‘Lucky’ Occupational Therapist joins the team
Not many people can say that they’ve been hit by lightning but that is exactly what happened to our Occupational Therapist Expert Witness, Amy Kelly. Luckily, she lived to tell the tale.
A broad spectrum of specialities
After graduating in 2000, Amy was fortunate to work as a clinician across a broad spectrum of specialties, including acute medical, neurology, mental health, palliative care and learning disabilities. As Amy says, “I loved the variety and feel fortunate to have had such a diverse and brilliant grounding.” Having spent 10 years working within the NHS, she then moved to the voluntary sector, taking on an incredibly rewarding role at Rotherham Hospice.
A move to Case Management
In 2016, a move into Case Management gave Amy the opportunity to combine all of her skills and experience, in order to oversee the breadth of care an individual requires after a serious injury. Amy found the move into Case Management very positive and she particularly enjoyed working with complex cases, especially those with dual diagnosis. As Amy puts it, “I find the development of a strong therapeutic relationship with my client to be very rewarding, especially when the individual requires additional mental health support to engage or has di culty trusting health care professionals.”
Current role
Within her current role as a Case Manager, she is regularly assessing clients, identifying what statutory services they have already received and what additional support they may require. Amy will regularly liaise with the other professionals involved to ensure her clients' needs are met.
Additionally , Amy monitors the individual’s progress with the aim of returning them to their pre-injury level of function (ideally with a return to work). Depending on their injuries this might not always be possible, so she arranges treatment and organises any necessary aids or adaptations to enable optimal functioning.
Why become an Expert Witness?
As Amy explains, “It’s something I had been considering for a while, so when the opportunity arose, I jumped at it. By becoming an Expert Witness, I not only get to utilise my years of valuable experience but also get to learn new skills, which is something I always enjoy.”
Lesser-known facts about Amy
She has recently moved to Derbyshire and in her free time enjoys socialising and (as a budding thespian) has joined the local amateur dramatics company.
When she first graduated, Amy applied for a job as a bus driver. As part of the interview, she had to drive a bus around a small village and nearly crashed it into the back of a Rolls Royce. Needless to say, she didn’t get the job!
For further information about Jane James & Associates, please
contact us on 01249 456360, or at info@jjaltd.co.uk
