Meet the team
At Neuro OT we pride ourselves on being able to provide experience and expertise in brain injury rehabilitation, with each member of our team having more than a decade of experience working in the community with the most complex of clients.
Helen Kolster BSc (Hons), MRCOT, HCPC Reg
Specialist Brain Injury Occupational Therapist and Director
Helen has spent most of her clinical career working with clients who have complex cognitive, physical, emotional, and behavioural impairments following an acquired brain injury. She has worked in the private sector and within the medico-legal framework delivering complex neurological rehabilitation since 2008, and prior to that had the privilege of working at Walkergate Park, the regional centre for neurorehabilitation and neuropsychiatry in Newcastle.
Helen strives to ensure that her clients receive high quality assessments and interventions with clear client centred treatment goals. She has a special interest in the management of sleep disturbances and fatigue and has developed exceptional treatment skills to address these common difficulties. Helen is an ambassador for interdisciplinary team working and strives to work closely with other professionals to ensure that her clients receive a coordinated approach to their rehabilitation with shared interdisciplinary team goals.
Her outstanding knowledge and clinical skills in the field of brain injury rehabilitation have earned her an excellent reputation. She volunteered with Headway Tyneside for 15 years in a range of Trustee roles including Chair and was instrumental in the commissioning and establishment of the vocational programme, Headway2Work. In 2023, she was nominated for the Headway Annual Awards in recognition of outstanding achievements and dedication of brain injury survivors and those who support them.
Helen is HCPC-registered and a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT). A full CV is available on request
To hear more about Helen’s role, you can listen to an interview with Mark Quigley and Kate Oliver from Sintons Neurotrauma team as part of their ‘Meet the MDT’ podcast series:
Jo Wallis BSc (Hons), MSc, MRCOT, HCPC Reg
Specialist Brain Injury Occupational Therapist
Jo has spent her clinical career treating clients with an acquired brain injury who present with complex cognitive, physical, emotional and communication challenges. She has worked within NHS inpatient services at Walkergate Park, the regional centre for neurorehabilitation and neuropsychiatry in Newcastle, and within the charity sector, delivering brain injury services in the community.
Jo is cheerful, positive, and builds strong therapeutic relationships withher clients. She is empathetic and client-centred, ensuring creative and meaningful interventions are delivered to her clients.
Jo has developed a specialism in vocational rehabilitation having delivered an NHS contract to provide these services via Headway Tyneside’s Headway2Work programme. She is passionate about supporting those affected by brain injury and continues to work part-time as the Specialist Clinical Lead for Headway Tyneside, aiming to improve services in the Tyneside area.
Jo is HCPC-registered and a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT). A full CV is available on request.
Minnieke Vorster BSc (Hons), MRCOT, HCPC Reg
Specialist Brain Injury Occupational Therapist
Minnieke is a highly experienced neurological Occupational Therapist who qualified from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, in 2004.She specialises in supporting adults with complex needs following neurological injury, including acquired brain injury, spinal cord injury, and complex disability such as amputation. Minnieke has extensive experience working across both inpatient and community settings within the NHS and the private sector.
Minnieke has specialist expertise in cognitive rehabilitation, housing adaptations, and equipment provision, with a particular interest in supporting individuals with dysexecutive syndrome.
She is recognised for her strong clinical reasoning, creative problem-solving skills, and her ability to build effective relationships with clients, families, and multidisciplinary teams.
In addition to her clinical work, Minnieke acts as an Expert Witness, preparing occupational therapy and care reports for the Court. She holds the Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness Certificate.
Minnieke is HCPC-registered and a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists (BAOT). A full CV is available on request.
Ellie North BA (Hons), MRCOT
Lead Rehabilitation Assistant
Ellie has a wealth of brain injury knowledge and experience having worked in this sector since 2005 in roles of Rehabilitation Assistant, Team Leader and Support Worker, and has since worked with over 35 clients, children and adults, who have a range of cognitive, physical, emotional and behavioural difficulties, resulting from a brain injury.
Most of Ellie’s experience working in brain injury has involved working with clients who are considered to be ‘walking wounded’, who have hidden disabilities which frequently have devastating consequences on their lives. She is skilled in identifying subtle impairments and their impact on the client’s function.
Ellie has a particular interest in working with clients who present with challenging behaviour and for two years, led a team of Support Workers in a very exigent support package with frequent presentation of challenging behaviour from the client. She also has experience working with high dependency clients who have manual handling requirements.
