Celebrating our AHPs

This month we’re highlighting our Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) who all play a crucial role in treating, rehabilitating, and improving the lives of our patients.

There are nine different AHP sectors working across our Trust, which includes physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, dieticians, radiographers, operating department practitioners, podiatrists, prosthetists/orthotists and orthoptists.

Working with patients and helping them in worrying times is why I enjoy my job so much. Making them smile, putting their fears to one side and aiding their journey through the hospital is most rewarding. Working with modern technology and new techniques makes the job not only fulfilling, but also extremely interesting.

Charlie Jackson, Deputy Governance Lead, Imaging

I’ve been a Therapy Assistant at Aintree for 23 years and I was only planning on staying for a month! I worked 10 years on Stroke and the rest of the time I’ve worked in General Medicine. Although my role as a Therapy Assistant has changed over the years for personal reasons, I still enjoy my work and have a very supportive team of Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists.

Sammi Liu, Renal Specialist Dietitian

I'm a Renal Specialist Dietitian. I help support patients with a background of renal issues, particularly those with chronic kidney disease who may or may not need regular dialysis. I work in both inpatients and outpatient settings. “I love that my job involves a lot of investigating and problem solving around nutrition and biochemistry. One of the great things about my job is that I work very closely with the medical team, pharmacist and the rest of the MDT. Every day comes with new challenges, but we are all there to support each other despite our different backgrounds.

Vicki Wong, Orthoptist

Orthoptists are experts in investigating, diagnosing and managing eye movement disorders and problems with how the eyes work together (binocular vision). We also assess vision in patients of all ages and abilities. We monitor visual development in children and work with a range of other specialities both within and beyond ophthalmology and as a result we manage a wide variety of patients.

Sara Hatton, Specialist Speech and Language Therapist

I work in the First Response Team at Aintree as an Occupational Therapist. I work alongside a fabulous bunch of people, including physiotherapists, therapy assistants and assistant practitioners. We cover lots of different wards and assessment areas within AED which means no two days are the same; it keeps us on our toes! Our main aim is to assess people's functional ability to improve their safety, quality of life and independence as much as possible. We also see patients in their own homes after they have been discharged, which is a rewarding part of the job.

Sharon Mills, Occupational Therapist

As Operating Department Practitioners we are highly skilled members of the Perioperative Care Team, with the specialist knowledge needed to care for our patients in all three key areas: anaesthetics, surgery and recovery. Working on our Aintree site, we are the regional Major Trauma Centre for the North West, and we provide the full range of services and clinical expertise for patients who are severely injured from all areas of the region. We have a fantastic team ethic and spirit, which reflects the city as a whole. Liverpool is a vibrant, forward-thinking city that welcomes people of all backgrounds. There really couldn’t be a better place to live and work.

Zoe Pennington, Operating Department Practitioner