About us
We are a large team of more than 30 specialist children’s physiotherapists and physiotherapy assistants who work throughout Leeds Children’s Hospital. Many of our physiotherapists are highly specialist within their area and lead on research and teaching both nationally and internationally. We pride ourselves on excellent communication with patients, their families and carers and the professionals involved with each child.
Many of our physiotherapists are members of the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists. Our specialist physiotherapists regularly deliver lectures and teaching to external teams. We have close links with Leeds Beckett University and support undergraduate and postgraduate physiotherapy students.
What we do
We perform a high standard of assessment and treatment of the children we see who can have a variety of different conditions. The primary focus of all our treatment is to enable our children and young people to reach their full physical potential. Our teams assess and treat gross motor skills and physical strength and development. We use a variety of treatment techniques individualised to the child. The children and families we meet may be on the wards, in outpatients or at home, nursery or school.
Our facilities
Our main hub is within the Child Therapy Department in Clarendon Wing at Leeds Children’s Hospital. Here we have a welcoming reception area with toys and a reading corner. We have individual treatment rooms, a gym and a hydrotherapy pool. Most of our specialist teams also have dedicated rehabilitation areas on their respective wards. Here you will find specialist equipment used to assist therapy and rehabilitation sessions and age appropriate toys and games to ensure the children under our care enjoy their physiotherapy treatment and gain the most from it.
Hydrotherapy is used by all teams as an add on to therapy. The warm water allows relaxation, provides buoyancy and resistance to help children relax, reduce the pain they may be experiencing, strengthen weakened muscles and re-gain endurance. We also have access to a multisensory room.
What we do
We provide assessment, treatment and advice, on a variety of conditions to children and families both on the wards, in outpatients and at home, nursery or school.
We have specialised teams of physiotherapists working in the following areas:
Respiratory Care
Cystic Fibrosis in and outpatients, Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) in and outpatients, Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), High Dependency Unit (HDU), Cardiac Care, General Respiratory Medicine, Neonatal Intensive Care and Surgery.
Congenital Cardiology
We provide in and outpatient services for children, adolescents and adults from around the region.
Neuromuscular
We provide in and outpatient services for children and adolescents from around the region.
Neurology
We provide care for patients on the neurology ward in addition to children with neurological problems being cared for on PICU and HDU. We provide outpatient neurology clinics including Intrathecal Baclofen (ITB), Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy (SDR), Botulinum Toxin clinics and Head Injury clinics.
Oncology
We provide in and outpatient services for children and adolescents from around the region.
Neurodevelopmental
We deliver an outpatient service for babies from Leeds who have been cared for on our Neonatal Unit at LGI and St James’ hospitals including input to baby massage groups. We also provide ward based developmental care for patients on the Neonatal Units.
Orthopaedics
We provide an inpatient and outpatient service for rehabilitation following orthopaedic injury or surgery.
Neuro-Orthopaedics
We provide an in and outpatient service, working with children with neuro-orthopaedic problems from around the region.
Rheumatology and Pain
We provide an in and outpatient service, working with children with rheumatological and pain problems.
Meet the Team
Clinical Service Manager & Specialist Physiotherapist in Cardiology – Sarah Hibbert.
Extended Scope Practitioner in Orthopaedics and Rheumatology – Rachel Bye.
Clinical Specialist Children’s Physiotherapists
Neuromuscular – Lindsey Pallant
Cystic Fibrosis – Elaine Edwards
Neurology – Katie Davis
Highly Specialist Children’s Physiotherapists
Oncology & Haematology – Elizabeth Whitehead
Neonatal & developmental – Gemma King
In-patient Respiratory – Kathryn Reeves, Tiffany Small
Outpatient Respiratory & Cystic Fibrosis – Christine Blackburn
Orthopaedics, Pain & Rheumatology – Emma Beaglehole, Ruth Madley, Holly Heighway, Rachael Braithwaite-Davies
Neuromuscular – Stephanie Wadsworth
Neurology – Katie Davis, Kate McCune, Catherine Wilsmore
Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia – Claire Gee
Neuro-Orthopaedics – Laine Donington, Ruth Madley
Home Ventilation – Jenny Carter
Specialist Children’s Physiotherapists
Joanne Saunders, Hannah Mayall, Georgina Kendrew, Adam Galloway, Sarah Ford, Lauren Bolger, Hannah Kelly, Rachael Brumfield, Eleanor Martin, Lucy Talbot, Amber Rose
Children’s Physiotherapy Assistants
Danielle Waldron, Shannon Gates, Jake Brown
Physiotherapy Research
Excitingly, two of our very own physios Lynne Schofield and Adam Galloway are undertaking PHD’s. This is great news for Leeds Children’s Hospital and will eventually inform the overall care for the young people we see here at Leeds. We wish them the best of luck!
Research Projects
Neurology
The Leeds Children’s Hospital are being re-commissioned to provide ‘Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy’ (SDR) surgery as a treatment option for patients aged 3 to 9 years old with cerebral palsy who meet the appropriate criteria.
Please see the the Leeds Neurosurgery website for more information.
For further information or any questions please contact Kate McCune, Highly Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist on [email protected] or telephone the main Children’s Physiotherapy office on 01133926361.
Neuromuscular
Leeds is a centre for Neuromuscular research, currently boys with Duchenne Muscular dystrophy from inside and outside the Yorkshire region are recruited in studies.
- 3 interventional studies (FOR DMD, Sideros, Essence)
- 2 further to open later in 2018 (Vision DMD, Tam DMD)
Physiotherapy plays an important role in these trials with functional and timed assessments alongside advice on disease management, activity and exercise. You can find out more about clinical trials by visiting the Muscular Dystrophu UK and Duchenne UK websites.
Oncology
Over the past two years the oncology and haematology team has linked with Pre-registration MSc physiotherapy students. Projects completed have including barriers and facilitators to exercise during treatment for leukaemia where information was gathered from patient interviews. This research is continuing to include parental interviews and future research will be based on the findings.
Additional information
Weblinks
We have pulled together a list of organisations and resources that you might find useful if you are receiving treatment within one of our teams.
Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy Information Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia support Leeds Congenital Hearts Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia GroupStudent Physiotherapy Placement Information
Student Physiotherapists are accepted from Bradford and Leeds Universities. Please contact us for more information.
Elective placements are available upon request. Contact the team for further information.
Contact us
If you would like to contact the team you can find out details below.
Team leader: Sarah Hibbert – 0113 3920609, [email protected]
For outpatient Musculoskeletal enquiries – 0113 3926610
For all inpatient enquiries – 0113 3920609