Private occupational therapy in the South West of England

Heidi is an experienced Occupational Therapist specialising in Functional Rehabilitation, Housing and Equipment, Seating and Postural Management, and Moving and Handling. She serves clients across the West and South West of England, including Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire. With over a decade of clinical experience in community healthcare settings, Heidi is highly skilled in working with adults of all ages with complex conditions, both in their homes and in care environments.

Qualifying from the University of the West of England in 2012, Heidi is registered with the Health Care and Professions Council and the British Association of Occupational Therapists. She has a strong background in providing equipment and exploring various ways to enhance her clients' independence. Heidi is also experienced in palliative care and end-of-life treatment planning, focusing on functional assessment and personalised goal setting to tailor treatments to individual needs.

Throughout her career, Heidi has upheld a high standard of professional development, engaging in regular supervision, attending conferences, and participating in training sessions to continually advance her skills. As a Senior Community Occupational Therapist, she has also taken on mentoring roles, supporting and guiding other staff and students.

Qualifying as an occupational therapist in 1993, Val specialises in housing & equipment and rehabilaition for adults. She is based in Cornwall and will travel across the UK, completing assessments with clients in their own environment. Val is an accredited Best Interests Assessor (BIA), having developed sound knowledge of the legislation to support clients, families and Local Authorities.

Val's experience is in working with adults with a variety of physical and mental health needs, providing equipment and adaptations to homes to promote independence and safe living conditions. This includes completing BIA assessments, where Val requires knowledge of both the Mental Health Act and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards assessments and applications. She also carries out Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) assessments.

To continue her professional development, Val has completed postgraduate training including courses in counselling and therapeutic listening. She also keeps up to date with the current legislation and policies surrounding her work.

Dawn is a highly experienced Occupational Therapist based in Truro, Cornwall. She supports both adult and paediatric clients, covering key areas such as Penzance, St Ives, Falmouth, and Newquay. Dawn provides Functional Rehabilitation for clients with a wide range of conditions and injuries, helping them with daily living skills to promote independence.

Dawn has previously worked in Adult Community Mental Health Team, Inpatient Acute Assessment and Discharge, and Inpatient Palliative Care. She draws on her extensive experience working with adults to support clients with self-care tasks, mental health challenges, and to provide suitable equipment to support safety and mobility in the home.

Working with children, Dawn provides expert assessments and interventions in schools, nurseries, and their home environment. She has experience working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, Children's Community Therapy, special needs schools, mainstream schools and the community. Dawn utilises the skills she has acquired in her career so far to deliver specialist interventions and support children to reach their full potential.

Dawn also has a particular interest in sensory processing disorders and in March 2021 completed Module 1 of her Sensory Integration training.

William is a highly experienced Occupational Therapist based in the South West of England. He specialises in Neurological Rehabilitation with particular expertise in acquired brain injury. He visits clients across Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset.

William supports clients throughout each stage of rehabilitation, from the acute stage of their injury to long-term community rehabilitation. William uses a range of client-centred approaches and techniques to overcome cognitive, physical, and behavioural difficulties associated with the client’s injury. William has extensive experience in training carers, families, and therapy staff on individual rehabilitation programmes and therapeutic approaches. He is confident at working with clients’ varying difficulties and can tailor his approach to maximise their rehabilitation potential.

William is a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists including the Specialist Sections for Independent Practice and Neurological Practice.

Sarah is a specialist in neurological conditions, working for adults with needs relating to Huntington’s disease, brain injury, dementia, and stroke rehabilitation. Sarah is located in Tavistock, near Plymouth, covering a client base across Devon and Cornwall. She strives to ensure clients regain independence, providing assistance to safely and confidently move around the home, carry out household activities such as cooking and cleaning, and personal care and dressing.

Sarah can evaluate activities of daily living (ADL), as well as cognitive and mental capacity. She is especially interested in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, choosing to undertake a post-graduate module while studying. Sarah also has expertise in Seating & Postural Management, Moving & Handling, and behaviour management.

Sarah offers a holistic approach to occupational therapy, supporting clients and their families from assessment through to treatment. Sarah can adapt well when required to serve a client’s individual needs, including liaising with other professionals and working as part of a multidisciplinary team. In particular, Sarah has extensive experience working alongside physiotherapists to provide adapted seating and aid in moving and handling therapy.

