The multidisciplinary team at Hobbs Rehabilitation love to learn and share our wealth of knowledge by teaching others. A student placement at Hobbs Rehabilitation provides the opportunity to work with our industry leading therapy team, patients living with a range of neurological conditions and illnesses, as well as work with state-of-the-art neurotech.
Keira Narraway, a second year BSC Physiotherapy Student at the University of Chichester, has recently completed a 6 week placement at Hobbs Rehabilitation South East and told us… “I have been lucky enough to have my first placement with Hobbs Rehabilitation, the best first placement I could have asked for! The whole team are so welcoming and made my first day nerves ease within seconds. My practice educators (Emily and Lizzie) are lovely and knowledgeable, taking their time to ensure I have the best experience. Hobbs Rehabilitation have provided me with so many amazing learning opportunities, ranging from the inpatient and outpatient neurological physiotherapy services, to the latest neurotech, as well as the range of multidisciplinary services used within a patient’s rehabilitation journey. The multidisciplinary therapy teams work closely together, to ensure their patients reach their full potential. It has been a pleasure to observe and be a part of the inspirational neurological rehabilitation that has been completed to improve patients’ lives!”
A student placement will include observation sessions, joint assessments and treatments led by experienced clinicians, progressing to independent assessments, treatments and planning a patients’ rehabilitation plan at Hobbs Rehabilitation. Discussing findings, implications and clinical reasoning is not only welcomed, but encouraged!
Lizzie Williams, Specialist Neurological Physiotherapist comments: “despite having qualified in 2015, I can recall many student placements like they were yesterday; the anticipation, challenges and successes combined played a huge part in where I find myself today. I enjoy taking what I have learned from being a student and an educator, to enhance every student placement we host. It’s a journey that I get to experience with each student to help them discover what neurological physiotherapy entails and how neurorehabilitation works; I get to share my passion, knowledge and skills with students and aim to provide them with a variety of learning opportunities with our patients.”
At Hobbs Rehabilitation, we have student placement opportunities across all disciplines at our range of centres across the south of England, including:
- Physiotherapy
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Clinical Neuropsychology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
The Power of Multidisciplinary Learning
Rebecca Hamilton, OT Student at Southampton University writes: “My placement at Hobbs was a unique opportunity to work in a cohesive MDT to achieve patients goals in the subacute part of their journey. Being able to discuss topics, patients, and ideas with specialist physios, psychologists, and SLTs really deepened my understanding of how all these professions come together and their boundaries with OT. The cohesion between professionals developed my understanding of how all of these professions complement and feed into each other. I enjoyed the level of creativity employed by OTs at Hobbs to be reflexive to their patient’s needs. It was important for me to understand the limitations of the placement in a private setting before starting. However, I did not feel these limitations impeded my growth at Hobbs. The service improvement project, in partnership with REMAP, facilitated greater participation and understanding of Hobbs and the climate in which it exists. The service delivery project worked really well as part of the placement as it required me to communicate with other sites and consider how Hobbs would interact with an external service. Occupational therapy at Hobbs is a special space that honours the OT profession; clinicians are creative, inventive, and truly patient-led in their approach to supporting patients’ goals. Occupational justice is at the core of OT service at Hobbs, collaboratively exploring access, identity and joy with patients. I found the skills/services available at Hobbs, from neurotech to environmental adaptations, whilst vast, never lose sight of the patient and their objectives.”
Joanne O’Shea, Specialist Neurological Occupational Therapist adds: “We are passionate about promoting a thriving clinical learning environment. Occupational therapy student placements have played a wonderful role at our centre in Hobbs Rehabilitation South East recently, here are some examples of what we have been involved with; a student’s research project that explored the role of occupational therapy with clients after an acquired brain injury concerning occupational identity with Leeds Beckett University, hosting a 10 week clinical placement from the University of Winchester, providing clinical education for a budding occupational therapist in neurological practice, working with University of Southampton to facilitate the first collaborative placement between clinical practice and Remap UK at the end of 2023 (Rebecca who we hear from above). This educational relationship linked the REMAP charitable organisation with our therapists to design and custom-make equipment to support our community’s independent living skills, mobility goals and to help them find bespoke solutions to enjoy much loved hobbies.”
Variety Matters
Last year, Hobbs Rehabilitation South East had the pleasure of hosting Hannah, a second year physiotherapy student at the University of Chichester. During Hannah’s time with us, she had the opportunity to develop her neurological physiotherapy skills in our inpatient, outpatient and group settings. Hannah comments: “I am truly grateful to have started my first placement with Hobbs; everyone has been friendly and welcomed me into the team. With the advice, support, and teaching of all the staff, I have greatly developed and expanded my knowledge and skills. I have been able to experience many different situations and environments, which has given me a wide breadth of understanding and confidence for future placements. Thank you all!”
For more information on our Student Placements, please enquire by completing the contact form on our website- education is at the heart of what we do!