PHYSIOCENTRIC - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Occupational Therapist / Specialist Hand Therapist

Ann Garewal qualified with honours in Occupational Therapy from Brunel University in 1995. She specialised in Hand Therapy at UCLH in London in 1997 in the Plastics department where she treated a variety of hand trauma patients including both orthopaedic, plastic and also acquired conditions pre and post-surgery. She has over 15 years' experience in Hand Therapy having had a career break to bring up her young family in intervening years. Ann worked in the Congential Hand Unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital for two years where she gained unrivalled experience in a wide spectrum of Congenital Hand Anomalies including radial club hand, cleft hand, hypoplastic thumbs, arthrogryposis and other conditions affecting the hand and upper limb. Ann's current NHS post is at the Regional Hand and Wrist Unit at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, where she is a senior clinician. She manages the treatment and rehabilitation of hand and wrist patients following trauma and elective surgery and also assesses and treats congenital hand anomalies and acquired conditions of adult and paediatric patients. Ann is extremely experienced in treating a wide spectrum of hand and wrist conditions and is dedicated to optimising her patient's outcome. She is passionate about her continuous professional development and staying abreast of evidence-based practise, which she incorporates as best practice for her patients. Ann also works in a voluntary capacity with "Working Hands Charity" which was set up and led by the eminent Hand Surgeon Donald Sammut. She is part of a small team of highly experienced Hand Surgeons, theatre nurse and Hand Therapists who travel to Nepal to train local surgeons and therapists to treat leprosy patients following restorative surgery. Ann is situated at our Wimbledon Village Clinic.

Carol graduated from St Mary's Hospital in 1990. She then took on a rotational post which had established musculo-skeletal and orthopaedic placements for two years prior to focusing exclusively on outpatients, sports injuries and hydrotherapy. Carol has worked in a variety of London NHS Hospitals and also in Private Outpatient & Sport Injury Clinics. She completed an MSc in Neuro-Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation at the University College London in 1997. Carol's continuing work at Charing Cross Hospital as an Orthopaedic Physiotherapy Practitioner helps her to continually develop her musculoskeletal expertise and introduces a current update to NHS practice. Her clinical specialist areas include spinal conditions, lower limb and sports injuries, primarily running injuries. After extensive assessment she incorporates rehabilitation and Pilates programmes into her clinical practice. Carol is a keen runner & dancer. Carol is currently doing remote consultations on Saturday mornings.

Geoff trained and qualified as a physiotherapist at St. Mary's Hospital, Paddington, and as an acupuncturist at the British College of Acupuncture, London. He worked for the NHS at St. Mary's, The Royal London and St. Bartholomew's Hospitals. He entered into private practice in Wimbledon in 1989. His main interests are the treatment of musculo-skeletal conditions, sports injuries and the application of both Chinese and Western acupuncture. In 2000 he was awarded an MSc in ‘Sports Injury and Therapy' for his research investigating ‘The Effects of Acupuncture on Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness'. He is a member of the British Medical Acupuncture Association (BMAS) and an advanced member of the Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (AACP) of which he is a former committee member and journal editor. He has lectured on the acupuncture MSc. course at Coventry University and on ‘Sports Injuries and Treatment' at Roehampton University. He uses acupuncture for a wide variety of conditions. He has been physiotherapist to the LTA Junior tennis squad and Sutton Junior Scholarship squad (both formally based in Sutton), to the Welsh Exiles rugby covering the u14-18 age groups as well as advising London Welsh RFC mini and junior sections on rugby injuries and setting up first aid training programmes for coaches. He is a former rugby player (Henley, London Welsh and St. Mary's Hospital RFCs) and a former Surrey County and Welsh Masters javelin champion and silver medallist at the British Masters Championships. Geoff is a qualified level 2 rugby and athletics coach (having coached at London Welsh RFC and the Welsh Exiles and Kingston AC and Polytechnic Harriers). Given his experience of both coaching and competing Geoff currently gives lectures to coaching and teaching staff at local schools/clubs on musculo-skeletal injuries in sporting children and adolescents as well as to coaches and participants at masters or ‘a more mature' level of sport. Geoff is married (to a physiotherapist) and has two children, a daughter who is a graduate trainee accountant and a son who is a medical student. Geoff has been a partner at Physiocentric since its inception. For more information or to book an appointment to see Geoff, please contact us at www.physiocentric.co.uk/contact or call 020 8879 3608.

