Professor of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at the Population Health Research Institute at City St George’s University of London.
NIHR Senior Research Fellow in Knowledge Mobilisation.
Leader of the Community Rehabilitation Research Hub.
Mixed methods researcher leading rehabilitation research in musculoskeletal, rheumatoid and vascular long-term conditions.
Other interests include translation of evidence into practice and policy.

Fiona has led multiple studies to evaluate self-management approaches within healthcare teams including stroke, acute brain injury and major trauma. In 2013 Fiona set up a social enterprise ‘Bridges Self-management*’, which has developed and evaluated an approach to personalised self-management support co-designed with people living with complex long-term conditions and used by more than 800 acute and community healthcare teams across the UK.

In 2014, Fiona led the first NIHR funded study to evaluate the use of Experience–Based Co-Design to explore ways to increase therapeutic activity in stroke units. Fiona is currently the Co-lead for a large NIHR funded Listen project (Long Covid Personalised Self-managemenT support- co-design and EvaluatioN) and has led on the co-design of the intervention working in partnership with people living with Long Covid- this trial completes in October 2023. Fiona is also a co-applicant on projects funded by HTA and NIHR Global Health to co-design and evaluate personalised self-management support for people living with joint pain, arthritis and stroke.

Fiona is Deputy lead for the Implementation Science theme which is part of the Applied Research Collaboration – South London, and is on the selection committee for the HEE/NIHR ICA Programme, Advanced Clinical and Practitioner Academic Fellowship (ACAF) she is also a member of the European Life After Stroke committee.

Fiona has expertise in mixed methods and participatory research, co-production, and improvement/implementation science. Her focus is on co-design and working in partnership with patients, families, and clinical teams to develop and implement self-management training, interventions and resources. She currently supervises four PhD students based in the UK and Sweden

In 2014 Fiona became a fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists and in 2017 Fiona was awarded an MBE for services to rehabilitation.

*Bridges Self-Management is a social enterprise run in partnership with St Georges University of London and Kingston University www.bridgesselfmanagement.org.uk

I am a Clinical Academic Speech and Language Therapist - my academic role is based in the Centre for Allied Health, City St George's, as Director of Research, to help build research activity amongst our team in Radiography, Paramedic Science, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy. I am an NIHR awardee, supervisor, mentor and panel member, supporting NMAHP applicants on their clinical academic journey.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6835-7589

My research area is focused on the rehabilitation of people with spinal cord injury. I have been involved in set up and implementation of the London SCI Network as Education Lead to improve SCI care across London.

Background:
Consultant Speech and Language Therapist (critical care/complex dysphagia)

In 2020 I was the Clinical Lead SLT at NHS Nightingale London during the COVID-19 pandemic before continuing COVID clinical work at UCLH

My NIHR clinical doctoral research fellowship (CDRF) researched the inter-disciplinary care of acute cervical spinal cord injury patients, creating best practice recommendations and a dysphagia risk screening tool.

As an NIHR mentor and training advocate for Speech and Language Therapy I advise and support applicants to the NIHR integrated clinical academic pathway schemes.

I am a research champion and clinical advisor to the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and led the recent update of national guidance for SLTs working in critical care.

In 2018 I won the Advancing Healthcare Award as HEE/NIHR Research Champion

Specialist in Social Work and Social Policy; actively using problem-solving, planning, and creative techniques, to ensure the organisation functions smoothly. Confident in leading teams to success, while maintaining excellent communication and interpersonal skills, to establish complex partnerships and manage strategic forums.

Here are just some of my career highlights so far:
✩ Developed high-performing pre and post qualifying courses, which continue to achieve above average sector scores
✩ Successfully added new degree courses and led institutional validation, and professional and statutory regulatory body approval
✩ Successfully led team to procure and co-produce an Integrated Degree Apprenticeship programme working with a large group of London employers, leading to a substantial annual fee income
✩ Directed HEI working with 14 partners to establish one of the larger and successful regional teaching partnership
✩ Successfully cooperated with the Government of Gibraltar to set-up and run a BA course in the country
✩ Successfully led HEI participation (consortium of partners) in a Government funded national pilot (NAAS)
✩ Currently Co-Chair of University Vocational Awards Council (UVAC) Social Work Degree Apprenticeship Knowledge Network

Mixed methods research into physical activity and exercise intervention for adults with neurological conditions leading to physical disability.

Research assistant on randomised controlled trials (RCT) in stroke, inflammatory neuropathy and peripheral vascular disease. Also teaching support for physiotherapy BSc and MSc students (King's College London)

PhD in the assessment of physical activity of adults with progressive muscle disease (King's College London)

Post doctoral roles including an RCT of exercise in rheumatoid arthritis and health and social care knowledge mobilisation research. (St George's University of London)

Currently, manager of the Community Rehabilitation Research Network (CRRN) supporting research career development for health and care practitioners across the community.