PULVERTAFT HAND CENTRE - Key Persons
Anicia qualified in 2000 and has worked in the hand unit since 2002. Anicia's time is split between her clinical and clinical educator roles. As a Clinical Educator Anicia provides teaching on the assessment and treatment of hand conditions and injuries to final year medical students. She has an interest in wrist conditions and dupuytrens in addition to her involvement in the clinical trials for treatment using collagenase.
Anicia has presented on numerous courses and has completed BAHT level I and II courses and hopes to further progress to become an accredited hand therapist. She has experience in treating complex conditions of the upper limb and is an experienced splint fabricator.
Job Titles:
- Research & Postgraduate Manager
Carole Henderson has worked in NHS for over 20 years. She qualified as an Occupational Therapist from the University of Derby in 2005. She has worked part-time in the Pulvertaft Hand Unit since 2008, where she has developed advanced therapy skills in working with patients with complex hand conditions. As part of her role she also undertakes some hours in the Pulvertaft Hand Unit Research Department, where she has the opportunity to be actively involved in research projects.
Chloe graduated in 2004 and specialised in the treatment of hand injured patients in 2007. Her specialist interests are wrist conditions, distal radius fractures and tendon injuries. She uses her musculoskeletal outpatient knowledge, together with her physiotherapeutic exercise and pain management skills to formulate patient specific rehabilitation programmes.
Chloe is one of the Clinical Educators, delivering hand teaching sessions, to undergraduate medical students. Chloe started a part time role in the Hand Unit Research Team in September 2014, investigating the role of therapy in Cubital Tunnel Syndrome and extensor tendon repair rehabilitation. Chloe has experience of leading service improvement projects and outcome audits.
Chloe has completed several BAHT level 2 courses, enjoys presenting on the BAHT level 1 at Derby and is presently studying towards her MSc in Physiotherapy.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
- Hand Unit Co - Ordinator
Chris Parker is the Hand Unit Co-ordinator. Chris can be contacted on 01332 785255 or on
Di has been working in occupational therapy within the trust since 1990 and formalised these many years of therapy experience achieving degree qualification in 2010.
Di has excellent splinting skills and has a particular interest in bespoke splint manufacture and adaptation. Di is also keen on providing joint protection education and condition management advice for patients with long term arthritis difficulties. Since joining hand therapy in 2012 Di has enjoyed imparting her knowledge and experience by supporting students and is keen to continue using all learning opportunities to develop further.
Ellen qualified in 2009 and has worked in Leicester and Derby before coming to the Hand Unit in 2012. Ellen has specialist experience in orthopaedic and general surgery, including critical care, with additional experience in elderly medicine and paediatrics.
Ellen enjoys managing complex cases and has a particular interest in pain management.
Emma qualified as a physiotherapist in 2006 and gained experience working in musculoskeletal outpatients, orthopaedics and elderly care before specialising in hand therapy in 2007. She has worked in the Pulvertaft Hand Centre since 2008.
Emma has a keen interest in treating patients with acute traumatic injuries, such complex fractures and tendon injuries. She is able to utilise her advanced physiotherapeutic knowledge and splinting skills to achieve the optimal outcome for these patients. Emma is involved in teaching on the BAHT level 1 course held at the hand unit, and is in the process of working towards gaining accredited hand therapy status. Emma also has a keen interest in research and spent 2 years working in the research team, working on projects investigating the use of acupuncture for CMCJ arthritis and also looking at the use of splints for the treatment of the cubital tunnel syndrome.
Emma qualified as a physiotherapist in 2006. She has worked in the Pulvertaft Hand Centre since 2008 and became appointed as an ESP in 2018. She sits on the panel of the BSSH trauma committee as a therapist representative and also organises the Midlands regional hand therapy network.
Her main interests are treating patients with acute traumatic injuries, such complex fractures and tendon injuries with a specific interest in flexor tendon injuries.
