Sheffield

Operations Manager

Nicola has over 10 years’ experience working within MSK Physiotherapy after qualifying from the University of Huddersfield; including seven years working in the North Kirklees MSK Service. She has worked within semi-professional sport, mainly Rugby League, since 2007. She progressed to a managerial role within Connect Health as Physiotherapy Team Lead; which involves the support, co-ordination and leadership of the Physio/Rehab Therapists and has now progressed to Operations Manager for Yorkshire. She provides support for the CATS service, assisting with triage and providing injection therapy. She also works collaboratively with other professionals and services locally to facilitate better patient pathways. Nicola has a passion for self-development and the development of others, as well as proactively supporting MSK Education events ran by Connect. Nicola was provided with a large amount of development through Connect’s structured leadership programme, which she completed in June 2018.

Regional Clinical Lead

Francis joined Connect Health Pain Services in 2012 and is currently the Regional Clinical Lead for the North East region. Since joining, she initally worked as a clinical specialist and generally took on more managerial responsibilities as a Clinical Lead and then Regional Clinical Lead for the Central region and similar to her current role, supports the Clinical Leads and Regional Contracts Manager in maintaining good clinical standards across the region, good relationships with commissioners and GPs and ensuring that the teams are informed and well-supported.

Francis is a qualified Physiotherapist with a background of working in MSK in the NHS and privately and this is where she developed a special interest in chronic pain and how best to manage this complex condition that affects every aspect of people’s lives. She has completed an MSc in Primary and Community Care Pain Management as well as qualifying as a non-medical independent prescriber through Nottingham University.

Clinical Lead

Tom graduated from the University of Bradford in 2009. Following this he worked in a number of physiotherapy roles in Wakefield for the Mid Yorkshire NHS trust. He gravitated towards working with people with persistent or long-lasting painful conditions in the Rheumatology service. Steadily moving south he joined what is now Connect Health Pain Services the year the Tour de France came to Yorkshire (2014). Perhaps following the route of the Peloton, he is now the lead clinician in the Barnsley and Sheffield services. He will openly tell anyone that clinicians and patients in South Yorkshire are the best out there.

Tom likes to think he knows a thing or two and values the role of research and evidence in managing pain, having completed his MSc in Health-related Research. He supports and contributes to the Physiotherapy Pain Association journal, Cochrane and the Flippin Pain Campaign. Tom has a clinical interest in Fibromyalgia/Chronic Widespread pain and has worked with a research group based at Sheffield Hallam University exploring how people with this condition find healthcare. Tom also thinks that the robots are coming for us all so does his best to put technology to good use in healthcare. Tom likes cycling, walking and the sound of rain on a tent.