Jennifer Mathias
MHT Director
Senior Clinician
Things are back in full swing at MHT with recent recruit Dominic Tan back from a month’s holiday and looking forward to settling in and meeting patients.
On that note, we are offering a $20 discount for any initial consultation with Dominic for the rest of June. He will be working at our East Ringwood clinic on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays and at our Latrobe practice on Tuesdays.
Speaking of Latrobe, we are finally back in our own practice rooms in Suite 1 at Latrobe Private Hospital. It feels like the renovations have been going on for years (actually, it has only been six months) and I know our therapists have enough of being crammed into the hospital’s temporary spaces. But it’s all over. We’re back home and the extensive renovations have given the clinic a fresh and welcoming lift. Let us know what you think. Our therapists are loving it and we’re excited for our patients to also visit and enjoy.
In other news, we have welcomed another new therapist, Alison Butler. Alison has extensive clinical experience and, as bonus, hails from Ireland. She’s lovely to chat to, comes highly recommended and, let’s be honest, has a fabulous accent! (Although our long-time Scottish therapist, Kim might have something to say about that.)
You can read all about Alison and her background in this edition of the newsletter. As per tradition being the newest recruit, Alison has been roped into this month’s Fast Five so you’ll get the chance to have a peak under the hood, so to speak. Don’t miss it.
Meanwhile, our therapists continue to further their specialties through approved accreditation programs. We’ll give you the latest on Kim, Morgan and Terri as they add to their already impressive list of academic achievements and clinical practice with accreditations in their area of practice.
And thanks to the MHT therapist who came along to our TSL Compression Garments Workshop. As hand therapists we use compression garments regularly for scar management, amputations and for neurological conditions. It was good to catch-up on the latest compression technology.
And with the ski season – our busiest time – about start, could all skiers please be mindful of shoulder injuries and snowboarders WEAR WRIST GUARDS.
Enjoy the June newsletter. Looking forward to catching you up further in July newsletter.
Our therapists are always on the go when it comes to furthering their skills and credentials. At MHT, we encourage all therapists to undertake further clinical and academic advancement that provides further accreditations. This benefits our patients, our practice and all our staff.
We pride ourselves on providing advanced care and knowledge and this can only occur when therapists are dedicated to continuing education in their speciality.
Here is a brief rundown on the latest accreditation courses by a couple of our therapists.
Morgan Klooger, a specialist hand therapist from our Ringwood East, Victoria Parade and Waverley clinics has recently completed the Fundamentals of Hand Therapy Course through the AHTA.
“Upon completion of this course, I was able to expand on my anatomy knowledge of the upper limb, and further understand and explain the distinctive functions, biomechanics, pathology, and healing timeframes for each structure,” she said.
“This course allowed me to comprehend the diagnostic imaging techniques for the upper limb and broaden my understanding around the neurophysiology and psychology of pain and injury.
“This course emphasizes clinical reasoning rather than discussing comprehensive treatment plans. It provided me with the essential principles of hand therapy to assist me in my clinical reasoning and resolving clinical situations during assessment.”
Thanks Morgan. Meanwhile our popular physiotherapist, Terry Stanley-Clarke, is working on her accreditation as an Australian hand therapist.
“I am currently in the process of becoming an Australian accredited hand therapist,” she said.
“Recently I attended the mobilisation orthosis course which is a core requirement.
“The practical component of this involved a full weekend of learning how to fabricate a range of splints aimed at improving the passive range/the stiffness of joints. It was very beneficial and I came away with a range of new splinting skills.”
Alison Butler
We are thrilled to welcome a new therapist to the MHT family.
Alison Butler is an Irish-trained and highly credentialled occupational therapist with a specialty in hands who will predominately be based in our Blackburn and Ringwood East clinics.
Alison graduated with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science (Honours) from University College, Cork, in Ireland.
Following her graduation, Alison spent three years in the hand therapy department at Ireland’s Tullamore Regional Hospital treating both acute orthopaedic inpatients and outpatients.
On arriving in Australia, Alison took up a role as an OT in a community-based disability service providing stroke rehabilitation and treating upper-limb conditions.
Alison won over our MHT interviewers with her fresh, focussed attitude and her determination to be part of each of her patient’s recovery.
She is passionate about delivering evidence-based practice with functional outcomes, takes pride in her service delivery and believes firmly in developing therapy programs and goals in collaboration with her patients that fit with life roles and daily routines.
Alison is a member of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and the Irish health professionals’ regulatory body (CORU).
Are we happy to have Alison on board? To be sure, to be sure.
Alison Butler
According to MHT etiquette, it is our newest recruits who are traditionally offered up to the Fast Five sacrificial table. And this month is no different. Our new Irish hand therapist Alison has had the Fast Five microphone unceremoniously dumped on her desk. Take it away, Alison.
What is your guilty streaming pleasure and why?
I think I’ve watched every episode of Seinfeld about 10 times. Great chewing gum for the brain, but I feel guilty in the sense that I haven’t branched out much at all in terms of TV shows. Calling all patients – bring me recommendations!
Who do you admire and why?
My dad. He’s an incredibly hard worker but can always keep sight of the bigger picture. He’s also one of these people who always has a new skill or project he’s working on.
What is your go-to Karaoke song?
I do love Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven is a Place on Earth”. However, I did it a couple months ago for karaoke. I was rocking everyone’s socks off, and then my friends turned the volume way down. Not so sure it was as enjoyable for everyone else!
What celebrity annoys you the most and why?
I can’t stand Christian O’Connell from Gold FM. I just think he loves the sound of his own voice.
If you had to be a Disney character, who would you be and why?
Probably Jessie from Toy Story. She’s fun and tough and it might have something to do with the fact I would love to be a cowgirl!
