Physiotherapist Sarah Verity has worked at Bradford Teaching Hospitals since 1994, and now works with amputee patients.
Sarah originally began training as a student nurse in 1984, but left before graduating due to a family emergency. A decade later, after starting a family, she joined Bradford Teaching Hospitals as a therapy assistant before making the decision to train as a physio in 2000.
She has since gone on to become a Senior Physiotherapist, and now plays a key role in rehabilitating amputee patients treated at our hospitals.
“After qualifying as a Senior Physiotherapist I wanted to specialise in amputees because my granddad was an amputee,” she said.
“I now work with the vascular therapy team to improve patients’ mobility and function after vascular surgery and with patients with prosthetic limbs.”
Sarah is in no doubt that she found the right profession.
“I absolutely love my job! It’s the best job in the world because the feeling of achievement when you help someone walk with a false limb when they thought they would never be able to do anything again is just incredible!
“We see patients prior to their amputation operation so we can try and adapt their home. An amputation is a very emotional event so it’s important to get them back home as soon as possible.”
Sarah particularly enjoys building strong working relationships with the patients she looks after during a difficult time in their lives.
“Many patients feel vulnerable before the operation. But after we have seen them in hospital and spoken to them they have got an idea of what to expect and it builds a relationship.
“We help them to learn how to get out of bed and up walking, and once they are back at home they come back to us for physio once a week.
“We try and provide as much support as we can for them. Patients can ring us at any time they like, even if they have been discharged.
“We also have a support group called ‘Out on a Limb’, which provides an assistance fund for changes to the home such as ramps and stairlifts for both Bradford and Airedale amputees.”
Sarah stressed that her job was a long way from being ‘all doom and gloom’.
“It’s a long way from always being about sadness and misery. If you have had a leg ulcer for many years it dominates your life, so for some people an amputation is a new start and a new life and it allows them to go wherever they want.
