Our Team

Sarah Joice became Clinical Director of PEAK Physiotherapy Limited in November 2005. All of the physiotherapists here at Yorkshire Children's Physiotherapy are personally recruited and carefully selected based upon their knowledge, experience and personal attributes.

Here is our team...

Dr Paige Copeland, MCSP

Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist

Paige graduated from the University of Dayton, Ohio, United States of America in 2012 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Allied Health. She continued her education at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina where she received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2015.

Paige began her career as a full-time Physical Therapist at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas where she gained extensive experience in the evaluation and treatment of children with orthopaedic injuries, acute and chronic neuro-muscular impairments, genetic disorders, developmental delay, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. Her rotations included paediatric out-patient and in-patient rehabilitation. During this time, Paige also served as the Lead Therapist for the Lung Transplants Programme.

At Texas Children’s Hospital, Paige was a member of the Acute Out-patient Rehabilitation Team, responsible for providing intensive physical therapy care to children presenting with acute and sub-acute medical conditions. She is passionate about continuing to provide intensive, goal-centred physiotherapy focused on maximizing each child’s functional independence when navigating home, school, and within the community.

Paige has taken post-graduate courses in neuro-development technique for the assessment and treatment of individuals with Cerebral Palsy and other allied neurological conditions. Paige has also completed post-graduate courses in the treatment and management of torticollis and Traumatic Brain Injury.

Paige moved to Leeds and joined Yorkshire Children’s Physiotherapy in September 2018. She splits her time between clinic and domiciliary/community appointments.

In 2019, Paige took on a part-time specialist role within the NHS, working as part of the Leeds Community Heathcare team. She manages a large caseload of children presenting with complex neurological and developmental needs and her role includes the prescription of equipment to aid in postural management and mobility.

In her free time, she enjoys going on hikes and exploring new cities.

Rebecca Hussey, MCSP

Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist

Rebecca graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in 2018, with a First Class Honours degree in Physiotherapy. Once qualified, she worked initially at York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in a rotational post. She then moved to the Leeds Community Healthcare Trust, specialising into the field of Paediatrics, in January 2020. This new role realised a long-term aspiration of Rebecca’s, as her passion for working with children, particularly those presenting with neurological difficulties, had been developing since she undertook a placement in that field, whilst at university.

Rebecca manages a complex caseload of children presenting with all manner of neurological conditions and has experience working with cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, developmental delay, and genetic disorders, amongst others. She works as part of the NHS multidisciplinary team in both clinic and domiciliary settings, including SILCs and mainstream schools. Her approach is holistic and client-centred, and she strives to ensure family engagement, working closely with parents/carers throughout the rehabilitation process.

From a young age, Rebecca has also worked as a gymnastics coach, and this experience has helped her become extremely effective at communicating with a large variety of children and young people, helping them to maintain motivation and to reach their goals. These skills also enable her to build exceptional levels of trust with both her clients and their families.

Rebecca’s post-graduate studies include training on sensory integration therapy, which means she is able to offer her services to our young clients presenting with SPD and sensory issues.

Rebecca joined the team at Yorkshire Children’s Physiotherapy in April 2021. She is based predominantly in clinic but can also offer community and domiciliary appointments.

When not working, Rebecca enjoys going on long walks in the country, exploring new places and painting, which is a new hobby that began during the first COVID lockdown in 2020.

Penny Townsend, MCSP

Specialist Paediatric Physiotherapist

Penny graduated from Sheffield City Polytechnic in 1990 with a Graduate Diploma in Physiotherapy. She specialised into the field of paediatric physiotherapy in 1993 and has since worked both within the NHS (as a Superintendent Paediatric Physiotherapist) and privately, treating children and young adults with a range of disabilities. She is a qualified Paediatric Bobath therapist (achieved 2001) and a member of the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists (APCP).

She is also a Specialist Moving and Handling Adviser, achieving NBE’s Manual Handling Advanced Member status in 2009. Penny currently presents at National and International Conferences on moving and handling children with neuro-disabilities. She has had a number of articles published on the subject in the journal Column, the moving and handling publication of the National Back Exchange (NBE), SEN magazine and Education for Everybody.

Penny works with the team at Yorkshire Children’s Physiotherapy, providing bespoke moving and handling training packages for families, designed to meet the individual needs of the clients within their own homes. She can also provide comprehensive risk assessment handling plans to reflect the needs of the client and carers, as well as bespoke study days for multi-disciplinary professionals about paediatric manual handling issues and challenging behaviour.

