Neurological Rehabilitation Service in Bristol

For the first 10 years of her nursing career, Suzanne worked as a staff nurse then a senior staff nurse within the acute neurosurgical admissions ward. Here Suzanne expanded her knowledge and experience of neurosurgery and neurology, while learning leadership and management skills and completing credited modules in neurosciences for health and working with people experiencing mental health crisis.

In 2021, Suzanne joined Active Care Group as the Head of Nursing for Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre. Suzanne was thrilled to secure this position as it gave her more responsibility and accountability in the speciality of nursing she loves. In 2022, Suzanne became Hospital Director for Frenchay. Suzanne strives to ensure people have the highest level of service, care and outcomes, through collaboratively working with internal and external stakeholders. Suzanne is passionate about continually developing the service which is patient centred with solid foundations of what matters the most to patients, their families, and their lived experiences.

Claire is the lead physiotherapist at Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre. After qualifying with her physiotherapy degree in 2007, and working in different settings, Claire quickly realised her passion was in neuro rehab and has subsequently worked in that area for the last 15 years. Claire’s dedication for this patient group developed through her love of creative problem solving, team working and being a key part of a patient’s rehab journey.

Claire is a supportive and proactive leader. She engages her team to strive for the best possible outcomes, promoting a holistic and patient centred approach.

Over the last 10 years working at Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre, Claire has developed highly specialist skills in neurological rehabilitation including complex neurological assessment, excellent clinical reasoning skills based on current evidence base, spasticity management, splinting/ serial casting, complex postural management, spinal cord injury management, hydrotherapy with neurological patients, kinesio taping for neurological patients, trache management and weaning, complex discharge planning, and working with patients in disorders of consciousness.

Claire is a very experienced moving and handling trainer and is one of the therapy representatives in the health and safety meetings.

Jo qualified as an occupational therapist in 2002. She started working at Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre in 2004 and very quickly found her passion for working with this patient group.

During her 20 years at Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre, Jo has developed highly specialist knowledge and skills in neurorehabilitation and has continuously challenged herself to ensure she is a well-rounded holistic practitioner. She is a SMART accredited Prolonged Disorders of Consciousness (PDOC) assessor, a positive behaviour support coach, and is skilled in complex posture, seating, splinting, cognitive rehabilitation, upper limb rehabilitation, spasticity management, cognitive rehabilitation and visual rehabilitation. Jo has been instrumental in developing the discharge processes within the service and has created links with stakeholders from across the region to support this process.

Jo has contributed to the significant expansion and development of the specialist rehabilitation services delivered to the patients at Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre. In her role as lead occupational therapist and more recently as Head of Therapies, Jo constantly strives to achieve a gold standard service and has instilled her passion for complex rehabilitation within the team. Jo has a special interest in healthcare leadership and innovation, which has led her to undertake postgraduate studies in this area. She has enjoyed sharing her knowledge and skills in this area with the therapy team to develop the next generation of healthcare leaders.

Dr Tooze has always worked in neuropsychology with a particular focus on rehabilitation and the Mental Capacity Act. She completed her PhD in Birmingham, examining the cognitive effects of hormonal changes and radiotherapy treatment in patients treated for pituitary adenoma. Dr Tooze then trained in clinical psychology in Southampton before returning to Bristol to work at Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre. She then expanded her knowledge of the post brain injury rehabilitation pathway working in the Gloucestershire brain injury team, which covers the acute hospital wards through to community work.

Dr Tooze left this team in 2018 to lead a small neuropsychology team at the Sussex rehabilitation centre, a level 2a neurorehabilitation unit in Haywards Heath near Gatwick. In 2022, Dr Tooze moved to a temporary position at the Homerton level 1 regional neurological rehabilitation unit in London, and the acute stroke unit. This was a great opportunity to see how another level 1 neurorehabilitation unit undertakes patient care and rehabilitation, before Dr Tooze moved back here to Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre in January 2023 to lead the neuropsychology team.

Dr SM Javaid transitioned from Locum Consultant to a Consultant in neurorehabilitation at the Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre in April 2022. Prior to this appointment, he had worked as a Locum Consultant in spinal injuries and neurorehabilitation in Salisbury and Inverness respectively.

He brings with him 18 years of experience in rehabilitation medicine, having previously worked in the UK, New Zealand and Australia at various settings across both metropolitan and regional areas. He has worked in general rehabilitation, brain injuries rehabilitation, spinal injuries rehabilitation, rheumatology and amputation rehabilitation in both training and middle grade posts in rehabilitation medicine in the UK and Australasia.

Dr. Javaid feels privileged to belong to a community of medical leaders at the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management who demonstrate, and advocate for excellence in medical leadership, cross-team collaborations, and achieving improvements in organisational culture and innovation.

Becky started in January 2022 as Deputy Matron at Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre. Her career started as a healthcare assistant at Frenchay in 2008, while completing her degree in adult nursing. Once she completed her degree, she went straight to work on an acute ward specialising in neurosurgery, looking after neuro high dependency patients. Becky continued to develop from staff nurse to senior staff nurse in 2013. In 2016, Becky was successfully recruited into a stroke nurse practitioner role, followed by a spinal specialist nurse which enhanced her skills and knowledge in these specialist areas. Becky’s heart was always with neurosurgical and neurosciences patients, which led her back to ward nursing.

After leaving school Katie worked for an insurance company. After deciding on her career path, Katie qualified as a registered adult nurse in 2009 having studied at UWE Bristol: University of the West of England.

Katie worked in neurosurgery as soon as she qualified, first at the old Frenchay Hospital site, before moving to the new site at Southmead Hospital. After working for some years as a senior staff nurse, during the covid-19 pandemic Katie undertook an opportunity to run the acute neurosurgical admissions ward as senior sister. After three and a half years, Katie joined Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre as Deputy Matron.

Emma joined in August 2022 as Matron at Frenchay Brain Injury Rehabilitation Centre. Her career started as a nursing auxiliary in a Cottage Hospital. She qualified with her degree in nursing in 1999 and went to work on a ward specialising in neurosurgery. Neuro is where her passion lies, and she continued to develop from staff nurse, senior sister and clinical matron. She brings her experience and knowledge to Frenchay, forging new relationships, bringing along and sharing her NHS experience.