Erin Cooper and Nikki Gray
Advanced Practitioner in Pelvic Health Physiotherapy, Belfast Health and Social Care Trust 

The reason I am nominating this team is for the dedication and work they have put into this role. As this was a new post for pelvic health, a lot of preliminary work was involved for Erin and Nikki: researching the area and developing their own knowledge base, setting up referral pathways, selecting appropriate outcome measures, and developing condition specific assessments and patient information leaflets. 

They have also delivered education sessions for patients, the neurology MDT, and the wider physiotherapy service to raise awareness of the role of a pelvic health physio and how, in particular, physiotherapy can help overcome and/or manage embarrassing problems such as urinary and faecal incontinence. The girls have been accommodating and supported each other through the project during periods of maternity and sick leave, showing great flexibility.  

The COVID pandemic led to redeployment for a short time and, when services resumed, the team had to move to a new way of working, delivering virtual appointments. This has been very successful with the patients and Erin has continued to offer this in addition to face to face appointments to meet service user’s needs. 

Erin and Nikki are exemplary physiotherapists, striving to shape the future of pelvic health and always have the patient at the centre of their care. They deserve to have recognition for the work they have put into this innovative service for MS patients. 

To read the Outstanding MS Physiotherapist case study, including the solutions, results, and more, click here and download the PDF or listen to pharmaphorum’s Deep Dive editor Eloise McLennan talking with Erin Cooper here.

Thank you to this year’s QuDoS in MS programme sponsors, Novartis and Roche.