for a range of musculoskeletal and psychological conditions affecting working age and older adults, including those who have served in the armed forces.

Currently working in occupational health, she has an interest in chronic pain and fatigue management, including Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome.  She is well practised in formulating realistic return to work plans or to avoid absence due to psychological or musculoskeletal conditions.

Debbie has experience working with people recovering or adjusting to illness, post fracture, injuries or surgery, including amputations.  This work includes prescription of equipment, minor home adaptations, wheelchair assessments and falls prevention strategies. She also has specialist skills in the assessment and rehabilitation of the hand and upper limb post-trauma or surgery, including peripheral nerve injuries, rheumatological conditions, desensitisation treatment and scar management. She is also able to advise on appropriate splints.

An area of her specialism includes screening for mental health disorders and implementing interventions and facilitating self-management strategies for anxiety, low mood, stress and PTSD. These include mindfulness, relaxation and cognitive behavioural technique strategies.

Sonia studied occupational therapy in Germany and qualified in 2002, she is WFOT certified, a BAOT member and registered in the RCOT specialist housing section.

In her early career Sonia worked as a locum occupational therapist in a number of roles giving her a wide variety of experiences from mental health services to the elderly as well as neurological and  community work.  However we consider her a housing specialist and she is currently employed by a local authority as a senior housing occupational therapist.  Her core skills lie in assessing clients with physical disabilities in order to make recommendations for major adaptations.

Sonia is a member of a major adaptations panel and a clinical advisory group for an equipment service. She is well equipped to assess adults with physical disabilities in their homes in order to provide specialist equipment, major adaptations and rehousing recommendations.  In addition she is adept at providing manual handling risk assessments, assessment for specialist seating along with reviews and evaluations of completed adaptations.

Her recent housing CPD includes Housing Standards, Housing for Bariatric Users, Project Management and Designing Accessible Housing.

As a paediatric occupational therapist Louise has over 11 years’ experience working with disabled children, taking a holistic and client-centred approach to maximise independence and function.

Focusing on cases requiring complex care, Louise has developed specialist skills working with children who have complex physical and learning disabilities such as brain injuries, neurodevelopmental disorders, genetic conditions, sensory processing, behavioural difficulties and birth defects. With a particular interest in palliative care Louise has a wealth of knowledge working with children with life-limiting conditions.

Louise has extensive experience recommending both minor and major adaptations that have a lasting positive effect on her clients’ daily lives. She has also worked alongside local housing associations to build adapted, future-proofed homes.  Louise has completed the module one training of the Ayres Sensory Integration and works with children who have experienced early years trauma to provide both sensory strategies and therapeutic play to assist the healing process.

Louise prides herself on her communication skills and clients she has worked with can attest to her warm, empathetic and approachable nature, which offers comfort and relief under the most difficult of circumstances.

Louise is a registered member of the Health and Care Professions Council, Royal College of Occupational Therapists and Royal College of Occupational Therapy Specialist Section Independent Practice (RCOT-SSIP). Louise has a current disclosure and barring service check (DBS).

Emma qualified in 1994 with a BSc. (Hons) in Occupational Therapy. She has also completed an MSc. in Health Ergonomics, alongside post graduate qualifications in both teaching and management.

Her first 10 years were working in housing and adaptations, eventually progressing to managing an older persons’ service. She then moved into higher education as a senior lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, teaching on the BSc and MSc pre- registration occupational therapy courses. Emma was also the programme lead for the MSc vocational rehabilitation course for approximately 10 years. During her time at Sheffield Hallam University she was awarded an Inspirational Teaching Award and an Outstanding Student Support Award, both nominated by her students. As well as teaching students, she contributed to a significant amount of external training with outside partners, including the DWP.

Having moved to part time working following the birth of her two children, Emma dipped her toe into the world of private occupational therapy and found that the two roles of theory and practice complemented each other well. She has developed a speciality in housing/adaptations and vocational rehabilitation/occupational health to a point where, in 2018 she left Sheffield Hallam University after 13 years and now works full time as an independent occupational therapist.

She is passionate about good ergonomic design to maximise usability and engagement. Her masters research looked at what users think of the appearance of assistive technology (and concluded that people want it to look less “disabled”) thus she continues to strive for inclusive and beautiful designs when working with clients who require adaptations and equipment.

