(left to right): Karen Irons, Louise Preston, Jane Martindale, Claire Harris, Claire Jefferies, Susimala Gaikwad, Juliette O'Hea.
The ASTRETCH Committee - Click on name for Biographies
Juliette O’Hea Founder, Secretary, Website Louise Preston Cannock Treasurer Heather Harrison York Claire Harris Physio’ advisor to NASS Chairman
Karen Irons Course organiser Claire Jefferies Susimala Gaikwad Jane Martidale Sue Gurden Clinical Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist Amanda Thomas Biographies
Juliette O’Hea, MCSP MSc PGDip (rheum)
Juliette was diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis (A.S) at physio school in 1983. Following a significant flare-up in 1991, she started specialising in rheumatology and has never looked back. Her first post was under Dr Ian Gaywood at Princess Margaret Hospital as a metrologist. She then joined Dr Andrei Calin's AS research team in Bath, developing the Bath A.S functional Index (BASFI). At Christchurch Hospital, she was fortunate to gain further experience under the watchful eye of Sue Fletcher and the excellent rheumatology team. Whilst at Christchurch, she completed a post-graduate diploma and masters degree as part of the advanced rheumatology clinical practice degree course at Bournemouth University. With this extra experience, she was able to create rheumatology practitioner posts at both Southampton and Salisbury hospitals. Her physiotherapy role continues as physiotherapy advisor to NASS helping to run courses for physiotherapists on A.S management.
Juliette has opened up NASS groups in Salisbury and Bognor and is the author of the A.S physiotherapy chapter in the current edition of Tidy's physiotherapy. Aware of the great interest in A.S from physiotherapists and specialist nurses, she came up with the idea of starting AStretch in 2001.
Juliette runs a business called ArthritisFirst where she promotes exercise for people with arthritis and she runs exercise classes in her local community.
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Karen graduated from Coventry University in 1996 with a First Class Honours Degree in Physiotherapy. Karen’s career has seen her move through seniority to her current posts as Musculoskeletal Team Leader with Portsmouth City Primary Care Trust as well as Women’s Health Specialist with Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust and private contracts incorporating occupational health, back-care and knee-care workshops, ergonomics including vehicle assessments and health care promotion within industry.
As part of her undergraduate training, Karen developed a specific interest in Hydrotherapy. This led to an undergraduate dissertation assessing the influence of immersion upon lung function. She has published a review about this in ‘Physiotherapy’ and presented her results at the Physiotherapy Annual Congress in 1999.
Karen has specialised in the Neuromusculoskeletal field and was awarded an MSc in Manipulative Physiotherapy by the University of Brighton in November 2003. Karen’s interest in outcome measures and valid / reliable assessment techniques led her to research physiotherapist ability in the assessment of deep abdominal muscle activity – specifically Transversus Abdominus. Karen presented these results at the Physiotherapy Annual Congress 2004. Analysing the concepts surrounding the abdominal cylinder and its assessment also led Karen to develop an interest in the pelvic floor muscle complex, continence care and women’s health. Consequently, Karen is currently undertaking a post graduate certificate with Bradford University for the latter.
Karen has had a long standing history with the local NASS and arthritis care hydrotherapy groups. She was physiotherapist for both groups for over 5 years and only retired from these positions to pursue her MSc studies, research and to get married and start a family. Karen is a founder member of the AStretch steering group for AS.Karen has organised and tutored physiotherapy workshops for the assessment and management of AS for many years. An important role within this organisation has involved Karen reviewing and teaching outcome measures specific to AS, in particular the Bath indices. Karen, along with Claire Jeffries, has published a booklet detailing the research behind the Bath indices and giving practical advice regarding the implementation of the indices. This booklet has been printed in conjunction with NASS for nationwide distribution.
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Claire Jeffries, BSc Hons, MCSP, SRP
Physiotherapy advisor to NASSClaire graduated from Southampton University in 1996 with Honours Degree in Physiotherapy. She has worked as a Chartered Physiotherapist in Portsmouth since qualification and took the position of Team Leader for Hydrotherapy and Rheumatology in 2001.