In 2019 Emma was an invited speaker at the BSSH trauma symposium to talk about what therapy can do to improve the management of traumatic injuries. She was also invited to be part of an expert panel at the European Hand conference in September 2020 to discuss recent developments in the
Emma is based at the Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit helping coordinate and support the research project.
Gemma has been part of the Pulvertaft Hand Therapy Team since 2009, two years after qualifying as an Occupational Therapist. Her clinical experience has focused on Plastic and Orthopaedic hand and upper limb injuries, neurological and rheumatological conditions. Gemma has a keen interest in the psychological impact of hand injuries and conditions, functional and problem-based splinting, hand trauma, distal radius fractures, as well as a strong passion for functional and vocational-based rehabilitation and workshops.
Gemma is committed to lifelong learning, professional and student development; actively engaging in student practice placements, presenting on the Derby BAHT Level I course, as well as attending and facilitating in-service training.
Hannah is based at the Sheffield Clinical Trials Research Unit and has experience of clinical trials and other research across many different areas of medicine.
Helen graduated from Brunel University in 1999 and has gained experience in orthopaedics, musculoskeletal outpatients and rheumatology before she specialised in hand therapy at the Pulvertaft Hand Unit in 2006.
She enjoys treating complex hand trauma and combines her widespread knowledge and experience to optimise patient outcome.
Helen is working towards her MSc in Advanced Hand Therapy at Derby University and is applying to be an Accredited Hand Therapist. Helen has presented on BAHT level I courses and enjoys her role in education.
She has been an Extended Scope Practitioner since 2006, running an A&E, post -operative and GP referral based clinics, as well as a satellite clinic for hand patients in Derby. Helen undertook the Nottingham MSc module which enables her to perform injections.
She lectures regularly on Pulvertaft Hand Centre courses as well as national courses. She has been an advisor and designer of splints for Promedics and her main areas of interest are Mallet injuries and OA 1st CMC joint.
Helen graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 1995 and worked as a rotational Physiotherapist at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary until1998, when she joined the Pulvertaft Hand Centre as a Hand Therapist.
She is qualified to use acupuncture and works with patients with wrist injuries, as well as running a wrist fracture workshop for patients,
Helen regularly gives presentations on the Derby BAHT Level I and has also presented on the Derby Fracture Fixation Course for surgeons.
Ian graduated from Southampton University in 2007 and has worked in the trust since the beginning of 2008. He has completed a variety of in-patient and out-patient rotations consisting of Trauma and Orthopaedics, Stroke, Elderly Medical and Rheumatology before discovering an interest in splinting.
Ian worked for over 18 months in the Splint Workshop dealing with a range of upper and lower limb fracture bracing. Ian moved to the Pulvertaft Hand Unit in July 2012 where he deals with both Plastic and Orthopaedic patients.
Ian has presented on BAHT courses and is committed to continued professional learning and patient education. Ian is also a clinical educator and provides teaching on assessment and treatment of hand conditions for final year medical students.
His area of main interest is denervation of hand joints.
Mr Dan Armstrong graduated from The University of Nottingham in 2002. Following his Basic Surgical Training he undertook an 18 month research post within the Pulvertaft Hand Centre in Derby.
He underwent his Higher Surgical Training in the Trent region before obtaining his FRCS (Tr&Orth) in 2011. He has undertaken subspeciality training in Hand Surgery in Nottingham, Derby and was the National Hand Fellow in Oxford for a year, both at the John Radcliffe Infirmary and the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre.
He was appointed as Consultant Hand and Wrist Surgeon at Derby in 2014.
Mr Armstrong can be contacted via his secretary, Karen Ward, on Derby (01332 788077).