Emma continues to teach on the vocational rehabilitation course at Sheffield Hallam University and provides external training courses on workplace wellbeing. She also supervises a number of occupational therapists in the private sector.

Mel is a highly experienced occupational therapist with a 23-year varied career. Vocational rehabilitation including career re-direction assessments, transferable skills analysis, graded returns to work, reasonable adjustment recommendations under the Equality Act, support for children/young people in schools/colleges have all been fundamental practices throughout Mel’s career with whichever client group she is working. This led to her study this to Masters level and become a voluntary work and well-being champion for the Royal College of Occupational Therapists to promote the benefits of work to nurse, medics, AHPs across all disciplines.

She specialised for 10 years with adults experiencing chronic fatigue syndrome/ME and children with fatigue symptoms associated with many conditions using a biopsychosocial-occupational approach. Through the therapeutic use of self, Mel easily develops strong therapeutic relationships with clients, advocating for their needs and ensuring a person-centred, goal-oriented treatment plan is developed collaboratively.

Mel has worked for several years at different times with people experiencing chronic mental health issues, working in community mental health teams and psychiatric liaison services addressing psychological symptoms experienced by those with long term conditions.

Mel enjoys motivating staff, talent spotting and mentoring them towards their professional goals, whilst supporting those content to maintain their status to reach their optimum within that role.

Meera qualified as an occupational therapist having studied at London South Bank University within allied health sciences. She has 9 years relevant clinical experience both in health and social care services working in rehabilitation, providing bespoke tailor-made treatments to those who have been affected by an acute disability. We consider Meera as one of our housing specialists although she is great all-rounder and very popular associate.

Her particular areas of expertise include major adaptations and design, new-build housing and specialist equipment within an adapted property. Meera’s experiences enable her to comprehensively identify areas of functional difficulty within the home environment and she is committed to maintaining a person’s independence at home. Her experience with equipment and adaptations allow her to work very well with housing professionals, especially for those concerned with the adult and elderly groups.

Other areas of interest for Meera are palliative and end of life clients who require immediate and prioritised assistance to ensure their safety and comfort for their last days at home. She also has a keen interest in seating & posture, manual handling and bariatric care.

Meera also has experience with a broad range of specialist equipment providing the most suitable item to the need of the individual and ensuring the environment meets the need of the client and their families.

Marney graduated from Dorset House, School of Occupational Therapy, Oxford in 1992 and completed a MA Design Research for Disability from the London Metropolitan University.

Marney has a unique combination of training and experience in both occupational therapy and design.  She has over 20 years experience spanning health, social care, housing and design for dementia. Her career choices have been motivated by a commitment to equal opportunities and a passion for good design. A central consideration in her practice is a conviction that the design of the environment can have a positive impact on quality of life and well being. Over the past 12 years she has developed specialist expertise advising on the inclusive design aspects of new build extra care and supported housing for older and disabled people, to maximise access for people with physical, sensory and cognitive impairments. She is especially interested in how to design housing that is care ready and adaptable whilst avoiding over specification.

Marney has presented at national conferences on her specialist expertise in new build and design for dementia. In a voluntary capacity she has been an inclusive design advisor for the Civic Trust Awards since 2007.

Marney is a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists and the College of Occupational Therapists Specialist sections – Independent Practice and Housing as well as being registered with the Health Care Professionals Council.

Jacqui qualified in South Africa in 2015 and has since specialised in paediatrics and young adults.  She has experience in a variety of settings including hospitals, special needs, mainstream and college level educational institutions.  Jacqui spent 3 years working in a rural special needs school in South Africa, providing therapy for children with intellectual and physical impairments, who came from multicultural, multi-lingual backgrounds, often with more than one disability.  Jacqui’s approach is extremely creative and resourceful  in order to maximise children’s engagement and independence in all activities including those at school, play, leisure and self-care skills such as dressing and feeding.  This is devised through home and school-based treatment plans, that are uniquely tailored to each child.

