Annie is a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist who qualified in 2018. She began her career working across a range of acute general medical wards before discovering her passion for stroke and neurorehabilitation. She went on to lead a small team within hyper-acute and acute stroke services, where she developed specialist expertise in supporting individuals with complex communication and dysphagia presentations associated with neurological conditions. Annie is passionate about helping people communicate in whatever way works best for them, enabling meaningful interactions with family, friends and professionals. She also takes a collaborative and person-centred approach to developing safe and effective eating and drinking recommendations.
Annie has significant experience working with clients with aphasia, motor speech disorders and dysphagia (swallowing difficulties). She is certified in the AmpCare Effective Swallowing Protocol and delivers this evidence-based intervention as part of dysphagia rehabilitation programmes at STEPS. Annie has also undertaken further training in facial palsy management and has supported the development and implementation of related clinical protocols within the service.
During her time at STEPS, Annie has further developed specialist expertise in working with clients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (PDOC), tracheostomies, cognitive-communication difficulties and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). She is passionate about delivering individualised, goal-focused rehabilitation that maximises participation, autonomy and quality of life.
Alongside her clinical work, Annie has led a number of service developments and quality improvement projects. Notably, she established a multisensory group for individuals with prolonged disorders of consciousness, creating opportunities for meaningful stimulation, engagement and interaction. She presented the outcomes of this innovative work at the World Congress for Neurorehabilitation.
Outside of work, Annie is a self-confessed foodie who loves spending time with family and friends, exploring the outdoors, and making memories with her little boy.