Job Titles:
- Physiotherapist in 2011 from Sheffield Hallam University
Katie qualified as a physiotherapist in 2011 from Sheffield Hallam University having worked as a physiotherapy assistant previously. She began to work at Chesterfield Royal Hospital working as rotational physiotherapist, and then came to Derby in 2012 and continued her professional development, gaining experience in musculoskeletal out-patients, intensive care, learning disabilities and hand therapy. In 2013 she secured a post in the Pulvertaft Hand Centre and began to specialise in hand therapy.
Katie is highly specialised in treating patients with acute injuries such as tendon repairs, fractures, nerve repairs, ligament injuries and soft tissue lacerations. She can also effectively manage chronic conditions such as wrist pain, OA, dequervains and tendinopathies.
She can provide advice regarding off the shelf splints and fabricate custom made thermoplastic splints where necessary. Katie has a special interest in taping techniques and can advise you on the application of kinesiology and dynamic taping for a wide variety of conditions. Katie has been an integral part in setting up the upper limb conditioning exercise group which is proving to optimise our patient rehabilitation journey.
Katy trained in Physiotherapy at the University of Birmingham and graduated in 2018. Her training included an elective placement which she chose to complete at the Pulvertaft Hand Unit which initially kickstarted her interest in hand therapy.
She then started as a Rotational Physiotherapist working within the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton trust. This allowed her to gain experience treating musculoskeletal conditions in outpatients, working on a wide range of inpatient settings including respiratory wards (including High Dependency Units), the Acute Stroke Unit and the A&E based frailty team.
She then joined the Pulvertaft Hand Unit in 2021 as a Junior Physiotherapist and has since progressed to a Senior position within the last 6 months. She takes great interest in empowering and educating patients to self-manage their conditions and she also enjoys teaching of any kind and is very excited to start her first year of teaching on the BAHT course this year.
Kiran qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 2005, started working as a rotational OT at University Hospital of Birmingham in Trauma and Orthopaedics, Neurosciences, Oncology and palliative care and stroke and upper Limb.
In 2011 she specialised in Upper Limb, her experience has included complex trauma, rheumatology and some neurological conditions. In 2019 she then moved to the Pulvertaft unit where she have been able to continue her interest in complex trauma and neurological conditions. Kiran has completed her BAHT level 1 and 2 course, and have continued to be active with continuing professional development, playing an active role with having students as well as teaching to orthopaedic registrars. She has also organised and facilitated therapy in-service training and journal groups.
Tommy Lindau qualified from the University of Lund, Sweden in 1985. He became a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon after completing his training in Orthopaedic Surgery and Trauma in Helsingborg, Sweden in 1992. He developed a special interest in patients with hand and wrist problems and completed his training in Hand Surgery at the recognized Universities of Lund and Malmö, Sweden where he became a certified Hand Surgeon in 1997. Prof Lindau received an ¨Award of Excellence¨ at the International Hand Meeting (4th IFSSH) in Vancouver, Canada in 1998.
He embarked on a doctoral thesis on the subject of "Distal radial fractures and effects of associated ligament injuries" at the University of Lund, Sweden; this was completed in 2000 and he continued as a Consultant Hand Surgeon at the regional hospitals of Helsingborg and Ängelholm, Sweden. He has undertaken various consultancies both nationally in Sweden as well as in Norway, Denmark and later the UK.
He has written numerous original articles, reviews and book chapters and has been a frequently invited lecturer at various national and international meetings. As such, he was also part of the faculty at The Derby Wrist Course in November 2004.
Prof Lindau took up the post of Consultant Hand Surgeon at The Pulvertaft Hand Centre in August 2005, following Professor Burke's reduction in clinical sessions. Prof Lindau is involved in various research projects - such as the Genetics of Dupuytrens Disease and Injection of Collagenase for Dupuytrens disease.
Prof Tommy Lindau works with general hand surgery, but has a special knowledge and interest in wrist problems, particularly problems after distal radius fractures.
Prof Lindau can be contacted at the Royal Derby Hospital via his secretary, Kirsty Davis, on Derby (01332) 783389 regarding NHS appointments or for private practice appointments - Cheryl Jones: 07958-612802.
