Catherine Barry

I joined the Surgical Intervention Trials Unit (SITU-NDORMS) as a Paediatric Research Physiotherapist working on the SPELL and ROBUST trials. Funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme, the trials investigate the clinical effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions for children and young people with cerebral palsy. 

After graduating with a BSc (Hons) in Physiotherapy from the University of Southampton in 1996,  I specialised as a Paediatric Physiotherapist. I developed a specialist interest in the musculoskeletal management of cerebral palsy, including rehabilitation following lower limb multi-level orthopaedic surgery, working in both Melbourne and Oxford Children’s Hospital.  My most recent clinical role was as an Extended Scope Physiotherapist (in paediatric neuro-orthopaedics), which I combined with the role of Children’s Musculoskeletal Therapy Team Lead at The Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. 

A member of both the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy and the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapy, I have a professional focus on improving the physiotherapy management of children with cerebral palsy. My extended roles include Secretary of the Cerebral Palsy Integrated Pathway (CPIP) National Network and Co-Chair of the South Central regional CPIP committee.  

I have undertaken postgraduate studies in outcome measures in rehabilitation and advancing professional practice. I was a member of the steering group for the James Lind Alliance priorities setting partnership on lower limb surgery in children with orthopaedic conditions and the consensus group for developing a core outcome set for lower limb orthopaedic surgery in ambulant children with cerebral palsy.