Sarah is committed to her continued professional development, regularly attending conferences and undertaking additional training. Sarah has leadership experience mentoring OT students from her local university, which she thoroughly enjoys and uses to enhance her own learning.

With over 15 years of experience, Amy is a specialist Occupational Therapist based in Devon. She visits clients across the South-West of England including Taunton, Exeter, Yeovil, and Weymouth. Amy has expertise in a wide range of complex disabilities and conditions including orthopaedics, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and motor neurone disease. She also has specific skills in the functional assessment and treatment of individuals with neurological presentations including stroke, brain injury, and long-term conditions.

Amy has worked extensively within acute and community rehabilitation settings and in recent years has expanded her practice to include private work. She provides holistic assessments of an individual’s functional limitations and is passionate about enabling them to regain their full potential and independence.

After gaining vital experience in moving and handling throughout her career, Amy qualified as a Manual Handling Trainer in 2018 and is skilled at skilled at completing complex risk assessments, identifying equipment needs and delivering practical and theoretical training to staff teams. She also has an interest in seating and postural management and is skilled at completing seating assessments.

OT Laura provides Housing & Equipment and Major & Minor adaption advice throughout Cornwall, Devon, Plymouth, Dorset and Somerset. She enjoys working with Neurological conditions (Multiple Sclerosis, Cerebral palsy, Stroke, Motor Neurone and Parkinson’s disease), as well as Learning Difficulties, Dementia and Alzheimer’s, Amputations and Obesity. Additionally, she is experienced completing DFG applications and has spent time in Hand Therapy departments, trauma and Orthopaedics wards, social care teams and a locked ward in an adult mental health hospital.

Since qualifying as an Occupational Therapist in 2014 and Laura specialised in the field of adult social care, working with adults from the age of 18 upwards who have long-term physical conditions. Therefore, she is experienced in completing comprehensive assessments and report writing; and working collaboratively with clients, their families, carers and other health professionals. In order to achieve the best outcomes for her clients in the community and to maximise their independence, she utilises a high-level of clinical reasoning when assessing and treating patients and when providing expert opinion to other parties – namely, professionals, clients and family members.

Occupational Therapist Sally specialises in Housing & Equipment (adaptions), Moving & Handling, and Seating (e.g., wheelchairs). She works in West and South West England, specifically Cornwall and Devon. She enjoys working in Palliate/End of Life care, Cardiology and Neurological conditions – like Parkinson's disease, Stroke and Multiple Sclerosis – along with Amputations, Dementia, Cancer and falls; and ADLs such as bathing and toileting.

Sally is a highly skilled and experienced OT committed to working with adults of all ages to help them maintain their independence and safety within their own home. She works to ensure the best outcomes for a client’s individual situation. Sally completes assessments in a person-centred manner taking into account the clients wishes, their environment, their functional ability and the activities that matter to them.

Oonagh is a highly skilled Occupational Therapist specializing in Housing and Equipment, Functional Rehabilitation, and Moving and Handling. With a focus on the well-being of individuals, she brings her expertise to the West and Southwest of England, covering Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, and Somerset.

Oonagh possesses a specialized skill set that includes proficiency in Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) assessments, assessing for blue badges, postural management, and wheelchair accreditation. Her commitment to enhancing the lives of her clients is evident in her holistic approach, ensuring that individuals receive tailored support to improve their overall independence and quality of life. Oonagh's dedication and expertise make her an invaluable resource for those seeking comprehensive occupational therapy services.

Providing expert Occupational Therapy to her clients, Katrina specialises in Housing & Equipment, Seating & Postural Management, and Moving & Handling for adult clients. Katrina is based in Dorset, visiting clients in Bournemouth, Poole, Dorchester, Shaftesbury, and Weymouth.

Katrina has gained extensive experience working for Dorset County Council. Working as part of the adult and community team, she assesses clients for housing issues and equipment needs. She carries out Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) assessments, working closely with other health staff, care agencies, and local authorities.

