Susanne Arnold

Who Am I?

As a qualified physiotherapist I worked clinically in an acute NHS setting for many years, specialising in acute medicine and the care of older people. I have also worked in a community-based intermediate care team working primarily with older people and can offer perspectives from these various clinical settings.

Since 2009, I have worked in an academic position, as a Research Associate, Research Fellow, and now Assistant Professor within the Surgery, Pain, and Rehabilitation theme at the Clinical Trials Unit (CTU) at Warwick University. I have been involved in both delivery and development of a variety of interventions for clinical trials involving older people and their health and wellbeing. These include exploring the effects of exercise on depression in older people living in care homes, exercise training for older people living with dementia and the largest clinical trial comparing three falls prevention strategies. Since joining Warwick CTU, I have completed my MSc in Research Methods in Health Sciences and my PhD in Health Sciences which was a mixed methods study exploring the long-term effects of falls prevention exercises in a cohort of older adults. These clinical academic experiences mean I have developed a keen understanding of both clinical practice and service delivery challenges against a backdrop of evaluation and research practice which I anticipate would offer benefit to the NAHP Council.

Previous National Committee Experiences

I am an active member of the Professional Network for Physiotherapists working with Older People (AGILE). In this, I have held the roles of Secretary and Research Officer on the National Executive Committee, as well as two years as AGILE Chair (stepped down in October 2022). In this I built excellent, sustainable working relationships with an ever-growing network of collaborators including clinicians and researchers from a variety of disciplines. Along with these connections, my strategic and operational experiences as AGILE Chair, could positively impact on and enhance my contribution to the NAHP Council.

What I Bring to the NAHP Council

My skills and experiences offer the NAHP Council Deputy Chair role a passion for older people’s care which the role requires, as well as a variety of clinical and research experiences in this area. I believe that the high-quality, personalised care that older people need is underpinned by strong MDT working. As a member of the NAHP Council, I would aim to promote this collaborative approach to promote care for older people. Working with and supporting the Chair, I aim to boost engagement with the BGS from all professions, to increase the impact that both individuals and our professions as whole can have on improving healthcare for older people.