FOUNDER & CLINICAL DIRECTOR (OT)

Gemma is a qualified Occupational Therapist with 20 years of experience across community and acute care. Since 2006 she has supported people with complex needs, including frailty, stroke, neurology, spinal injury, paediatrics, and end-of-life care.

Gemma began in community practice, designing home adaptations, prescribing equipment, and training carers in safe moving and handling. She then joined acute services, delivering rehabilitation after trauma or long-term condition flare-ups, and specialised in frailty. She helped establish an award-winning dementia unit offering a different approach to care and rehab.

In 2020 Gemma returned to the community as Lead Therapist for a functional rehabilitation team, refining reablement programmes that maximise independence and self-management. She co-led the service to an "Outstanding" CQC rating, developed a reablement training course, and undertook research on reablement in older adults.

Gemma also produces reports, business cases, and expert-witness work, publishes in OT News, and has completed a Master's module in Advanced Clinical Practice.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

Kaylee is a qualified Occupational Therapist with 15 years' experience, focused on rehabilitation and reablement. Before joining Ocupa, she served as the CQC Registered Manager for an early-intervention and prevention team delivering community rehabilitation for adults. Under her leadership, the service achieved an "Outstanding" rating from the Care Quality Commission.

Her practice is grounded in clear assessment, practical goal-setting, and evidence-based interventions. Kaylee specialises in enabling people to regain function, manage long-term conditions, and maintain independence at home. Her work includes functional assessment, tailored programmes, equipment prescription, and liaison with families and care providers to ensure safe, sustainable plans.

Kaylee is motivated by helping people reach realistic goals. She believes Occupational Therapists are well placed to combine creative problem-solving with rigorous clinical reasoning, and it is that blend she brings to each case at Ocupa, delivering reliable outcomes and concise reports.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

Kate is a highly experienced Occupational Therapist with almost two decades of clinical experience across health, social care, and the NHS. She qualified in 2007 with an MSc in Health Through Occupation from the University of Brighton and has since developed broad and specialist expertise supporting working-age adults and older people.

Kate specialises in rehabilitation and reablement, with a strong focus on enabling independence. She has extensive experience assessing clients in their home environments, advising on adaptations, and recommending equipment tailored to individual and family needs. Her expertise includes wheelchair assessment and seating, multidisciplinary moving and handling solutions, and discharge planning.

Alongside clinical work, Kate has contributed as a clinical lecturer at the University of Brighton and remains committed to professional development through supervision, peer networks, and continued learning. She is dedicated to delivering person-centred care guided by each individual's goals, values, and desired way of life.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST

Carolyn is a qualified Occupational Therapist who graduated from the University of Southampton, building her career within community rehabilitation services. She has experience supporting individuals with a wide range of physical health conditions, disabilities, and dementia, helping people remain as independent as possible in their own environments.

Her approach is centred on understanding the whole person. Carolyn is skilled in completing functional and cognitive assessments within the community, using this insight to develop practical, goal-led rehabilitation plans. She works closely with individuals, families, and multidisciplinary teams to identify challenges, build confidence, and find realistic solutions that support everyday life.

Carolyn is passionate about enabling people to take an active role in their own rehabilitation, with a focus on helping individuals engage in the activities that matter most to them in a way that feels achievable and sustainable.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

I’m Ocupa’s Admin Assistant. I have a background in business management, with hands-on experience across tourism, hospitality, events and childcare. Prior to business administration, I spent four years as an accessibility consultant, helping organisations design welcoming, inclusive and compliant experiences for people of all abilities. That work sharpened my eye for detail, clear communication and practical problem-solving.

Today I support Ocupa’s management team by streamlining processes, organising diaries, managing inboxes and calls, coordinating events and documentation, and building simple systems that keep work moving. I’m happiest when I’m bringing order to complex schedules and removing friction for our clients.

I handle the phone and a range of operational tasks, so your first contact may be with me. I’ll make sure your enquiry is listened to, understood and routed quickly to the right professional support.

PRACTICE MANAGER

I’m Ocupa’s part time Practice Manager. My focus is making the practice run smoothly so clinicians can focus entirely on patient care. I oversee aspects of finance and bookkeeping, contracts and suppliers, HR administration and payroll, and assist with day-to-day compliance. I support quality and governance by maintaining policies and procedures and keeping us aligned with things like GDPR and health-and-safety requirements. With a background in operations, marketing and communications, I build simple systems that reduce admin, improve client experience and give the team clear, reliable information. Typical work includes streamlining enquiry-to-assessment pathways, managing our CRM, refining reports and templates, and producing concise client updates and service communications. I enjoy solving practical problems, negotiating value from suppliers and keeping the detail ship-shape. And yes, I make a decent cup of tea when the kettle calls — always properly brewed.