Mel qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist in 1989 from Guy’s Hospital School of Physiotherapy, London and worked solely in the NHS for the next 33 years. Her first role was at St Thomas’s Hospital in London as a rotating junior Physiotherapist for two years then moving to St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester for a senior role rotating between Neurology, Musculoskeletal and Community Physio. The latter enabled her to retain the broad range of skills gained and to work holistically in a variety of settings alongside other healthcare professionals and this became her speciality.

Following this, Mel worked as a Community Physio for over 25 years, at first in South London and then the local region. Mel has experience working alongside various multidisciplinary teams, including Social Workers, OT’s, Nurses, Rehabilitation Assistants and Care staff. The requirements of the role also builds close links with other services such as Orthotics, Equipment Providers, Inpatient Services, private Physios, national and local charities to name a few.

Mel has worked in varied settings, treating clients in their own homes, residential, nursing homes, clinics, and day centres; working alongside carers and families to achieve their goals. In recent years the clinical responsibility has extended to cover Intermediate Care, facilitating early hospital discharges and the prevention of admission. 

In recent years Mel became a carer, at first for her father-in-law and then her father in their final months. Her dedication to care has not diminished and this year Mel retired from the NHS and is now taking on the responsibility as carer for her elderly mother who has been rapidly declining, and to spend time with her first grandchild.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed supervising Physio students from Coventry and Oxford Brookes Universities on placement and assisting in the orientation and development of rotational Band 5 Physios. My career as a Community Physio has been richly rewarding with never a dull day. The opportunity to support BNU in their drive to deliver high quality education to learners is one I’m excited about and will provide a new chapter in a long healthcare focused career”.