British Association of Hand Therapists

About the Executive Committee

The Executive Committee of  BAHT is a group of members elected at the AGM to lead the organisation. The Executive's responsibility is to promote the objectives and manage the resources of the BAHT.

The individuals become Directors of the organisation according to the requirements of Charity Law. The titles of the committee members reflect their specific responsibilities to lead  in their area plus reporting to the whole committee at each alternate-monthly meeting. BAHT has been very fortunate to have had many forward thinking and hardworking committees over the years.

The current Executive Committee is:

Joelle Chalmer

Chair

Physiotherapist – London

Joelle is an Australian physiotherapist, who has spent most of her time since graduating working in burns and hand therapy, with the exception of a career break to travel around Europe that has seen her settle in London.

Joelle works in a team of generic hand therapists at St George’s Hospital in London and is particularly fascinated with traumatic hand injuries.

She joined the Executive Committee in 2010 and is keen to work in the role of Chair with the Executive Committee to promote hand therapy and BAHT over the coming years.

Margaret (Mags) Haydon

Vice-Chair / Director of Bursaries

Occupational Therapist – Harlow

Mags qualified as an Occupational Therapist in Dublin in 1994.  She has worked in hand therapy for the past 13 years, many of those in a unit with a mixture of plastic and orthopaedic referrals.  Aside from the patient contact one of her favourite parts of the job has been contributing to the learning and development of students and rotational staff.  She currently works in a small district general hospital and while she has successfully completed a number of BAHT level II courses has yet to complete her level III to meet her long-term goal of gaining accreditation.  

She feels that being a member of BAHT, availing of the regular journals as well as attending  accredited courses and conferences, has been invaluable.  She was co-opted to the executive committee in 2011 and looks forward to seeing how BAHT works “from the other side” before taking an active role on the committee.

Rachel Box

Secretary / Director of Administration

Occupational Therapist – London

Rachel works and at Guy’s and St Thomas ’ NHS Foundation Trust and previously worked at St Mary’s in Paddington.  Areas of special interest include Hand Trauma and Epidermolysis Bullosa.

 She was co-opted to the Executive Committee in May 2011.

Natasha Allen

Director of Membership

Physiotherapist – East Grinstead

Natasha is the BAHT Director of Membership, having taken on this role in 2010.  She is a Physio, working in Hand Therapy at Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead.

When not working, she enjoys time in the great outdoors, supports Arsenal Football Club and practices her French.  Natasha recently spent time with a French hand therapist in Nantes.

Leanne Miller

Director of Conference Planing & Research Grant Awarding Committee

Occupational Therapist – Norwich

Leanne has been qualified as an occupational therapist since 2004 and has specialised in Hand Therapy for four and half years. She currently works part time at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital covering elective and trauma orthopaedics and plastic surgery. Leanne also works part time as a Research Associate to Dr. Christina Jerosch Herold at the University of East Anglia, working on an observational study looking at sensory and motor impairment post carpal tunnel decompression as well as embarking on a randomised controlled trial looking at sensory re-learning after carpal tunnel surgery. She is currently in the 2nd year of a 3 year part time Masters in Clinical Research (prev. Health Science).

In her spare time Leanne is learning to play the violin and is hoping to climb the 3 peaks this year in preparation for Mount Kilimanjiro! Leanne is a newly co-opted member of the BAHT Executive Committee and is looking forward to playing an active role.

Pascalle Smith

Treasurer

Occupational Therapist – London

Pascalle is an independent occupational therapist, working across Kent and Sussex in three Private Hospitals. She has specialised in Hands for 10 years and is particularly interested in thumbs. Pascalle presented a poster at the BAHT Conference 2008 on reliability of thumb goniometry and with colleagues from Queen Victoria Hospital started a research study with into dynamic and static splinting for EPL injuries. Pascalle has gained a Certificate in Hand Therapy from Derby University, has recently been awarded her BAHT Level III and hopes to gain the Accredited Hand Therapist (BAHT) qualification.

Pascalle was co-opted into the BAHT Executive Committee early in 2011.  As a member since graduation, she is now interested in and looking forward to facilitating the professional body in its continuing provision of high quality education, advice, networking and support to its members.

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