She has an in-depth wealth of knowledge of moving and handling equipment and adaptations which enables her to meet the needs of the clients and to ensure their safety and that of their carers. Penny also looks at how such equipment can be used to facilitate and support the child’s therapy programmes, in order to promote as much independence as possible.

In her spare time she enjoys running and pottering in her greenhouse.

Sarah Joice, MCSP

Clinical Director & Specialist Physiotherapist

Sarah graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University in 1998 with a First Class Honours degree in Physiotherapy. After qualifying, she worked within the NHS at Leeds General Infirmary, specialising in musculoskeletal disorders with a particular interest in dance injuries.

Sarah has developed a renowned, Specialist Physiotherapy Service for dancers within the Yorkshire region. More than 40 years of practical dance experience (to RAD Solo Seal standard) has enabled her to combine her love of dance with her physiotherapy career. She specialises in all manner of dance-related conditions, working with all ages and levels from recreational dancers to dance Scholars and Company Dancers. She has provided a screening service for musculoskeletal disorders at dance auditions previously involving the Yorkshire Ballet Scholarship Centre in York, and Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds.

Previous clients have included the Phoenix Dance Theatre (Leeds), and full-time dance students from regional schools, such as Hammond (Chester), The Northern School of Contemporary Dance (Leeds), Elmhurst (Birmingham), Tring Park (Hertfordshire) and Northern Ballet School (Manchester). Sarah also works with young dancers on the Associate and Graduate programmes at Northern Ballet Theatre (Leeds) and regularly treats professional performers when touring to The Grand Theatre, including cast members from Ghost, Phantom of the Opera, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Dance til Dawn, Barnum, Last Tango, Wedding Singer, Evita, Mamma Mia, Dreamboats and Petticoats, Cabaret, Tango Moderno and Calendar Girls. Sarah is also listed on the Dance UK Dance Practitioner Register.

Sarah became Clinical Director at PEAK Physiotherapy Limited, Yorkshire Neuro Physiotherapy and Yorkshire Children’s Physiotherapy in 2005 and combines her clinical caseload with business management and development. In her spare time, Sarah still enjoys all forms of dancing, and is an active member of local theatre company Brassneck. She also enjoys walking, travelling to far off lands and trips to the theatre.

 

"As a dancer myself, I understand just how frustrating an injury can be, and how important it is to make a speedy recovery but a safe return to class and performing. My experience allows me to speak the ‘language’ a dancer understands, which I find effectively breaks down the barriers that appear to exist all too often within the medical profession. I am passionate about my work, particularly with young dancers, and I am delighted to be able to help with both the physical and emotional side of injury management, supporting both the dancer and their family throughout the recovery process."

Sarah Joice

Anthony Smith

Physiotherapy Assistant & Sports Massage Therapist

Anthony graduated in May 2020 with First Class Honours having completed a 3-year degree in Sports and Exercise Therapy at Leeds Beckett University. The degree course covered a wide array of topics and placed a heavy emphasis on musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Areas that Anthony has covered during his time at University include musculoskeletal injury rehabilitation, biomechanics, and manual therapy techniques. He also had the opportunity to gain valuable experience working with the Bradford City Football first team, Yorkshire Carnegie Rugby, and treating patients at the University Injury and Massage Clinic.

Through his studies and work experience, Anthony has developed a great understanding of when to utilise specific massage techniques, which enables him to personalise his treatments to ensure that each individual client receives the best possible service. Anthony accrued more than 200 hours at University working hands-on with patients in clinical settings. He also returned to University in January 2021, to start a 2-year MSc degree in Physiotherapy, which will undoubtedly add to his core base of knowledge and further expand his skillset.

Anthony has been passionate about health and fitness since his early teens, and he appreciates that the benefits that exercise offers for mental health are just as important as the physical effects. He is looking to run the London Marathon in 2021 (no pressure!). He also enjoys going to music festivals during the summer, playing football and meeting new people.

Anthony joined the PEAK Sports massage team in September 2020 and is based at our Garforth Clinic. He is also on hand for working alongside our specialist Neuro and Paediatric teams as a Physiotherapy Assistant, when required.

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All of the services at PEAK Physiotherapy are supported by full professional accreditation, membership and qualification.