Ellie is also a Personal Trainer and has completed the necessary qualifications to train individuals with health conditions, including brain injury, offering a unique and niche service.
A full CV is available on request.
Sharon Stewart MRCOT
Rehabilitation Assistant
Sharon has worked in the field of brain injury rehabilitation since 2008 in Rehabilitation Assistant, Team Leader, and Support Worker roles. She has worked with over 15 clients who have presented with complex cognitive, physical, emotional and behavioural impairments and has built effective therapeutic relationships in the most challenging of circumstances.
Most of Sharon’s experience working in brain injury has involved working with clients who are considered to be ‘walking wounded’, who have hidden disabilities which frequently have devastating consequences on their lives. Sharon is skilled at identifying subtle cognitive impairments following a brain injury and she understands how these present in functional activities.
She takes a proactive role in ensuring the client’s support and rehabilitation is personalised and delivered in a client centred manner, advocating on behalf of the client as an interface between them and the therapy team.
Sharon has a particular interest in working with clients who present with subtle cognitive impairment and challenging behaviour. She also enjoys working with clients who have a physical disability and require manual handling.
A full CV is available on request.
Mark Hammond HSc Cert, BA (Hons), DPC, PGDip, MBACP, MRCOT
Rehabilitation Assistant
Mark has over 13 years’ experience in the sector working as a Rehabilitation Assistant and Support Worker. He has supported over 20 clients to work towards achieving their rehabilitation goals. He has a particular interest in working with children and adults who present with subtle cognitive impairment, challenging behaviour, and physical disability.
Most of Mark’s experience working with adults has involved supporting clients considered to be ‘walking wounded’, whose impairments can be difficult to discern. Mark is adept at attuning to clients and picking up on the subtleties of their needs.
He has also worked with children and adolescents whose diagnoses include severe autism and traumatic brain injury. His role when working with children has been relatively diverse with intervention focusing on play, education, emotional regulation and sensory interventions, as well as personal care, household/community integration, and leisure when working with adolescents to develop independent living skills.
Mark is also a qualified Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, working with school aged children. He has recently published a book, adding author to his list of roles.
A full CV is available on request.
Emily Nicholson MRCOT
Rehabilitation Assistant
Emily has worked in the field of brain injury rehabilitation since 2019, holding roles as a Rehabilitation Assistant and Support Worker. In these positions, she has supported adults with a range of complex cognitive, physical, emotional, and behavioural impairments to achieve their goals.
Emily’s experience includes working with clients who have significant physical disabilities, utilising therapeutic handling skills under the direction of the multidisciplinary team. She has also worked with clients who have subtle cognitive impairments, demonstrating skill in identifying these ‘hidden disabilities’ and understanding their impact on her clients’ functional performance.
Emily takes a proactive approach to ensuring personalised, client-centred rehabilitation, acting as an advocate for her clients and serving as a crucial link between them and the therapy team. She excels in developing effective therapeutic relationships, even in the most challenging circumstances.
Beyond her professional commitments, Emily is dedicated to charity work often participating in challenges to raise money for several causes.
A full CV is available on request.
Alice Carman-Stobbart BSc, MSc, MRCOT
Rehabilitation Assistant
Alice has experience of supporting adults who have cognitive, physical, emotional, and behavioural difficulties due to a brain injury, through their rehabilitation journey. She has worked with clients in their home and community settings, supporting them to engage in goals relating to developing independence in activities of daily living and improving quality of life.
With an MSc in Psychology, Alice has a strong understanding of the cognitive and emotional challenges faced by clients. She is skilled in identifying hidden impairments linked to executive functioning difficulties and is experienced in working with emotionally dysregulated clients as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Alice’s experience as a Support Worker combined with her qualifications as a Personal Trainer place her in a unique position of being able to facilitate gym rehabilitation programmes under the guidance of the Physiotherapist, whilst also understanding the client’s presentation and the application of an enabling approach.
A full CV is available on request.
Barbara Blackman
Administrator
Barbara brings a wealth of administrative experience from both the NHS and private sector, having worked across a range of roles in the UK and abroad. With a background in modern languages and a career shaped by diverse professional environments, she has developed a strong foundation in organisation, communication, and project coordination.
Now working independently, Barbara provides confidential administrative support to help busy professionals focus on delivering high-quality care. She is delighted to be part of the Neuro OT Ltd. team, where she supports the smooth running of services behind the scenes.