Katrina also works independently, treating clients in their own environment. She makes recommendations for minor and major housing adaptations, as well as providing equipment and specialist seating. She implements moving and handling care plans where appropriate, ensuring her client is moving safely and as independently as possible around the home.

To maintain her professional development and make sure her clinical knowledge is up to date, Katrina will attend conferences and exhibitions, as well as being a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists’ Specialist Section in Independent Practice.

Katie is a highly experienced Occupational Therapist and is located in Dorset, visiting clients across the county as well as Devon, Somerset & Wiltshire. Her expertise has developed over her varied and dynamic 30-plus year career, with particular focus in Housing & Equipment, Seating & Postural Management, and Moving & Handling. She supports clients with a wide range of physical and neurological conditions including stroke, dementia, and Alzheimer’s.

Katie is passionate about approaching a patient’s care holistically, considering the person, their environment and occupation. Her goal is to enable occupational participation through housing solutions and adaptations, adaptive equipment, mobility and specialist seating. Where required, Katie can support clients with DFGs and mobility/blue badge assessments. She is also an advanced practitioner in complex moving and handling.

Katie uses her creativity and ingenuity to inspire original solutions and recommendations to suit the individual situation and personal needs, as well as considering the broader needs of those supporting the individual. She believes in promoting functional independence and safe living conditions to enable people to live their lives their way.

Ellie is based in Gloucestershire, visiting clients in Wales and the South West of England. Her areas of expertise focus on Housing & Equipment, as well as Seating & Postural Management for both adults and children. She offers expert care and therapy to clients with a range of injuries and conditions, working collaboratively with families and carers.

Ellie has developed a broad clinical knowledge base, working with clients with complex neurological needs and physical disabilities. She has experience in specifying and prescribing specialist equipment and seating, as well as assessing and recommending home adaptations to benefit the client and encourage independence. She liaises closely with the wider support network of her clients, including families, carers, and other professionals. She can also support with Disabled Facilitates Grants and various mobility assessments, including for Blue Badge applicants.

Ellie is committed to keeping up to date of new developments, policy reforms, and writes and delivers training to other practitioners.

With over 25 years’ experience, Rachel has gained a broad clinical knowledge in both inpatient and community settings. For most of her career, Rachel has worked at a senior level in the field of complex disability, neurological impairment, and the management of long-term conditions. Rachel is based just outside of Gloucester, visiting clients across the South West of England and South Wales.

Rachel strives to deliver client centred and goal focused therapy. She has worked extensively with clients with progressive neurological conditions, brain injury, and stroke. She supports clients with specialist equipment needs, community access, vocational rehabilitation, and upper limb rehabilitation. She also has a particular specialism in postural management and tissue viability, completing a Post-Graduate Masters Certificate in 2007. Rachel also has extensive experience of working with adults who experience psychological ill health due to the long-term consequences of their illness or the impact of disability.

Rachel has had work published in the International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation and works in the medico legal field as a care and occupational therapy expert. She is also a professional member of the Neurological Practice Specialist Section at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

Emma is a highly skilled Occupational Therapist specialising in Housing and Equipment, Functional Rehabilitation, and Moving and Handling. With expertise in conducting DFG (Disabled Facilities Grant) and blue-badge assessments, Emma is well-versed in addressing the unique needs of individuals requiring home adaptations and accessible parking solutions. Serving the West Midlands region, Emma provides her services in Avon, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Hertfordshire, Somerset, Worcestershire, and Cardiff. Emma's specialist skills also encompass daily living skills, allowing her clients to regain independence and enhance their overall quality-of-life.

Driven by compassion and a client-centered approach, Emma works closely with individuals to develop personalised treatment plans tailored to their specific challenges and aspirations. Dedicated to empowering individuals, Emma is committed to helping them lead fulfilling and independent lives within their homes and communities.

Katie is a Paediatric Occupational Therapist located in Tewkesbury. She visits clients across Gloucestershire and Herefordshire including Gloucester, Hereford, Cheltenham, Worcester, Stroud, and Evesham. Katie supports children with conditions such as autistic spectrum disorders, physical disabilities, Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, global developmental delay, and learning difficulties.