Carlos Heras-Palou qualified from the School of Medicine in Zaragoza (Spain) in 1988. Following House Officer and SHO jobs in England he obtained his FRCS in 1993 and completed his training in Orthopaedic Surgery and Trauma in Leicester obtaining his FRCS (Tr & Orth) in the year 2000. He trained in Hand Surgery in Leicester, followed by fellowships in Derby and Oxford. In 2001 he was fortunate enough to enjoy the Pulvertaft Fellowship awarded by the BSSH, and spent 6 months at St James' Hospital in Leeds. He Joined the Pulvertaft Hand Centre in 2001 as a consultant with an interest in hand and wrist surgery.
Mr Heras-Palou runs a dedicated wrist clinic on Monday afternoons at the Royal Derby Hospital. Areas of particular interest include scaphoid fractures and non-unions, wrist pain, wrist instability and problems after distal radius fractures. Mr Heras-Palou co-chairs the Derby Wrist Course, together with Dr Marc Garcia-Elias, and is a regular speaker in hand and wrist fracture courses, and part of the faculty at the Hand and Wrist AO Courses.
Mr Heras-Palou can be contacted at the Royal Derby Hospital via his secretary, Lara Chambers, on Derby (01332) 783388; lara.chambers@nhs.net regarding NHS appointments or for private practice appointments - Cheryl Jones: 07958-612802.
Job Titles:
- Hons ) Occupational Therapy
Laura qualified in 2007 from the University of Derby and after gaining experience in a wide range of clinical areas became part of the Pulvertaft Hand Therapy Team in 2012.
Laura has specialist interest in acute trauma, scar management, the psychological impact of Hand injury and offers a skin camouflage service within the Hand Unit. Laura is committed to lifelong learning; both professional and student development; actively engaging in the provision and development of student practice placements.
Laura is a member of the British Association of Hand Therapy (BAHT) and has regularly presented on BAHT Level one course run by the Hand unit as well as presenting a poster on the provision of Skin Camouflage with Hand Therapy at the BAHT conference and is working within our research department looking at the effect of the appearance of scarring of daily activities and function and the use of Skin Camouflage.
Job Titles:
- Hons ) Occupational Therapy
Laura qualified in 2007, and gained experience in Trauma and Orthopaedics, Musculoskeletal Outpatients and Social Care prior to specialising in Hand Therapy. She joined the Pulvertaft Hand Therapy Team in 2016.
Laura enjoys treating patients with acute hand and upper limb trauma, including tendon injuries and fractures, using her therapy knowledge and splinting skills to formulate goal-orientated treatment plans for patients. She has a particular interest in working with patients with long term rheumatological conditions, providing education and condition management strategies and using problem-based splinting to enable function.
Laura has a passion for both learning and teaching, and is focused on continually developing her hand therapy skills. She enjoys sharing her skills and knowledge and presents regularly on the BAHT Level 1 course.
Tracy Horton qualified from Medical School at Sheffield University in 1994. After working in the Sheffield area, she completed her basic surgical training in Nottingham. She then undertook training as a Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgeon on the Mid Trent Training programme . She is a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (FRCS), is an accredited specialist in Orthopaedic Surgery and was appointed Consultant at the Pulvertaft Hand Centre in January 2007.
Miss Horton had further specialist training in hand and microvascular surgery as a fellow at the Pulvertaft Hand Centre, Derby, the Plastic Surgery Unit in Sheffield and the University of Malaya Hospital, Kuala Lumpur. In addition she has undertaken travelling hand fellowships at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA, Singapore General Hospital, Bangkok and Taiwan.
Miss Horton runs a dedicated wrist clinic on Friday mornings (alternate) as well as general hand clinics.
She is part of the faculty on the national AO Hand course as well as hand and wrist courses in Derby.
