Biography

I started my clinical career as an Orthotist in 1992 practicing within rheumatology and musculoskeletal clinics. I began to specialise in neurological conditions in 1996 practicing mainly in the community becoming a Senior Orthotist in 1997. I have extensive knowledge in the assessment prescription and design and manufacture of Orthoses, specialising in neurological rehabilitation. I am a Member of the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotists (BAPO) and am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). My interest in education started earnestly when I studied for a higher education teaching qualification to enable me to teach 16-18 year olds. At this time, I was also a clinical placement educator for students from UK Universities. I am now a highly experienced Senior Lecturer with 20 years practice in Higher Education. I have a proven track record in teaching and learning acquired through teaching and module managing nine modules over my career. Two of these modules involved cross directorate teaching. I have also contributed to numerous specific cross Directorate teaching events, all of which have received positive feedback from students. I have a proven track record in managing programmes having been the Programme Lead during the redesign of a Prosthetic and Orthotic Degree (Hons). This involved an extensive redesign reducing the programme from four years to three years and introducing placements to every level of the programme. HCPC awarded a rare distinction for the re-design, within commentary following their validation visit.

Other notable achievements: International mobility creation, both within taught modules and work placements is a goal I have achieved for many P&O students. Outgoing students have benefited within numerous international placement settings. This has created a network of past students who gained employment within international companies following such placements. This has ensured international bi-lateral mobility for many Prosthetic and Orthotic students. I am passionate about the importance of multidisciplinary practice. Organising events where multidisciplinary practice is at the heart of teaching and learning. This has involved ‘Multidisciplinary practice in rheumatology’ for P&O/ Podiatry students and the importance of multidisciplinary practice in rehabilitation in Cerebral Palsy (CP) for P&O and Physiotherapy Students. I was a prime instigator and module designer for P&O and Podiatry students being taught Anatomy and Physiology of the lower limb in a common module within L4. This has continued to be a highly successful cross discipline module for ten years. I have built collaborations to ensure that Orthotic teaching utilises gait laboratory assessment for a variety of neurological conditions and for assessing outcomes of AFO’s manufactured by P&O students. For the past 10 years this has ensured that future P&O clinicians have gained experience in a gait laboratory and are familiar with using ground reaction vectors to ‘fine tune’ and assess the orthoses they have prescribed. I have ensured the integration of local senior clinicians both within teaching, examining and research. In so doing creating valuable partnerships within NHS Trust Hospitals. I look forward to future collaborations, continuing to extend the scope for further interdisciplinary practice within my current position as Programme Director for the MSc Prosthetic and Orthotic Programme at Keele University.

Teaching

Current Subject Areas Ankle Foot Orthoses and Orthopaedic Conditions Ankle Foot Orthoses and related Neurological Conditions Lower Limb and upper limb anatomy Introduction to Collaborative Practice Materials and design in Orthotics and Prosthetics Neurological Orthoses including DAFO’s & Lycra Orthoses. Various Interdisciplinary Collaborations Previous activity/collaborations directly informing teaching; Lower limb biomechanics with particular reference to Ankle foot orthoses/ Footwear/ FFO's. Hyper-extension of the knee and its treatment with AFO's. The tuning of AFO's within the gait laboratory setting. Internal torsion of the lower limb and its treatment. The treatment of Cerebral Palsy with Botulin Toxin A for the treatment of focal spasticity. The employment of carbon fibre within orthotic side stems

Further information

MRes. Health and Social Care Research (Salford University) PG Cert. in Learning & Teaching in H.E. (Salford University) Member of the British Association of Prosthetists and Orthotist (MBAPO) 1988 -2018 HCPC Membership; Inception - 2022 BAPO Education Committee Member 2014 - 2016

Publications

Collaborations and grants awards

International Collaborations 2008 International Society of Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) Education Group Meeting, Core Learning Outcomes for P&O Education Programmes, Presentation of Conference Group Outcomes, Dortmund, Germany. Placement Module Mapping of P&O Programmes. Helsinki Metroplolia University, Finland. Part of an Erasmus plus funded teaching collaboration/visit (2013). Lecture at Helsinki Metropolia University, Stock Orthoses and there Place in Orthotic Clinical Practice. Part of Erasmus plus funded teaching collaboration/visit (2015). Taught Modules Mapping - to enable Metropolia University Helsinki Students to study upon Salford University P&O Degree modules in Semester 2. Part of Erasmus plus funded teaching collaboration 2016 Salford University. International work Placements: A collaboration between Oslo & Salford University and Sophies Mindes Prosthetic/Orthotic Private Clinical Facility; Placement Modules Mapping and Revision of Learning Agreement Contract for Oslo University & P&O Programme October 2018; Erasmus plus funding to allow for continuance of student mobility between the two Universities. Collaboration with P&O Profession and Industry to provide UK wide student placements 2017-2021 Contributor to Prosthetics and Orthotics Placement Project 2020 - 2021 HEFCE (OFS) funded project - One outcome of which was the production of clinical competencies in Prosthetics & Orthotics feeding into the PARE system for P&O.

School of Allied Health Professions
MacKay Building
Keele University
Staffordshire
ST5 5BG

Enquiries:
AHP Placements Team: sahp.practiceplacements@keele.ac.uk
Postgraduate Course Admin Team: sahp.postgraduate-admin@keele.ac.uk
Undergraduate Course Admin Team: sahp.admin@keele.ac.uk