Katie began her career supporting adults with learning disabilities and autism in the community. She then went on to apply her skills and passion in Paediatrics, which she now specialises in. Katie has enhanced her therapeutic skills through the completion of additional training including AMPS training and Sensory Integration Module 1. Katie considers a child’s sensory needs as part of holistic assessments, working collaboratively with parents, schools, and other professionals to identify and address a child’s individual goals.

She supports children to develop fine and gross motor skills, enabling them to complete activities of daily living such as dressing, feeding, and washing. Katie is also experienced in assessing for and recommending suitable home adaptations and specialist equipment.

With an impressive 38-year career, Sue stands as a highly experienced Occupational Therapist, specializing in pediatrics, vocational, and functional rehabilitation.

For the past 28 years, Sue has dedicated herself to pediatric care, working with children and their families across diverse regions, including the West Midlands and the South of England: Wales, Avon, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Wiltshire, and Worcester.

Her expertise extends to a broad spectrum of conditions, such as autism, cerebral palsy, hyper-mobility, hand injuries, ADHD, fetal alcohol syndrome, trauma, learning disabilities, and difficulties. Sue's extensive experience underscores her commitment to providing comprehensive and impactful occupational therapy services.

Occupational Therapist Tamara is a specialist in functional rehabilitation, focusing on motivational issues, routine planning, daily living skills, community access, learning disabilities, and mental health. Tamara's expertise extends to the West and South West of England, including Gloucestershire, Bristol, and Swindon. She has a proven track record of working with diverse conditions, including Learning Disability, Anxiety, Depression, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Autism, ADHD, Personality Disorders, PTSD, Trauma, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Downs’ Syndrome, Huntington's Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and Dementia.

Tamara is committed to providing comprehensive and individualized support, addressing the unique challenges presented by each client. With a focus on enhancing independence and promoting well-being, Tamara's client-centered approach ensures that individuals receive tailored interventions to maximize their potential and improve their quality of life.

Jasmine is an experienced Occupational Therapist specialising in Paediatrics, Neurological Rehabilitation, and Functional Rehabilitation. She covers the West Midlands and the West and South West of England, including Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Bristol. Jasmine works with a diverse range of conditions, including Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Sensory Integration Difficulties, Brain Injury, and Stroke. Her expertise also extends to Gross and Fine Motor Skills, Dexterity, Balance, and Activities of Daily Living.

Jasmine's clinical approach is rooted in person-centred care, where the unique needs, preferences, and aspirations of each individual guide her therapeutic interventions. She employs evidence-based practice, integrating current research findings and best practices to ensure her interventions are both effective and tailored to the specific circumstances of each client.

Jasmine holds a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of the West of England, earned in 2015. She is also pursuing certification as a Sensory Integration Practitioner, having completed two foundational modules in 2023 and 2024. Her professional registrations include membership in the Health & Care Professionals Council and the British Association of Occupational Therapists. Jasmine is also member of Sensory Integration Education and a member of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Specialist Section for Learning Disability.

Jo is a HCPC registered Occupational Therapist with almost two decades of experience of working as an Occupational Therapist in both adult and children’s services in both private, public health and Health and social Care settings.

She has worked in a wide variety of locations, and most recently as Head of Services (children's) in Gloucester and in acute hospitals, community hospitals, community home visits, clinics and schools. Conditions that she has worked with include stroke, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis, hypoxic and traumatic brain injuries, cerebral palsy, palliative care, rheumatology, amputee’s and spinal injuries.

She has extensive experience in major and minor adaptations, designing and overseeing ground floor extensions to enable adults/children access to their essential facilities under the Disabled Facilities Grant.

Jo also has experience of working with children and young adults with ADHA and autism. Jo specialises in minor and major housing adaptions, moving and handling and functional rehab for both adults and children.

Sarah is an expert Occupational Therapist specialising in Housing & Equipment interventions and working with clients with a range of needs. She has over 10 years of clinical experience working in a wide range of settings. Sarah works with adults and older adults who have a variety of physical, learning, and sensory needs. She is based in Somerset and visits clients across the South West of England.

Sarah has specific expertise in long term and complex degenerative conditions affecting adults and older adults. She is especially skilled in providing advice and guidance in compensatory techniques, equipment provision, moving and handling, postural management, and minor to major home adaptations including Disabled Facilities Grants.