Miss Horton can be contacted at the Royal Derby Hospital via her secretary Linda Myers on Derby (01332) 783387
Liz qualified from the University of Teesside 1999 and specialised in hand therapy in 2001. Liz has been actively involved in teaching on the BAHT level I course for a number of years and is herself a member of the British Association of Hand Therapy (BAHT). Whilst working at the Pulvertaft Hand Unit Liz divides her time between clinical and research work.
Her current research focus is investigating the therapeutic management of wrist ligamentous injuries. She particularly enjoys management of fractures, joint replacements and tendon repairs.
Louise graduated in 1998 from the University of Hertfordshire and has gained experience in all core physiotherapy areas working in hospitals in North London with specialist experience at the Royal National Orthopaedic hospital in pain management and the shoulder unit. In 2004 she moved to Derby and specialised into MSK outpatients.
Louise currently has a post-split between hand therapy and MSK outpatients and specialises into upper limb conditions and chronic pain.
Louise has taught on shoulder courses for therapists and GP's and more recently on the BAHT level 1 course.
Job Titles:
- Hons ) Occupational Therapy
Lucy qualified in 2009 and started her career as a rotational member of staff gaining experience in a wide variety of settings. This included social services, paediatrics, neuro, trauma and orthopaedics, surgery, oncology, and the splint workshop before specialising in hand therapy in 2015.
Lucy is passionate about teaching and learning and has successfully completed BAHT level 1 and 2 courses with the aim of working towards becoming an accredited hand therapist. She has also taken on a role of student co-ordinator within the team and has presented on a number of courses including the BAHT level one course ran by the Pulvertaft hand centre.
Additionally Lucy is actively involved in a number of projects including helping develop the skin camouflage service within the team and developing guidelines for fracture management.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
Miss Jill Arrowsmith graduated from the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford in 1990. She trained in plastic surgery in the Trent Region before obtaining her FRCS (Plast) in 2001. After undertaking hand surgery fellowships in Derby and Sheffield, she returned to Derby as a consultant hand surgeon in 2003.
Miss Arrowsmith has a particular interest in micro-vascular work, Dupuytrens disease, tendon salvage, nerve problems and paediatric hand surgery.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
Miss Kate Brown graduated from Oxford Medical School in 2002. She trained in orthopaedic surgery in the North East Thames region before obtaining her FRCS (Trauma and Orthopaedics) in 2014.
She completed her post CCT Hand Fellowship in Derby and was successful in the British Diploma of Hand Surgery in 2017, prior to being appointed as a Hand Consultant in April 2018.
She has a sub-specialist interest in Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Injuries and spent a year at the PNI unit at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, Stanmore whilst in training.
She is a Lt Col in the Armed Forces and has completed tours of duty in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. She maintains her trauma clinical skills as a Major Trauma Consultant at the Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham.
She has completed an MSc (Swansea) in Trauma and MPhil (Newcastle) and has publications in military and hand trauma.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
- President of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons
Mary O'Brien qualified in 1994 from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals, London. Her higher specialist training was completed in Plastic Surgery. Following a Fellowship at the Pulvertaft Hand Centre, she was appointed as a Consultant Plastic & Hand Surgeon in 2008.
In October 2020 Mary O'Brien was appointed as President of The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. She is a first female President.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
Miss Horton provides a full range of hand surgical services in Derby.
She has a special interest in:
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
- Associate Specialist
Joan M Arenas-Prat was born in Tarragona and Graduated from Medical School at the University of Barcelona. He completed his specialist training in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery in 2001 and currently works as a Hand Surgeon in Barcelona and has been an Associate Specialist at the Pulvertaft Hand Centre, Derby since 2004.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
- Research Consultant
Mr Nick Johnson graduated from the University of Leicester in 2005. He underwent his higher surgical training in the East Midlands South region before obtaining his FRCS (Tr&Orth) in 2014. Following a Fellowship at the Pulvertaft Hand Centre, he was appointed as a Consultant Hand and Wrist Surgeon at Derby in 2019.