Jacqui has worked with a variety of disabilities including cerebral palsy, down syndrome, autism and sensory processing disorders, muscular dystrophy, global developmental delays and learning disabilities. Her areas of expertise include classroom adaptations, seating equipment, sensory strategies, self care, handwriting intervention, gross motor, fine motor and perceptual skills.  She has experience in running interactive cerebral palsy and autism support groups for parents, as well as training for staff members.

She is passionate about paediatrics and supporting children to reach their potential, while working closely with the multi-disciplinary team and providing open communication with parents to set realistic goals, from helping with handwriting to children with highly specialised needs.

Karen has 11 years’ occupational therapy experience and is well-established specialising in equipment, housing, environmental adaptations, moving and handling, postural management and seating assessment with children and adults. She is a passionate and motivated occupational therapist who will complete a holistic assessment and report aiming to facilitate independent living, activity participation maximising clients’ potential.

Karen has worked with local authorities, prescribing appropriate equipment, completing risk assessments and advising on minor or major environmental adaptations. She has worked closely with architects to give a functional perspective on new-builds and garden designs.  She has a particular knowledge of telecare and memory equipment allowing clients to remain safe and comfortable in their own homes.

Karen has experience working alongside paediatrics and adults with significant and complex needs, she has worked in a school environment ensuring children can interact with their environment, often involving the provision of appropriate seating and/or assistive technology.  Karen has also completed mobility assessments for applicants applying for the blue badge.

Karen’s work for a re-ablement service involved setting goals with clients to support re-establishing meaningful activity following traumatic events.  Her client-base demanded a multi-disciplinary approach and often cases required best interest decisions.  Karen is confident in her ability to assist making these decisions, employing a positive risk-taking approach enabling clients with fluctuating capacity to return home with a good holistic strategy, including therapy, equipment and packages of care.

Karen’s over-arching philosophy is to empower people with disabilities so they can achieve their full potential and to enable families to care for their loved ones at home in a safe environment.

Amy is a dedicated and highly skilled occupational therapist who has acquired 17 years of practice within the NHS. She has experience of working with adults who have a wide range of complex physical and cognitive disabilities and much of her knowledge and skills have been honed within an acute neurological and stroke rehabilitation service. During a community work role Amy gained specific expertise in the management of long-term complex degenerative conditions. She is skilled in completing holistic functional and environmental assessments and develops rehabilitation programmes focussing on promoting independent living and maximising quality of life. Amy’s extensive experience in an acute hospital system allows her to assess, identify and recommend a broad range of adaptive equipment to help promote this independence.

Amy has a particular interest in moving and handling and has a key trainer qualification. She is skilled in completing complex risk assessments, writing personalised handling management plans and delivering theoretical and practical training to teams of support staff.

Amy understands the value of professional development also having an interest in seating and postural management – she is presently developing further skills in this area.

Following qualification in 2007 as an occupational therapist Alana work firstly in the community forming a grounding in assessing for minor equipment and major adaptations. Alana then completed a post graduate certificate in back care management which supports the reviewing of and assessing for, moving and handling techniques with patients and carers.

In the past 9 years Alana has worked in wheelchair services where she continues to develop expertise in posture and mobility. Understanding and assessing for manual, active manual and powered wheelchairs’ suitability to clients and safe driving ability.

Alana can also provide full postural assessments, identifying and locating pelvis position to assess for bespoke or cast seating, for example seating systems or moulding.  Alongside posture and mobility Alana has a depth of knowledge in pressure care and pressure cushion provision. She also has a sound understanding of personal wheelchair budgets and how these can be utilised.

Sue has 25 years experience as an OT and her experiences have allowed her to amass a broad range of assessment and treatment skills across many specialities including neurology, orthopaedics, lower limb amputation, dementia and mental health.

Sue is familiar with managing complex multifaceted situations relating to manual handling, equipment provision, major adaptations, specialist equipment and housing.  Sue has experience in situations involving mental capacity issues and supporting best interests decisions.  She is versed in carrying out immediate need assessments following workplace and road traffic accidents, supporting case managers in manual handling training and advice to support support staff.

Sue has contributed to single carer projects, the All Wales review of blue badge assessments and the compliance with the Local Authority Verification Toolkit.  She regularly undertakes equipment reviews and enjoys researching new products, challenging standard provision guidelines to find appropriate equipment or clients by providing evidence-based clinical reasoning.