Claire successfully completed the one month residential Bath Hydrotherapy course in July 2002 and with an increasing interest in Ankylosing Spondylitis she joined the team of physiotherapists running the local NASS group in the same year. Along with 15 others, Claire is one of the founder members of the Physiotherapy ASTRETCH steering group for AS.
Claire’s experience in AS lead to her involvement in the Wessex consensus forum for anti-TNF therapy and AS patients and also participation in an AS advisory board more recently in 2007. In 2006 / 2007 Claire also held the role of clinical investigator in an international anti-TNF drug trial in AS.
Claire has given numerous training sessions to health professionals of all disciplines regarding the assessment and management of AS patients and teaches specific physiotherapy AS management courses. Claire also has close working links with NASS since her work on The Bath Indices guide published in 2004 by NASS. Claire is currently working with NASS on a further project related to young AS patients and exercise. This work is due for release in early 2009.
For the past 6 years within her current NHS role, Claire has worked on redevelopment of the local physiotherapy assessment and treatment approaches of AS patients in Portsmouth. Claire’s most recent projects involve working along side her rheumatology colleagues helping to develop protocols for the screening of AS patients for anti-TNF therapy within the Portsmouth area. This work has lead to the design and implementation of a weekly AS clinic.
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Louise graduated in 1985 from the University Hospital of Wales (Cardiff) and has since worked around the Midlands and Staffordshire area.
As her career progressed she developed an interest in Rheumatology, completing the postgraduate RCACP Rheumatology course and injection therapy course. She is currently Clinical Specialist at Cannock Chase Hospital, working within a dedicated specialist unit. Her main interests lie with AS and is responsible for screening and monitoring patients for biologic therapy and co-ordinating the thriving NASS group. She regularly lectures at under and postgraduate levels at local universities as well as patient focused forums.
Louise also works in a busy private practice. She is involved with British Gymnastics, and currently UK athletics disability field event athletes. This has led to extensive travel both nationally and internationally providing medical cover at major competitions and training camps.
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Heather Harrison, MCSP, SRP
Heather graduated from Oswestry & North Staffs School of Physiotherapy in 1993. She worked first in Shrewsbury as a basic grade before moving to York in 1996. In York she moved to a senior I position in rheumatology.
In 1999 / 2000 she completed the RCACP course Management of Rheumatological Condition. Developing a particular interest in AS Heather set up the York & District NASS group in 1997 and the group continues to meet weekly.
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Claire qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist in 1984 at St. Mary’s Hospital, London. She worked as a junior physiotherapist at Mount Vernon and Harefield Hospitals in Middlesex. In 1987 she moved to Northwick Park Hospital, West London, initially as a Senior II in Orthopaedics, and then moving to a Senior I position in Rheumatology were she developed her interest in AS patients whilst running the local NASS group.
After a career break, to take a Cordon Bleu cookery course, Claire returned to work to set up and run the Physiotherapy dept. at a new private hospital being built within the grounds of Mount Vernon Hospital. She then took a further career break to move to the USA for six months whilst her husband was studying, and then took time off to look after their child.
In 1996 Claire then returned to Northwick Park Hospital, West London, as a part-time Senior Physiotherapist to work in an AS clinic and to help run the NASS group.
Claire is still at NPH, and is currently involved in the assessment of AS patients being treated with Anti-TNF and is also involved in AS education groups and in encouraging AS patients to exercise at a local leisure centre. She still runs the local NASS group.
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Susimala GAIKWAD, BSc, MCSP, SRP
Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist in RheumatologySusi graduated from the University of Madras, India in 1986. She worked in a busy orthopaedic/neurology unit for two and a half years whilst in India and then had the chance to work for eighteen months in Saudi Arabia.
