AMY WILLIAMS
DIRECTOR AND CLINICAL LEAD SPEECH AND LANGUAGE THERAPIST
When choosing a therapist, it is important to take into consideration their background, experience and credentials.
Amy Williams has been practising as a Speech and Language Therapist for over 15 years. She is registered with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, Health Care Professionals Council and the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice.
She started her career by studying "Human Communication" and gaining a BSc Hons and her professional qualification in 2006, at DeMontfort University, Leicester. After four years in Leicester, she returned to her much loved home of Essex.
Amy started work at South East Essex Primary Care Trust, as it was known at the time, in a rotational post between adult and children services. During this first year of working, she was able to complete her newly qualified SLT competencies and basic dysphagia training.
After nearly two years working between children and adult services, Amy decided to begin to specialise in stroke and gained a Senior Speech and Language Therapist post at Basildon Hospital, working on the stroke unit there. Whilst at Basildon Hospital, she was able to further develop her dysphagia skills by completing a post graduate, MSc module in Adult dysphagia at Sheffield Hallam University. She also completed her tracheostomy dysphagia assessment and videofluoroscopy RCSLT competencies.
During this time, Amy not only developed her skills in stroke and dysphagia but began to have an outpatient caseload which developed skills in working with people with progressive neurological conditions, such as Parkinson's disease, primary progressive aphasia and dementia and patients with head and neck cancer.
Amy became a Connect trainer with the ability to teach other professionals skills in communicating with people with aphasia and other communication impairments. She also guest lectured at Essex University, sharing her expertise of working with people who had communication and swallowing impairments following stroke.
In October 2012, Amy had the privilege of teaching neurology to 22 Speech and Language Therapy students at the Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Paralysed in Savar, Bangladesh. It was an incredible experience that tested and enriched all of her clinical skills and more! Whilst there, she was also lucky to participate in a "cleft camp", helping with the aftercare of children following surgery to repair their cleft lip and palate.
Upon returning to the UK, after five years at Basildon Hospital, she decided it was time for a change and gained a role as a Senior Specialist Speech and Language Therapist at Homerton Hospital, which is renowned for it's neurological rehabilitation services. There were many highlights of her time at Homerton but a few include: being a lead therapist within the Hackney and City Stroke service, leading the videofluroscopy service at the hospital, developing external training courses for Speech and Language Therapists, completing masters level post graduate training in clinical leadership and developing a new service pathway for Speech and Language Therapy within the Integrated Independence Team in Hackney.
Throughout and alongside her NHS career, Amy has continued to develop her independent practice covering various different speech, language and swallowing disorders in adults and children. She has developed a keen interest in Child Speech Disorders, alongside her work with adults with neurological conditions, most recently attending further training at Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health.
In December 2019, Amy took the decision to step away from the NHS to further pursue her independent practice and bring balance to her family life with her husband and two small boys, in Rayleigh, Essex.
Amy continues her professional development by attending courses and clinical excellence network meetings. She continues to undertake regular clinical supervision with leading specialists in her fields of practice.
Amy regularly liaises with other NHS and Independent Speech and Language Therapists in her professional network and she is currently Chair of the local Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP) group. Amy has also created a course, "Chatty Babies" for new parents, to promote babies communication skills from birth - something she has developed from her professional knowledge and personal experience.
A real passion for Amy is providing regular placements for student Speech and Language Therapists from Essex University, to share her wide range of professional knowledge and experience to future Speech and Language Therapists.
KERRY MCCRORY
Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Kerry is a Specialist Paediatric Speech & Language Therapist.
She qualified from Reading University in 2019 and has always worked in private practice.
Kerry is a paediatric therapist working with children in school and nursery settings. She has worked with those with speech sound disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, developmental language disorder and social communication difficulties.
As her experience has developed, Kerry now has a particular interest in working with young children with speech sound disorders, and loves to make her sessions as dynamic and exciting as possible for the children.
Kerry has attended courses such as WordAware training and Nuffield Dyspraxia training.
Kerry regular leads on company projects such as providing training for nurseries and language intervention groups for toddlers.
Recently, Kerry has had the opportunity to lecture and share her specialist skills at Essex University to MSc Speech and Language Therapy students. She also regularly hosts student Speech and Language Therapists on placement.
Kerry is fully registered with The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
CATHERINE PRIOR
Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist
Catherine is a Highly Specialist Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist with over 13 years experience working with children aged 0-16 years in both community clinic and school settings.
Catherine has extensive experience assessing and treating children with language and speech sound disorders and highly specialist skills in Deafness and hearing loss.
Catherine can support children with any aspect of their communication skills including but not limited to building language and vocabulary, grammar, social skills, supporting reading and writing and speech sounds.
Whether your child communicates using spoken language, sign or a combination of the two, Catherine can assess your child’s strengths and needs and devise a plan of action with you and your child. Catherine’s approach is to make therapy fun and personalised to your child’s needs and interests.
Catherine is fully registered with The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
BETH DYER
Speech and Language Therapy Assistant
Beth is a final year Msc Speech and Language Therapy Student at the University of Essex. Following a rewarding placement with CISLT, she is now working in the team as a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant.
Beth provides one to one sessions to clients under the supervision of the Speech and Language Therapists at CISLT.
Beth has previous placement experience working with children with complex needs. Many of these children were non-verbal and required support with their early communication skills.
She is also a volunteer with Headway, providing information and support to those with an acquired brain injury (ABI) as well as their family members, friends, colleagues and professionals.
Beth has a keen interest in working with children and adults and is keen to gain more clinical experience while continuing her studies.
LOUISE THORNTON
Speech and Language Therapy Assistant
Louise is an final year MSc Speech and Language Therapy Student at the University of Essex. Following a rewarding University placement with CISLT, Louise has now joined the team as a Speech and Language Therapy Assistant.
Louise provides one to one sessions to clients under supervision from the Speech and Language Therapists at CISLT.
She is the Vice president of the Speech and Language Therapy Society at the University of Essex. This brings together students both academically and socially and raises awareness of Speech and Language Therapy.
Previous experience includes working on placement with children of a variety of ages from early childhood up to teenage years with a range of speech and language difficulties and complex needs, as well as previously volunteering within a children’s hospital. She has a keen interest to continue to work with children of all ages and to continue to develop her interest in supporting adults with aphasia to achieve their goals.
JOIN OUR TEAM
If you are looking for a new exciting and flexible role as a Speech and Language Therapist, please do get in touch at support@cislt.com.