Job Titles:

• Sports Massage Therapist

Gillian has a Level 5 BTEC Professional Diploma in Sports Massage and Treatments as well as a Diploma in Personal Training. She is a member of The Association for Soft Tissue Therapists. Gillian has completed in many marathons and ultra-marathons including the London Marathon several times; the Thames Path 50; Beacons Ultra (47mile) and Marathon des Sables (154 mile multi stage race in the Sahara). Also a keen swimmer, preferring open water swimming, Gillian has done the Bridge to Bridge (14km); Jubilee River Swim (10km) and other long distance swims in rivers, lakes and seas. Gillian used to compete in triathlons but now focuses mainly on running and swimming. Gillian is involved with youth and mini rugby at Wimbledon Rugby Club as a First-Aid Co-ordinator; Qualified time keeper and ASA Level 1 Swimming judge. Having two teenage children who are both keen on sport, and an aging golden Labrador who loves swimming and chasing sticks/balls and generally anything you can throw, Gillian is also interested in going to the theatre; visiting galleries and exhibitions; music; cooking; walking and hiking. Gillian is situated at both our Wimbledon Village Clinic & Hinchley Wood Clinic.

Jane Hewitt qualified in 1990, and worked in the NHS for 14 years specialising in musculoskeletal physiotherapy. She completed her MSc in Physiotherapy (musculoskeletal) in 2000 at UCL and went on to work in a specialist orthopaedic and spinal surgery clinic as an extended scope practitioner. She started working at Physiocentric in 2004 and concurrently worked in occupational health for a large pharmaceutical company. Her interest in ergonomics and work relevant injury (RSI) developed during this time. Jane treats all areas of the body from early to late stage rehabilitation, and is also a member of the Acupuncture Association of Physiotherapists and the Association of Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics. Jane can perform workstation assessments for keyboard users in their own homes or at their place of work. Away from physiotherapy, Jane skis and rollerblades. She is keen cyclist both on road and off road. In her youth Jane was a sprint canoeist and swimmer and competed at national level. Jane is situated at our Wimbledon Village Clinic.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Admin Team
• Receptionist / Support Team
• Speciality Receptionist / Support Team

Karis has been a part of our reception team on and off for many years, originally joining the clinic in 2008. In 2010 Karis qualified as a Yoga Alliance Hatha yoga teacher and worked on her own yoga and sustainability projects overseas before moving to Brazil and having her daughter. Karis has provided reception and administrative cover to the clinic as and when required and she's back in the UK and on our reception desk full time once again!

Job Titles:

• Accounts Manager
• Member of the Admin Team
• Speciality Accounts Manager

Originally from Australia, Leanne moved to the U.K. nearly 5 years ago with her English born husband and 3 sons. At home in Australia, apart from raising 3 children, she worked as an Accounts Administrator and a Dispensary Technician for a Pharmacy for nearly 14 years, giving her a sound background in healthcare and accounts administration. After many years of being a ‘soccer mum', sport has become an important part of Leanne's life. Away from this, she enjoys cooking for family and friends, taking long walks through Wimbledon Common with her dog Zuzu, but specially enjoys travelling and discovering the United Kingdom and Europe.' Leanne is our guru for insurance queries and understands the individual requirements of each provider - she is the key to our very comprehensive service for insured patients.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Admin Team
• Practice Manager
• Speciality Practice Manager

Originally from South Africa, Lucy has been working as part of the clinic's team for over 16 years. Lucy joined our reception team in 2003 and took over as Accounts Manager and IT Manager in 2005. In late 2013 Lucy took over as Practice Manager - her level head and expertise are invaluable to the smooth running of the service.

Job Titles:

• Orthotist
• Clinical Specialist
• Speciality Orthotist

Serena is a Clinical Specialist Orthotist having gained her degree in 1998 from La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. Serena has extensive experience having worked within the NHS and private sector for nearly 20 years. Combining detailed knowledge and experience within the sports sector, Serena has a strong referral base across the UK and internationally, treating both recreational and elite athletes. Serena provides a leading bracing and biomechanics service which is supported by the latest in technology and product design. Treating a wide range of conditions for both paediatric (aged 7 upwards) and adult patients, Serena has a special interest in the lower limb (knee, foot and ankle conditions) working to provide biomechanical solutions to optimise function.