Karen Howarth
Director and Clinical Specialist
Physiotherapist
Phone: 07811741753
Email: karen@neurorehabpt.co.uk
A Bit About Me
Karen is a Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist with expertise and a proven track record in the treatment and management of adults and children who have sustained a brain injury. She values the need for collaborative working and knows that the best results are achieved when working as part of an interdisciplinary team.
Karen treats the client's presentation and works to achieve the client's unique goals, ensuring that it is the client and not the condition takes central focus.
Employment History
June 2023- present
April 2016- June 2023
August 2019- 2022
March 2015- April 2016
May 2014- April 2015
November 2013- May 2014
September 2004- November 2013
Director and Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist at Neuro Rehab PT
Karen undertakes physiotherapy treatments for adults and children with complex neurological presentations. She completes expert reports for both the litigation and defence, for personal injury claims. Karen leads spasticity clinic's for adults and children with focal and multifocal spasticity.
Clinical Lead at PSP Neuro Rehab
Karen had a caseload of adult and paediatric patients with a diagnosis of complex neuro disability. She was responsible for leading a team of physiotherapists ensuring the highest standards of treatment were provided at all times.
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Spasticity Management. Royal Orthopaedic Hospital
Karen worked in a specialist spasticity management clinic undertaking a range of physiotherapeutic interventions including Botulinum Toxin injections, advising on pharmacological management and referring to other services including for surgical opinion.
Case Manager. Rehab Without Walls
Karen worked as case management for adults and children with life changing injuries. She was responsible for the recruitment and management of directly employed support staff, instruction, monitoring and co-ordination of therapeutic MDTs, predicating costs for client’s rehabilitation needs, and working alongside Financial Deputies to ensure work was completed with budget.
Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. Specialist neurological physiotherapist.
Karen was Clinical Lead for Community Neuro Physiotherapy and responsible for the assessment and treatment of adult neurological patients in the community setting, supervision of therapists and therapy assistants, and was the physiotherapy lead for NICE guideline implementation and audit with the North Manchester Community Team.
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust: Spasticity Outreach Therapy Lead
Karen was responsible for the development of a spasticity outreach service within the West Midlands conurbation. This involved teaching care and clinical staff within nursing homes about spasticity and its management, the design of a database to capture patient outcomes, and audit of the service.
Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Trust: Neurological Rotational Physiotherapist. March 2011- November 2013:
Rotational post covering: Inpatient Neuro Rehab, Spasticity clinic, Neuromuscular clinic and Specialist Regional Orthotics clinics.
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University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust: September 2010- March 2011
Rotational post covering: Neurosurgery, Multi-Speciality Medicine, Respiratory on call.
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Heywood Middleton and Rochdale PCT: April 2009- Sept 2010
Rotational post covering: In patient Stroke Rehabilitation, Neuro Outpatients, and Community Neuro Rehabilitation.
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Blackburn and Darwen PCT: June 2007- April 2009
Specialist Stroke Team.
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Salford Royal Hospital Trust: Sept 2004- July 2007
Rotational post covering: Stoke Rehabilitation, Acute Neuro Rehab, Acute Neurology, Neuro Surgery, Community Rehabilitation, Musculoskeletal Outpatients, Respiratory Care including Intensive Care Unit and on-call, Elderly Rehabilitation, Acute elderly Care.
BASIC. June 2006- July 2007
Brain And Spinal Injury Charity assessing patients with a diverse range of neurological conditions and provide them with an individualised gym programme.
Relevant Courses and Conferences attended
UKABIF. Time For Change Summit. 2022
British Neuro Toxin Conference. 2022
Advanced Shoulder and Upper Limb Cadaveric Workshop. Merz. 2022
CMI Level 4 Management and Leadership Influencing Skills. Edge Hill University. 2022
CMI Level 4 Management Styles and Behaviours. Edge Hill University. 2021
Biomechanical Considerations in neurological gait. Allergan. 2021
The evolution of Service to Delivery; Best practice around the UK. Allergan. 2020
Developing a risk classification system. Allergan. 2020
Post Stroke Spasticity: Return to the new normality. Allergan. 2020
Connecting the Dots in Neurological disorders. Allergan. 2020
International Spinal Cord Society: Physiotherapy Management of Spinal Cord Injuries. 2018
Serial Casting the lower limb in neurological patients. 2018
Spasticity Management. UCLAN. 2018
Perspectives of Spinal Cord Injury. Medtronic. 2018
Clinical Concepts in evolving spasticity. 2018
The rehabilitation prescription. UKABIF. 2017
Spasticity Management Professional Study day. 2017
Master class in the anatomy of ultrasound guided intra muscular injecting. Allergen. 2016
UK upper limb Spasticity Management meeting; Developing pathways of care. 2016
Patient Management in the clinic & use of Botulinum Toxin. Ipsen. 2016
Irwin Mitchell transitional conference. 2016
BABICAM conference. 2015
Care act 2014. 2015
Mental Capacity Act. 2015
FES Mygait Ottobock. 2013
Saeboflex. 2008
FES upper limb and lower limb (odstock). 2007
Introductory Bobath Course. 2006
Postgraduate Education
MSc Module Non Medical Prescribing. 2019
MSc Module Injection Therapy. 2017.
MSc Module Innovations in Neurological Physiotherapy. 2014.
MSc Module Movement Science approach to Stroke Rehabilitation. 2011
Teaching
UCLAN. MSc Module Injection Therapy 2018-2023
University of Bolton. MSc Pre- reg Physiotherapy. Introduction to Spasticity Management 2022-2023
University of Cumbria. Undergraduate Physiotherapy. Spasticity Management 2022
Clinical Placement Educator for Undergraduate Physiotherapy Students 6 week placements 2022-2023
Medico- Legal Training
CSP. Paediatric & Adult Neurology: The role of the Physiotherapist as an Expert Witness. 2018.
Bond Solon. Excellence in Report writing. 2018
Bond Solon. Witness Familiarisation; Courtroom Skills 2018
Bond Solon: Cross Examination. 2018.
