Specialisms
- Speech and Language Therapy.
- Traumatic and acquired brain injury.
- Cerebral Palsy.
- Low arousal states.
- Complex neurological conditions.
- Dysphagia.
- Tracheostomy.
- Cognitive and communication difficulties.
- Augmentative and assistive communication (AAC).
Clinical Currency Statement
As at November 2021, I am engaged in the role of a self-employed Speech and Language Therapist for an average of 65 hours per month.
Signed
Specific Injuries Experience
Sarah works clinically with adult and adolescents as well as young children with complex communication difficulties resulting from acquired brain injury as well as birth injuries. Sarah works with her clients in the early stages following their injury or diagnosis as well as further down the line when they have been living with their injury/diagnosis for many years aiming to continually support functional communication and behaviour as the individual’s life and circumstances change over time. This may also include ongoing assessment for initiating oral feeding in clients who have been enterally fed for many years.
Sarah has a keen interest in technology and augmentative communication and the advances that are continually occurring that have the potential to enable severally impaired clients to engage with their environment. Sarah works closely with case managers and other members of the multidisciplinary team including support workers to ensure her client’s communication potential is reached and maintained.
Employment Profile
Sarah currently works as a Specialist Neuro Speech and Language Therapist in private practice. Her work is predominantly community based rehab for adults, adolescents and children with complex, cognitive, communication and swallowing difficulties following acquired brain injury and as a consequence of cerebral palsy. Clients vary from those with low level communication to those preparing to a return to work.
Her role is to help them meet their maximum potential and to guide and support their reintegration back into the community from where they came. This may involve identifying opportunities and supports, such as suitably experienced personnel or technology, to provide the structure necessary for them succeed. For those with long term dysphagia or a tracheostomy Sarah’s role may be one of assessment for potential to begin oral feeding or tracheostomy weaning.
In her role as an Expert Witness Sarah prepares Care and Rehabilitation reports on claimants whose main care needs are due to cognitive and communication difficulties, either high level or subtle in nature. Her expertise in areas of cognition and communication, dysphagia and tracheostomy along with her awareness of physical impairment, allows Sarah to comment on and quantify the cost of care and rehabilitation.
Prior to this, Sarah was the Clinical Specialist SLT at Bath Neuro-Rehab service for over 15 years. Here she worked as part of a highly specialised interdisciplinary team managing clients with complex neuro-disability, from acute care through to discharge home. This involved acting as ‘coordinator’ to ensure a successful transition home, including assisting with assessment of the home situation and organising a suitable level of care or cognitive support.
Sarah’s area of special interest include education and training particularly in managing difficult behaviour, post traumatic amnesia, dysphagia and technology in communication including alternative means of communication (AAC).
A further part of Sarah’s education role is to deliver the teaching module and write and mark the examination on traumatic brain injury to final year SLT students at Cardiff University.
She regularly attends and contributes to South West and National Brain Injury Special Interest Groups and Computers in Therapy Special Interest Group.
In 2021, Sarah attended a Refresher Courtroom Skills Familiarisation Day.
Qualifications and Membership
- BSc (Hons) Speech and Language Therapy, New Zealand (1993).
- Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT).
- Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
- Computers in Therapy Clinical Excellence Network, South West.
- South West Brain Injury Clinical Excellence Network, South West.
- UK Acquired Brain Injury forum (UKABIF).
- Maggie-Lee Huckabee Advanced Dysphagia Management training (2011).
- Mark Ylvisaker Study Days (Managing complex issues following TBI) (2007 and 2008).
- Michael Groher Study Day on Dysphagia Management (2007).
- Academic and Clinical Symposium in Cognitive Communication Disorder (September 2018).
Career History
Present
Care Expert
Jacqueline Webb & Co Ltd
2013-Present
Specialist Neuro Speech and Language Therapist
Independent practitioner, Wiltshire, Hampshire
2013-2016
Specialist Neuro Speech and Language Therapist
Hobbs Rehab, Winchester
1998-2013
Bath Neuro Rehab Unit, Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases NHS Trust
1998
Senior Speech and Language Therapist, Brain Injury Service
The Priory, Ticehurst House
1996-1998
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
Bath Neuro Rehab Unit, Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases NHS Trust
1996
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
South Kent Community Health Care NHS Trust
1995
Senior Speech and Language Therapist
North Derbyshire Community Health Care NHS Trust
1993-1995
Speech and Language Therapist
Capital Coast Health, Wellington Hospital, Wellington, New Zealand
Publications
Publication
- One-One Nursing for Challenging Behaviour of Patients with ABI in a Neuro-Rehabilitation Unit. P Carroll, D Adams, J Handley, L Russell, S Fleming, P Tucker (2011).