Mr Johnson has a strong interest in research and teaching and completed a PhD about wrist fracture epidemiology during his higher surgical training along with a Postgraduate Certificate in Education. He has published many scientific papers and several textbook chapters, supervises students carrying out research degrees and has been involved with writing national guidance for wrist fracture treatment.
His main clinical and research interests include hand trauma epidemiology and prevention, improving outcome after hand trauma and the treatment of Dupuytrens disease
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
Peter Russell graduated from The Royal London Hospital in 1995 and completed his basic surgical training in Brighton. His interest in Hand and Plastic surgery developed while working at the Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead.
He underwent his higher surgical training in Scotland, working at Plastic Surgery units in Dundee and Edinburgh. Towards the end of his training he came to the Pulvertaft Centre for a specialist training fellowship in Hand Surgery and followed this with the Bruce Bailey Fellowship at the Ganga Hospital, Coimbatore, India.
He continues to maintain an interest in reconstructive plastic surgery and subspecialises in Hand Surgery Trauma and Dupuytren's disease, including needle aponeurotomy.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
- Lead Clinician
Tim Cresswell was appointed to Derby to work within the Pulvertaft Hand Centre and the Trauma and Orthopaedic Unit as an Upper Limb and Hand Surgeon. Tim trained in Sheffield and did Fellowships in Cape Town, South Africa, in Derby at the Pulvertaft Hand Centre and in the USA, where he did an Upper Limb AO Trauma Fellowship.
Tim has an interest in wrist and hand trauma as well as shoulder instability and elbow replacement.
He has lectured on the local Derby courses and teaches widely in Europe on shoulder and elbow surgery.
Mr Cresswell's publications and presentations include carpal tunnel revision, wrist fractures, total elbow replacement, shoulder instability with bone loss, the Latarjet Procedure, upper limb climbing injuries, AC joint dislocation and others.
Job Titles:
- Co Chief Investigator / Professor of Healthcare Research, Lead for Rehabilitation Research Group, and Occupational Therapist, University of Nottingham
- Professor of Healthcare Research
Avril is Professor of Healthcare Research and an occupational therapist. She is Fellow of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
Avril's main areas of interest are conducting randomized controlled trials and mixed methods research and she has conducted evaluations across a wide range of rehabilitation specialities. She has conducted trials and service evaluations of, for example, stroke unit care, pre-discharge home visits, falls reduction/management, the use of hip precautions, and interventions to support people returning to work. She has published around 180 peer reviewed research papers and has had grant income of around £20 million.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
- Research and Audit Lead
Chris Bainbridge graduated from Aberdeen University in 1981. He trained in plastic surgery in Newcastle upon Tyne and Canniesburn Hospital, Glasgow. He spent 6 months as Consultant Plastic Surgeon in Ghana with further fellowships in Manchester and Wrightington before becoming a Consultant Hand Surgeon in Derby in 1994.
He is a member of the British Society for Surgery of the Hand and has been a reviewer for the Journal of Hand Surgery.
Chris Bainbridge has a particular interest in Dupuytrens, thumb arthritis and the treatment of brachial plexus injuries in adults and children. He is the lead in the unit for research and a visiting Professor at the University of Derby
Prof Bainbridge has a website at www.hand-surgery.co.uk
Prof Bainbridge can be contacted at the Royal Derby Hospital via his secretary, Chris Vial on (01332) 785252
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
Frank Burke graduated from Newcastle University in 1967 and trained in orthopaedics at Oswestry, Shropshire. He did fellowships in hand surgery in Derby, Iowa City and Louisville in the United States of America before becoming a Consultant Hand Surgeon at the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary in 1978. He has been Secretary and President of the British Society for Surgery of the Hand and chaired the Audit & Education subcommittees. He was inaugural President of the British Association of Hand Therapists in 1989. He is a member of the Medical Reference Panel adjudicating compensation for miners considered to be suffering from Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome. His current research interests involve Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Basal Thumb Arthritis and Rheumatoid Disease affecting the Hand.
