Physiotherapy

Margaret Andrews
MSc Physiotherapy (2000)

I love to travel and after I completed my course I decided to combine my professional skills with my travel ambitions.  I gave up my private physiotherapy practice at the end of 2001 when my lease ran out.  I passed the interview and selection process for VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas)  and chose Ekaterinburg in Russia as I had always wanted to see Lake Baikal!  (I did travel with a friend by train to Lake Baikal and Ulan Ude and it was wonderful).  After a year VSO closed the programme in Russia, so I asked for a further Russian speaking placement - the only one was Kazakhstan, so I went there.  I had managed to learn the basics of the Russian language, and had my teaching material already translated into Russian.

What I really enjoy doing is working with children with disabilities, which I did during my time in Russia and Kazakhstan.  I also gave a series of short courses for local therapists in 2 cities in Kazakhstan, where I developed the teaching materials and course programme.  These have been used by other British Physiotherapists in other cities in Kazakhstan.  VSO has now pulled out of Kazakhstan, but teams of therapists who have received this training have been put in touch with each other and have progressed to training their own new staff members. Last summer I gave a similar short course for CBR workers in Nepal, and I am going back to Nepal in late October this year to give these participants a further course.

I currently work as a Bank Senior Physiotherapist at the Clare Park Hospital, Farnham, Surrey, which is now my only employment as I have almost retired!  I work approximately one weekend and 1-2 evenings a month on the surgical wards.  The work here is post cold orthopaedic surgery.

I enjoyed my overseas placements and had great job satisfaction in managing to set up training for therapists including trainers to continue this work.  It has meant that my pension is considerably smaller than it would have been had I chosen to work in the NHS.  The thrill of seeing local staff with no understanding of disability beginning to understand what they can achieve quite quickly, and working actively with children with disabilities is my reward.

My masters course in Physiotherapy at University of Brighton broadened my knowledge of associated skills - particularly teaching others and communication skills.  It is these skills that have enabled me to work overseas through an interpreter and with untrained people.  I found the academic content of the course testing, and had to learn to use a computer, the internet, and write referenced essays.  All these skills have proved useful since.

I have had to retire from my job as a Senior Physiotherapist at Treloars School near Alton, Hampshire as I have developed advanced osteoarthritis of my thumbs and wrists, which means I have limited strength in my hands and have to take regular medication.  I fully intend to keep up my short term overseas work for many years as I think I still have a lot to give here.  I have recently been approached by VSO to go and run a similar series of courses in another ex Soviet Union country and hope this can be arranged.