Physiotherapy

Paul Deane (BSc, MCSP) is a specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist who after qualifying from Sheffield Hallam University with a first-class honours degree, has worked in a variety of different clinical areas within the NHS before specialising in neuro-musculoskeletal injuries.

Paul is devoted to maintaining the highest standards of clinical practice through continuous professional development, having completed a MSc module in neuromuscular triage, published a case report on sickle cell anaemia and avascular necrosis, whilst also guest lecturing at King’s College London on both the BSc and MSc physiotherapy courses.

Paul has a passion for helping clients return to sport, having a particular interest in the rehabilitation of lower limb injuries. He has worked in a variety of national and international elite sport settings, including football, rugby and as part of the British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) medical team at elite level university sporting competitions.

Special interests:

• lower limb injuries
• return to sport rehabilitation

Michael Gale (MSc, MACP) is a clinical specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist with a Masters degree in Advanced Physiotherapy from Kings College London.  Michael has over 18 years of clinical experience and joined the musculoskeletal team at Guy’s and St Thomas’ in 2013.

Michael originally trained as a professional contemporary dancer, he then moved into exercise teaching and personal training including Pilates mat work and eventually qualified as a Chartered Physiotherapist (2008).  Michael now works in advanced practice at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and is nationally recognised as a Health Education England Advanced Practitioner.

Michael is a registered practitioner with the British Association of Performing Arts Medicine (BAPAM) which delivers healthcare in the NHS and privately for working performers.  He maintains memberships of several professional organisations:  British Foot and Ankle Society, Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists and the Pilates Foundation.

Special interests:

• rehabilitation of performers (professional and student)
• manual therapy (including acupuncture)

Mrs Sita Kansagra is a highly specialised respiratory physiotherapist who has worked at a specialist level at the Royal Brompton Hospital for over 10 years. Her work co-leading the NHS outpatient service has focused on treating patients with chronic lung disease, complex airway clearance needs and breathing pattern disruption, as well as upper airway disorders including exercise induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) and large airway collapse.

For 6 years Sita was a key member of the specialist asthma team at the Royal Brompton, working alongside world renowned consultants. She has gained a passion for treating patients with complex asthma presentations and working with patients starting cutting edge treatments.

Her experience working in this multidisciplinary team has embedded her holistic, patient focused approach to all her treatments. In addition to her vast respiratory clinical experience, Sita has delivered lectures on the University College London cardio-respiratory masters course on breathing pattern disorders and upper airway disorders, and also delivered a lecture at the Royal Society of Medicine on airway clearance methods.

Her specialists areas of interests are:

• breathing pattern and cough assessment
• airway clearance
• long term respiratory conditions.

Mr Oliver Smith is a respiratory physiotherapist at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals. He graduated from the University of Southampton (MSc pre-reg) and completed junior and senior rotations in respiratory and non-respiratory specialties at University hospital Southampton. He then moved to Oxford University hospitals where he specialised further in respiratory medicine and eventually took over as the team lead for the outpatient and inpatient team. He now works as an outpatient clinical specialist Physiotherapist at RBH following a year leading the oxygen and pulmonary rehabilitation service.

The treatment that Oliver Smith provides is generally targeted towards the management of cough, sputum, breathlessness, fatigue and poor exercise tolerance.

Gemma Korff has work at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals since 2021 and has more than 15 years of clinical experience within the field of respiratory physiotherapy, specialising in respiratory medicine including adult inpatient and outpatients.

Her areas of clinical expertise include:

• long COVID
• oxygen assessment and pulmonary rehabilitation
• chronic suppurative lung disease including bronchiectasis
• obstructive lung diseases such as asthma
• breathing pattern dysfunction
• ventilation