Meet our new Therapist Network Director
Sarah’s clinical background has spanned roles in both the NHS and private sector, including senior roles specialising in Paediatrics. Sarah started to venture into the world of independent practice, delivering private physiotherapy alongside her NHS role. Following maternity leave, she decided to work solely in the private sector because of the flexibility it could offer and opportunities to seek out new challenges.
Sarah has since progressed into leadership roles, becoming responsible for the quality of clinical services and sharing her knowledge to help grow and develop therapists on their professional journey, across a variety of specialties. Now with over 10 years’ experience in the private sector, championing high quality care and leading passionate teams, Sarah is ready to set out her vision for The OT Practice.
I am honoured to join The OT Practice as Therapist Network Director at a very exciting time where there has been significant investment to build a strong, professional, compassionate team ready to influence the quality of therapy services in the independent sector. The OT Practice was founded by Nikki, an OT herself, and the organisation grew as a result of hard work and a commitment to delivering great care, which I know has had a large impact on many peoples’ lives.
Having worked for many years as a clinician and more recently in leadership roles, I have become so aware of the importance of sharing my passion for high quality care and providing opportunities for therapists working in independent healthcare. It can be hard to imagine, once you have qualified, how working in the private sector compares to the traditional journey Allied Health Professionals follow after university, and there is often a fear associated with the unknown. There does not need to be any fear. The assessment, recommendations and input that an individual needs are the same, and we have a duty to be professional and provide bespoke options for our clients to enable them to make their decisions. Striving for outcomes that our clients are desperately looking for and leading them to a life of managing independently is consistent and at the core of our being, no matter which sector you work in. Sometimes, in the private sector, we just have greater availability and flexibility to be able to achieve that. I am very proud to have the opportunity to lead our team of talented therapists.
My vision is for The OT Practice to be the leading career choice for Allied Health Professionals in the independent sector and so I am working hard with my team to lay the foundations with a clear strategy, to achieve this within the next 2 years.
I want to build on the fantastic network we currently have and for our therapists not only to be proud of the quality of care they provide but to share it with others too. It has been a difficult 18 months for every one of us and I am humbled by the achievements of the therapists on our network during the height of the pandemic, continuing to this day. In return, I want to share the good news stories from our therapists, the testimonials from our clients and inspire others to join us on this journey.
I am receiving applications for new therapists to join our team daily and as a result, the expertise on our network is expanding rapidly which will provide our therapists with excellent opportunities to collaborate with experts nationwide. Alongside clinical development sits career development, and here is where we will be making the most significant transformation over the coming months as I develop the infrastructure required to make this possible.
Whether you are new to private practice or have a wealth of experience, our support team is continually innovating to ensure the quality of service The OT Practice provides is maintained at the highest standard for all of our clients. Our team will provide you with assistance to get you up and running as an independent practitioner and keep you practicing safely and effectively but most importantly, allow you to concentrate on being the therapist you trained to be.
I would like to hear from as many of you as possible, so if you would like to have a career conversation with me or you are interested in joining me on this journey, please email me at sarah.d@theotpractice.co.uk.
