Our team

We have a team of over 60 physiotherapists, including a consultant physiotherapist in the spinal and upper limb service. Additionally, we have exended scope practitioner specialising within the field of lower limb injury and surgery, spinal conditions and sports injuries. All our physiotherapists are registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.

Key contacts

• Professor Karen Barker, Head of Physiotherapy
• Elaine Buchanan, Spine Consultant Physiotherapist
• Colette Tracey, Outpatient Team Leader
• Vicky Crawford, Inpatient Team Leader
• Catherine Barry, Paediatric Team Leader
• Leila Heelas, Pain Rehabilitation Team Leader
• Lizelle Sander Danby, Team Leaders Hand Therapy

Our department encourages professional development and many of the physiotherapists have studied to Masters level gaining additional post graduate qualifications.

Many of our physiotherapists belong to special interest groups including:

• Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists
• Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists
• The British Association of Hand Therapists
• British Association of Sports and Exercise Medicine
• British Pain Society
• Association of Physiotherapists in Neurology
• Association of Foot and Ankle Physiotherapists & AHP’s

We have monthly in-service training and weekly meetings to discuss clinical presentations.  We facilitate regular continuing professional development opportunities through the individual appraisal and mentoring process.  Some of our physiotherapists have had the opportunity to be seconded to research to gain experience in research methodology.  We also have close links with Oxford Brookes University and Coventry University and provide undergraduate placements for physiotherapy students.

We work closely with our colleagues from the various medical disciplines involved in patient care. We take a holistic approach to health and wellbeing encouraging self-management and education, exploring values and goal orientated treatment.

Registration

All our physiotherapists are registered with the Health Professionals Council (HPC). Staff are required to comply with the codes of practice and professional conduct guidelines as outlined by the HPC and our professional body, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.