Prof Burke has now ceased clinical commitments at the Royal Derby Hospital and is no longer in active clinical practice.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Consultant Surgeons Team
She graduated from Kings College London in 2016 with a degree in physiotherapy.
From there she started working as a rotational physiotherapist in the Royal Bournemouth Hospital. She then moved in 2018 to Derby and worked as a physiotherapist on the trauma and orthopaedic wards. In 2021 she decided that she would like a change in career path and started working in the Pulvertaft hand unit, first as a band five and now as a band six.
This is the first-year teaching on the BAHT level one course. She is looking forward to this as has enjoyed the small amount of teaching, She has been able to do such as student and junior staff teaching.
In her spare time she is a keen climber, hand injuries are commonplace in the climbing scene, so her hand therapy knowledge serves well on days off too.
Sarah has worked within therapy since 1994, initially as an assistant. She then qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 1997 from St Andrews School of Occupational Therapy in Northampton.
She completed a rotational post at Queens' medical Centre in Nottingham, and then joined the hand therapy team at the Pulvertaft Hand Unit in 2001. Sarah was fortunate to have worked as a clinical educator here, and was responsible, with others, in setting up the teaching programme to the fifth year medical students.
She has been the Clinical Team Leader in Hand Therapy since 2009.
Sarah qualified from the University of Birmingham in 2012 and joined the trust in 2013. Following the completion of junior rotations, Sarah secured a secondment in hands in 2016.
She now splits her time between out-patients and hand therapy. Within hand therapy, Sarah enjoys treating a variety of conditions and injuries and has a particular interest in returning patients to sport and activities.
She has been involved with organising the upper limb exercise class in the department, which has achieved positive results for patients confidence and function.
Sarah qualified from Sheffield Hallam University in 2005 and has worked predominantly in orthopaedics and elderly care before moving to the Pulvertaft Hand Unit to specialise in hand therapy in 2015. Sarah has completed the BAHT level 1 course and is committed to ongoing professional learning. She has a keen interest in fracture management and the psychological impact of hand injuries and conditions.
Sarah is involved in student education and is passionate about the development of the therapists of the future. She has also taught on the BAHT level 1 course to qualified therapists who are looking to improve their knowledge and skills in hand therapy.
Job Titles:
- Research & Postgraduate Administrators
Job Titles:
- Physiotherapist in 1999 from the University of Hertfordshire
Siobhan qualified as a Physiotherapist in 1999 from the University of Hertfordshire. She worked in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy after completing core rotations. She began working in Hand Therapy whilst working in Cheltenham in 2005 and has specialised in Hands since.
She joined the Pulvertaft Hand Centre in June 2021. She has completed her BAHT Level 1 and numerous BAHT Level 2 courses. She is currently studying for her MSc in Hand Therapy at the University of Derby. She is also working as an Advanced Hand Practitioner working in Triage hand clinics in Nottingham.
Victoria graduated as a physiotherapist in 1996, and after her rotational post, initially specialised in burns, plastics and trauma working in the Burns units at Roehampton, and East Grinstead as well as abroad in Auckland, New Zealand and Singapore. She has worked in the Pulvertaft Hand Unit, in Derby since 2000, and her caseload includes both acute hand trauma and chronic conditions. Victoria has a dual role as both a senior hand therapist and a researcher.
Her special interest is in the therapy management of hand OA and wrist pain, with thumb OA being the focus of her current research activity. She has presented her research at national (BAHT) and international conferences (IFSSH and EFSSH), and published her work in peer reviewed journals. In 2014, she was awarded a HEE/NIHR ICA Programme Masters Studentship and completed a Master's in Research Methods at the University of Nottingham. Victoria has been awarded a further HEE scholarship to prepare a PhD application. She is committed to developing the evidence base for hand therapy practice.