Claire, Jane and Hannah all feel extremely privileged to be directors of Access to Rehab. Here is some background to our story;
Jane and Hannah knew of each other back in the mid-’90s when they trained at Oxford Brookes University. They found themselves overlapping in and out of college during placements and time at University. So it was with a smile of excited recognition when Hannah started her first day at what was then Rivermead Rehabilitation Centre in 2000, to see Jane sat at her desk and ready to welcome the newcomer. They haven’t looked back since, and have formed the closest of friendships and a professional relationship that has seen them support, challenge and learn together over the years.
Rivermead Rehabilitation Centre became the Oxford Centre for Enablement in 2004 and it was there that Claire joined the physiotherapy team in 2007. Claire brought a sense of fun, thoughtfulness and a great ability to connect with people at the point they were at. Through years of working together, Claire, Jane and Hannah have become the firmest of friends.
Over the years, they have all taken time out for maternity leaves, and still manage the constant juggle of work and family life bringing up young children (a total of 10 between them!!). During times of reflection and wondering how life might evolve, Claire, Jane and Hannah began to wonder if they could bring the expertise that they had all developed to the private sector, to offer choice to those who were now at home and for whom NHS services had ceased, but rehabilitation and potential was still a huge possibility.
The dream became a reality and Access to Rehab was born!They are so proud of what they have achieved over the past few years and enjoy dreaming big and challenging themselves, all with the patients that they serve at the forefront of their minds.
They have been able to use their skills and creativity to push themselves beyond their comfort zone, but time and time again they have been reminded of the difference that they have, and are able to make, to the lives of those affected by neurological events and illnesses and the people that love them.
They have seen first hand the results of using theory and evidence to underpin their practice and they commit to keeping themselves updated on new and proven treatments and approaches. They would be delighted to discuss your individual situation with you and to join you on your journey.
Claire is a highly specialist physiotherapist with over 15 years experience working within the field of neurology and rehabilitation.
She has extensive experience of working with adults who have complex neurological needs from the early stages in their rehabilitation to helping them manage their condition long-term. She feels privileged to share the journey with her patients, spending time to understand what is important to them to create an individually tailored treatment approach, maximising independence in the tasks that are important to them.
Claire prides herself on her excellent communication skills, understanding the importance of this at every stage of rehabilitation from close working relationships with local hospitals to community teams and family members. She is a highly skilled therapist who has particular expertise in the areas of spasticity management, gait re-education, postural management, upper limb rehabilitation, hydrotherapy and exercise therapy.
Claire has gained a wealth of knowledge and specialist skills in her career working in acute hospitals and rehabilitation settings such as the Oxford Centre for Enablement where the vision for Access to Rehab began.
Claire now devotes her time solely to Access to Rehab, so that rehabilitation doesn’t have to stop in the hospital but can continue into your own home and local community.
Jane is a Clinical Specialist with over 20 years experience in neurological rehabilitation. She has a passion for evidence-based practice, research and development and professionally supporting others.
She works with professionals sharing her expert knowledge working with adults who have complex presentation. She teaches and presents to a range of audiences, covering many different topics. She has invaluable professional networks within the field, essential in remaining contemporary within an ever changing body of practice. She is an active member of the Occupational Therapy professional body, representing her region as an officer for the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.
Within her own practice she is able to work across many domains carrying out expert and efficient assessment and treatments of the upper limb, cognition and perception, posture and seating and working with people who may have behaviour that challenges. Jane has developed skills working with those who have a prolonged disorder of consciousness (PDOC) and is one of few advanced therapists outside the Royal Hospital of neuro-disability certified to use the Sensory Modality Assessment and Rehabilitation Technique (SMART).
Jane enjoys the opportunity to bring her knowledge as a hand therapist to assess and splint the arm/hand following a neurological impairment. She brings her energy and vision for Access To Rehab to the team with excellent skills in written and verbal communication, consultation work and therapy to effectively deliver the very best rehabilitation to people who have experienced a neurological condition and to family and others also affected.
Hannah is a highly specialist Occupational Therapist with over 22 years experience within the field of neurology and neurological rehabilitation and has worked within the acute, community and rehabilitation settings. She qualified in 1997 from Oxford Brookes University and has a wealth of experience in all areas of rehabilitation. She enjoys the supervision of junior staff and students to aid their professional development.
Hannah works within the private sector as a director at Access To Rehab and also within the NHS. She prides herself on understanding the needs of her clients and their families and strives to give the best possible treatment and care to those she treats. She has excellent communication skills, a wealth of knowledge and is creative and dynamic within her approach.
Hannah has highly specialist skills in the range of clinical areas within neurological rehabilitation and was proud to gain advanced assessor level in the sensory modality assessment and rehabilitation technique (SMART) which aids to assess and treat individuals with prolonged disorders of consciousness. She is highly skilled in all areas of assessing and treating cognition and perception and behaviours that challenge. She is able to utilise all evidenced based treatment approaches to upper limb rehabilitation and has a logical and practical approach to increasing individuals independence through functional task practice.
Hannah has worked in a variety of settings during her career including Rivermead Rehabilitation Centre, the acute stroke unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Rayners Hedge rehabilitation unit in Aylesbury and currently the Oxford Centre for Enablement.
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