Wakefield

Regional Manager

Sam joined Connect in 2000 and is currently Regional Manager for the South Tyneside, Darlington, Northumberland, Wakefield and North Kirklees MSK contacts. Previously, she was Service Manager for the 3 North East MSK contracts, responsible for line managing the Team Leaders in the service and managing relationships with the practices and CCGs. As well as ensuring key performance indicators for the services are met and our team are happy, supported and well informed.

Sam qualified as a Physiotherapist in 1996 from the University of East Anglia and worked in the NHS for 3 years as a Junior and then Senior MSK Physiotherapist in the South of England. In 2000, she then took up a Physiotherapy role at Connect in Newcastle which tied in with a move to the North of England.

Since joining Connect, Sam worked clinically for the first 10 years within the NHS services and Occupational services whilst taking on more managerial responsibility. Sam was involved in setting up Connect’s first intermediate services in North Tyneside and also the first PhysioLine service in South Tyneside. Since 2010, Sam has worked as an Operational Manager at service level and also regionally, successfully mobilising many new services in the North of England for Connect. She has completed an NVQ in Leadership and Management, and courses including project management, financial management, account management and development and coaching.

Consultant Physiotherapist, Clinical Lead North

Andrew joined Connect Health in April 2017 as the Clinical Lead for both the Wakefield and the North Kirklees Musculoskeletal (MSK) Services, having previously worked in the NHS as an Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner. Andrew is now our Consultant Physiotherapist for the North alongside his Clinical Lead role for our Yorkshire services, as well as having previously held the national position as Upper Limb Subject Matter Expert for Connect.

Andrew’s clinical interest is in complex presentations that haven’t responded to previous treatment, particularly for those presentations affective in the upper limb. In 2017, he was invited to sit on the Education Committee for the European Society of Shoulder & Elbow Rehabilitation (EUSSER). In 2018, he was honoured to be an invited speaker at the scientific meetings for the British Elbow and Shoulder Society (BESS), EUSSER and the British Association of Hand Therapy (BAHT).

Whilst a committed clinician, Andrew is also an active researcher and has published widely on MSK disorders. In 2018, he was awarded a research studentship and is currently studying for a PhD within the Research Institute for Primary Care and Health Sciences at Keele University, where his supervision team includes Dr Chris Littlewood and Professor Nadine Foster. The focus of Andrew’s PhD research is the use of diagnostic imaging for common musculoskeletal conditions in primary care: rationale and decision making.

Advance Practice Physiotherapist, Team Lead

Neil graduated from the University of Huddersfield in 2008 and secured his first Junior Physiotherapist role in the NHS in Rotherham. After several junior rotations, he began to specialise in Musculoskeletal/Orthopaedic Physiotherapy and gained his first senior position eighteen months post-graduation; completing rotations in orthopaedic inpatient, outpatient rehab and then settling in musculoskeletal outpatient services.

Whilst continuing to develop in his role in the NHS, he also worked in Professional Rugby Union for nine seasons as one of the medical team at the club. He has also worked extensively in private practice in Rotherham, gaining more knowledge and skill in managing musculoskeletal conditions.

Neil joined Connect in November 2017 as an Advanced Physiotherapy Practitioner and has thoroughly enjoyed his time so far, even being fortunate enough to be selected to be the Subject Matter Expert for the lower limb.

When not at work, Neil enjoys running, spending time in the countryside with his family and dog and still occasionally attempts to play rugby.