Four Days, Five Learners, and a Course Worth Travelling For: Our Posture Management Wrap-Up

Earlier this month, five members of the Beechfield Healthcare community made their way to Specialised Orthotic Services in Tutbury, UK, for the Posture Management for Adults and Children with Complex Disabilities course, and we're delighted to say they came back with a great deal more than they arrived with.

Two of our own account managers, Alec Farrell and Rory O'Keeffe, joined three occupational therapists, Finola Dunne, Sara Curtin, and Niamh Devery, who won their fully funded places as part of Beechfield Healthcare's 30th anniversary giveaway. It was a trip that brought together different roles, different parts of Ireland, and a shared enthusiasm for doing better for the clients they serve.

About the Course

The four-day programme is one of the most respected short courses in postural management in the UK and Ireland. Delivered by a faculty of highly experienced specialist clinicians, Bex Oakes, Bicky Ho, Louise Way, and Sabrina Robinson, it covers the foundational principles of postural assessment and 24-hour posture management in a way that is both clinically rigorous and immediately practical.

Bex Oakes, who leads the posture management courses at the Oxford Centre for Enablement, brings a Master of Science in Posture Management to the teaching room, as well as years of specialist clinical practice with adults and children with complex neurological conditions. Bicky Ho, also an MSc-qualified OT and Chair of the Conference, Education & Communications committee within the Posture and Mobility Group, contributed her extensive expertise in specialist seating and postural assessment. Louise Way, a Principal Clinical Scientist with a PhD in biomechanics, grounded participants in the science underpinning every clinical decision. Sabrina Robinson, a specialist physiotherapist with a background spanning neurological rehabilitation, community therapy, and wheelchair services, brought a warmth and clarity to the practical sessions that participants found particularly valuable.

Over four full days, running from 8:30 am to late afternoon, the group worked through everything from the fundamentals of biomechanics and what posture actually means in a clinical context, to the finer skills of measuring joint range of movement using the neutral zero method, annotating body shape in sitting and lying, and building a stable supported posture for different positions. The course culminated in live client assessments on days three and four, observed and facilitated by the tutors, consistently described as among the most impactful elements of the entire programme.

What Our Team Took Away

For Alec and Rory, whose roles as account managers mean they work closely with OTs, physiotherapists, and healthcare teams right across Ireland, the course offered something particularly valuable: a deeper, hands-on understanding of the clinical world their customers work in every day.

"This course gave me a level of insight into postural management that I simply couldn't have gained any other way. Seeing the assessment process up close, understanding what clinicians are looking for, what the challenges are, and how equipment decisions are made, will make me a better partner to the therapists I work with."
Alec Farrell, Account Manager, Beechfield Healthcare

"Four days of intensive, practical learning with some of the best in the field. The tutors were exceptional, genuinely generous with their knowledge and experience. I came away with a much richer understanding of the complexity involved in posture management and a renewed appreciation for the work our OT partners do every single day."
Rory O'Keeffe, Account Manager, Beechfield Healthcare

For Finola Dunne, Sara Curtin, and Niamh Devery, the three occupational therapists who won their places through our anniversary giveaway, the course represented a significant CPD opportunity, and we're thrilled it delivered on that promise.

A Word of Thanks

A sincere thank you to the team at Specialised Orthotic Services for organising such a well-run and expertly delivered event, and to Bex, Bicky, Louise, and Sabrina for four days of teaching that was genuinely outstanding.

If postural management is an area you work in or are looking to develop further, this course comes with our wholehearted recommendation. For those looking to go deeper, the teaching team also delivers a Post Graduate Certificate in Posture Management, validated by Oxford Brookes University, at the Oxford Centre for Enablement.

We look forward to seeing the knowledge our team brought home translate into better conversations, better partnerships, and ultimately, better outcomes for the people at the centre of it all.