She commenced working at the Diana Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby as a Staff Physiotherapist in 1992 undertaking a variety of clinical rotations. In 1998 she became a Senior I Physiotherapist in Rheumatology. This role involves not only responsibility for the care of rheumatology patients but also expertise in hydrotherapy and there fore pool management. She completed Levels 1 & 2 hydrotherapy courses in 1999 and 2001. She is particularly interested in patients with AS and joined the AStretch Steering Group and has been an active member since 2001 She has established regular intensive Physio courses for patients with AS in the hospital setting which she has found rewarding to the patients.
Susi started NASS branch in Grimsby in September 2004, which meets each Tuesday evening. She is currently working with the Rheumatology specialist nurses in Grimsby in order to assess patients for anti-TNF drugs
Susi had successfully completed master's degree in evidence based practice at the University of York ,this enabled her to write up a dissertation topic related to her favourite Ankylosing spondylitis condition.
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Dr Jane Martidale PhD, BA, Grad Dip Phys
Jane has worked as part of the Rheumatology Team at Wrightington Hospital for 27 years. She is currently a clinical specialist in rheumatology with a special interest in Ankylosing Spondylitis. Jane was awarded her PhD at the University of Central Lancashire in 2009 for her thesis entitled ‘Disease and Psychological Status in Ankylosing Spondylitis’.
She has presented at major clinical conferences both nationally, at the British Society for Rheumatology Annual Conference, and internationally via the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting and at a wide range of local and regional clinical research meetings. Since graduating in 2009, she has maintained a high level of engagement with research and has sought to further develop her research experience. She has been instrumental in forming a North West special interest group of physiotherapists with interest in AS (ASSIGNw) and has led and collaborated on 2 successful funding applications for project work.
She is a member of the national organising committee of AStretch which facilitates a national network of specialist physiotherapists who meet twice yearly to promote best practice in the management of AS. She is also vice chair and co-founder of North West Rheumatology Open Forum (founded in 1990), an MDT network developed to facilitate continuing professional development opportunities for rheumatology AHPs in the North West promoting evidence based practice.
Papers
Martindale J, Smith J, Grennan D, Goodacre L, Goodacre J A. 2010 ‘Outcome of active disease in ankylosing spondylitis: A prospective study’. Musculoskeletal Care; Vol 1, Issue 1; 10-17Martindale J, Smith J, Sutton C J, Grennan D, Goodacre L, Goodacre J A. 2006 ‘Disease and Psychological Status in Ankylosing Spondylitis’. Rheumatology; 45; 1; 1288-1293
Published peer reviewed national poster presentations
Martindale J, Smith J, Sutton C J, Grennan D, Goodacre L, Goodacre J A. 2007 ‘An investigation of the associations patients make between changes in disease status and the impact of change on their psychological health’. Rheumatology; 46; 1; No 430.Martindale J, Smith J, Sutton C J, Swinson D, Goodacre J. 2005 A longitudinal study of clinical and psychological status in Ankylosing Spondylitis. Rheumatology; 4; 1; No 116
Martindale J, Smith J, Sutton C J, Swinson D, Goodacre J. 2001 ‘A five-year study of clinical and psychological measures in 95 patients with ankylosing spondylitis’. Rheumatology; 40; 12001; 116Published peer reviewed international poster presentations
Martindale J, Smith J, Sutton C J, Swinson D, Goodacre L, Goodacre J A. 2003 ‘Associations between disease activity and psychological status in ankylosing spondylitis’. Arthritis and Rheumatism; Abstracts Supplement,
Invited lectures and presentations:National meetings
2005 ‘Disease and psychological status in AS’ at the 2nd AStretch National Conference, London.
2007 ‘Investigation of the associations patients make between changes in disease status’ at the 3rd AStretch National Conference, London.2008. ‘Clinicians/researcher perspectives and yellow flags’ at The Association for Chartered Physiotherapists with an interest in Orthopaedic Medicine and Injection Therapy, National Conference, Bath.
