“Being a physio has given me a huge amount of opportunities”
“Being a physio has given me a huge amount of opportunities"
“I trained as a physio in the 1980s at the Royal London Hospital. I’d always wanted to work with people and I was a good communicator and good at solving problems. I love to encourage and empower people to be the best they could be – both patients and other staff members.
“Being a physio has given me a huge amount of opportunities. I worked as physio for the GB athletics team at Crystal Palace and the London Marathon which was brilliant as it married up with my love of sport. I even did a programme on sports injuries on LBC radio.
“I’ve worked as AHP lead and clinical executive chair in a CCG and have used my skills acquired as an AHP in numerous service re-design and other projects. Now as director of community health and social care, I am able to promote AHPs and the value they add wherever I go.
“My message to AHPs is to recognise the huge value they add, not only in terms of the patient pathway and the skills that they bring to direct patient care, but also in the transferable skills that enable them to work in a variety of roles to benefit the system and population as a whole.”
Laura Clear, Executive Director of Community Health and Social Care Operations, NCH&C