Sarah is committed to maintaining her clients’ independence at home and is practised in identifying areas of functional difficulty within the home environment.

Cath is an expert Paediatric Occupational Therapist and has over 20 years’ experience working with children with a variety of needs. She specialises in working with children who have complex medical needs and disabilities, including those with neurological and life limiting conditions. Through joint working and expert assessment, she aims to support independence and participation whilst enabling families to provide dignified and excellent continuing care for their child. Cath is based in Somerset, covering a client base across the South-West.

Incorporating a professional OT role with hands-on 1:1 care at the Children's hospice, Cath gained an insight into the effectiveness of equipment and adaptations. She understands how the demands of caring for a child with complex needs affects the whole family, which has significantly shaped her practice.

Cath has developed highly effective communication and clinical skills, working with families to understand their needs and wishes, conducting thorough assessments, regular reviews of interventions and through robust report writing. She is also committed to professional development and learning.

Sue has been an Occupational Therapist for over 20 years, supporting many clients to regain function and maintain their independence at home. She works collaboratively with clients with a range of physical disabilities and needs, specialising in delivering expert Housing & Equipment assessments and recommendations. Sue is located in Somerset and visits clients across Somerton, Glastonbury, Yeovil, and Sparkford.

Before undertaking work as a private practitioner, Sue spent a large part of her career in an acute hospital environment primarily supporting older inpatients with multiple co-morbidities to regain function in order to return home. This involved functional and cognitive assessment, risk assessment, equipment provision, manual handling, carer support and assessing for ongoing care and therapy. More recently, Sue has specialised in rehabilitation and assessing for minor and major adaptations.

It is important to Sue to ensure that the clients and their carers are at the heart of this process and are given the opportunity to make informed choices about how their needs are met. She is passionate about supporting people to find solutions to challenges to remain safely in their homes, managing long-term conditions and optimising their quality of life.

Georgina, an Occupational Therapist, specialises in functional rehabilitation, moving and handling, blue badges/mobility assessment, fatigue management, routine planning, and daily living skills. Residing in West England in Somerset, she extends her expertise to Bristol, Avon, Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Bath, Bristol, and Swindon. Georgina has a wealth of experience working with diverse conditions, including Arthritis, falls, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, non-acute stroke and head injury, amputations, dual diagnosis, joint replacements, fatigue and pain management, age-related deterioration and frailty, Alzheimer's-related dementia's, fractures, car accident sustained injuries, fibromyalgia, anxiety, cognitive decline, autoimmune conditions, and managing social care needs. Georgina's holistic approach and broad experience enable her to provide tailored and effective occupational therapy support, addressing the unique needs of individuals across West England.

Yvonne is a highly skilled Occupational Therapist specialising in Functional Rehabilitation, Housing and Equipment, and Moving and Handling. She works in the West and South of England, providing expert care to clients with a wide range of conditions. Yvonne has extensive experience in managing long-term conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, Arthritis, and Dementia, as well as working with older adults and individuals with profound and multiple Learning Disabilities.

Since qualifying as an occupational therapist in 1991, Yvonne has worked with a broad range of clients across various settings, including community services, urgent and emergency medicine, residential, and primary care. This diverse experience has allowed her to develop a deep expertise in patient-centered, holistic assessment and treatment, underpinned by advanced clinical reasoning. She is particularly passionate about supporting older adults to regain confidence and function, using a strengths-based approach to help clients identify and achieve their goals, thereby maximising their independence and quality of life.

Yvonne has honed her skills in the assessment of home environments, falls prevention, and functional assessments, with a strong focus on rehabilitation. Having completed Level 1 training in Sensory Integration, Yvonne has considerable expertise in the provision of specialist equipment and is a qualified moving and handling trainer, with advanced skills in single-handed care.

As an experienced autonomous practitioner, Yvonne has a wealth of knowledge in collaborating with multiple stakeholders to achieve the best outcomes for her clients. Her commitment to excellence was recognised when she was awarded an Innovation With Partners award in 2022. Yvonne has continually developed her clinical and management competencies through experience, supervision, specialist clinical training, and academic studies, recently completing a Post Graduate Certificate in Leading and Developing Services.