2009 ‘Optimising treatment in AS – A physiotherapist’s overview’ National Industry sponsored AS Summit, London
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Sue Gurden Clinical Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist
Advanced Practitioner in Rheumatology Rheumatology Clinical Lead Aneurin Bevan Health Board
Sue graduated in Physiotherapy from United Leeds’ Hospitals (1973), following which she gained a broad experience in physiotherapy at St James’ Hospital Leeds. Here she developed an interest in hydrotherapy obtaining foundation certificate at Harrogate. Following marriage and a move to Goole she took up a post in Musculoskeletal (Msk) Out Patients’ until taking a career break to look after her growing family; during this time completing a BSc. in Social Science with the Open University.
Following a move to Wales, 1984, she began work in a local General Hospital, here, continuing interest led her to develop and manage hydrotherapy services. 1990 she completed a post grad diploma in hydrotherapy (Bath), later in the same year attended the Bath course in the management of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) patients. 1991-2000 she worked as part of a team of private practitioners running a physiotherapy service for a local private hospital.
2001 Sue took up a full time post for Gwent Rheumatology Service and together with a colleague, she implemented and developed protocols and pathways for the management of AS patients; designed a Tai Chi for Arthritis programme and hydrotherapy exercise and education courses for people with chronic conditions using mindset techniques. Audit posters of these services have been presented at British Society of Rheumatology conferences and Innovations in Care conferences Wales.
Sue has managed Physiotherapy led AS clinics for the Rheumatology Service since 2003, in the past year this service has developed a multidisciplinary arm and a second clinic has been introduced to monitor and manage the more vulnerable AS Patients requiring Biologic Therapies. A major development of the AS service has been to move intensive 2 day exercise and education courses from the hospital setting to a local Health Club. This works to encourage the patient to manage their disease within a community based location and helps to facilitate public and health centre staff awareness.
Sue has developed and co-ordinates a Rheumatology team linking each major area of the large County. She has a keen interest in education and runs training courses for the team and wider Rheumatology networks and also runs annual education for Msk Physiotherapists in Rheumatology and Advanced skills in Rheumatology.
The specialist Rheumatology role is important to her and she has championed multidisciplinary working practices both locally and nationally. Following completion of a module in Intra-articular injection, she works alongside clinical nurse specialists, specialist registrars and associate specialist, running a weekly emergency clinic for the patient population; which has proved mutually beneficial.
She is currently working on an education package to promote awareness and diagnostic skills for points of contact and referrers; on Inflammatory Back Pain, to be distributed nationally. At present, she sits is a trustee for British Health Professionals in Rheumatology with a role as Communications Officer.
She has been a feed author for the Welsh Assembly Government paper on Rheumatology and Musculoskeletal Commissioning and has assisted the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy in Wales and Arthritis Care in public relations events and acts as necessary in an advisory capacity. Sue was a founder member of the South Wales Arthritis Network (SWAN) a special interest group for Rheumatology Physiotherapist and is a member of Wales and South West AS network. She has been involved in local NASS groups since joining the Rheumatology Service, in Abergavenny and Newport. She now co-ordinates a group of young and enthusiastic physiotherapist involved in the Newport NASS group.
As a newcomer to ASTRETCH, Sue has been afforded a warm welcome, she feels she has much to give and much to gain from this association
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Amanda Thomas MA (Cantab) BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy MCSP SRP
Amanda graduated from Cambridge University in 1996 with a degree in Natural Sciences. She then spent a year working overseas and at Imperial College, London.
She developed an interest in physiotherapy in 1997 and retrained at the University of Nottingham, graduating with an honours degree in Physiotherapy in 2001.
She worked as a Junior Physiotherapist at Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham, before moving to the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases in Bath in 2003 as a senior physiotherapist. She moved to the Bristol Royal Infirmary in 2007 to act as the senior outpatient physiotherapist in rheumatology, before returning to the RNHRD in 2009. She now works as the Physiotherapy Lead for the Ankylosing Spondylitis service and the manager for the residential AS course. She has been involved with the Bath NASS branch for two years, and is inspired by their enthusiasm and commitment.
