Stephanie Hopkinson

It is common for her clients to have issues with joints, either following orthopaedic surgery, joint replacement or due to arthritis.  Weakness of a limb or extensive weakness throughout the body and chronic pain are features that will commonly present.  Stephanie is responsible for managing their ongoing needs and will work with individuals across a wide age range.  She provides support and equipment needs, referring patients to other services and providers where appropriate.

Stephanie also treats and manages patients with spinal injuries such as fractures and Cauda Equina, and neurological conditions including stroke, MS and Parkinson’s Disease, as well as individuals requiring end of life care.

Her patients frequently have related issues linked to pain, fatigue and cognition, and with bladder and bowel difficulties including stomas.  She also has experience supporting clients with renal issues.

Stephanie qualified as an Occupational Therapist in 1986 and has worked with people with a full range of disabilities since this time.  She has extensive experience of assessment, rehabilitation, complex discharge planning, recommendation and implementation of complex care packages.  She has continued with her professional development throughout her career and has worked in both the NHS and private sectors.

Stephanie is an independent Occupational Therapist, specialising in the assessment of equipment and provision of care packages designed to enable people to live independently in their own homes.  Alongside developing an independent practice, Stephanie has held various senior locum positions over the years, including: Senior OT on a Neurological specialist unit treating acute and rehabilitation CVA patients; Senior OT on a Neurological specialist ward in a highly regarded teaching hospital treating rehabilitation patients; Senior OT covering acute medicine, surgery and amputee patients.  She has also worked as a Case Manager and as a Specialist Advisor for the Care Quality Commission.

In recent years, Stephanie has been responsible for the safe discharge planning of patients who require equipment, minor adaptations and care to be able to return home from hospital.  She also worked within the community team, providing support to those struggling within the community and requiring additional or different equipment or care due to their changing needs.

In her current role in Guernsey, Stephanie is responsible for providing the Occupational Therapy service to the Emergency Department (ED) in the role of the admission avoidance therapist.  This involves assessing patients of all ages and recommending, from a care, functional and therapeutic viewpoint, whether or not they need to be admitted to hospital.  This entails assessing their current care package and recommending changes to this if necessary.  Stephanie liaises closely with care providers to establish whether care packages are working and also implementing new packages of care to enable patients to return home from hospital.

Her work requires assessments in both hospital and home environments, and regular liaison with equipment suppliers and care providers.

Stephanie also provides an advisory role to less experienced members of the Occupational Therapy team to aid discharge planning and care recommendations for patients on the medical, orthopaedic and surgical wards.

Stephanie has also been involved with, and has special interest in significant research projects, the development of Occupational Therapy Departments and chronic pain.  She was part of a significant research project for The Department of Work and Pensions.  This involved over 80 in-depth assessments of a range of disabilities including physical disabilities, mental health conditions, learning disabilities and sensory impairments.

Stephanie established and developed the Occupational Therapy Department at the Alexandra Private Hospital in Cheadle, Cheshire to provide a specialised service in the areas of orthopaedics, neurology, spinal surgery, terminal illness, amputees and chronic pain management.  When Stephanie left the hospital, she had contributed to the development of a highly regarded and successful occupational therapy service.

She taught regarding chronic pain syndrome on a highly successful pain management programme.

Stephanie is extremely well organised and is able to work under pressure.  She is a confident communicator, having delivered training and presented at a number of conferences to colleagues and other health professionals.

2025-Present
Advanced Occupational Therapist
States of Guernsey

2007-Present
Independent Occupational Therapist
Private Practice

2018-2025
Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist
East Cheshire NHS Trust

2016-2019
Specialist Advisor to the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

2005-2007
Clinical Specialist Occupational Therapist
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

2002-2005
Senior Occupational Therapist
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

1995-2001
Senior Occupational Therapist
The Alexandra Private Hospital, Cheshire

1995-1996
Senior Occupational Therapist
Stockport NHS

1995
Senior Occupational Therapist
Chorley District Hospital

1994-1995
Senior Occupational Therapist
Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester

1986-1990
Basic Grade Occupational Therapist
Macclesfield District General Hospital