Georgia Small

Role: Occupational Therapist

How long have you worked for Barwon Health? 18 months

 I was attracted to working at Barwon Health when I moved to Geelong from Melbourne, where I had been working at the Austin Hospital. My interest in stroke and neurological conditions developed while working across the continuum of care. I commenced my career journey at Barwon Health about 18 months ago, starting within the Transition Program based at Alan David Lodge, before moving to the acute setting to work in my current role as an occupational therapist in the Acute Neurosciences Unit ANU). Barwon Health has been supportive of my career development, enabling me to develop my skills in line with my passions. The OT department has a strong focus on building the skills of the clinicians, providing extensive opportunities for education and engagement in quality improvement projects. The most enjoyable aspect of my role is working with the ANU team, which is patient-focused and collaborative in their approach to patient care. In the ANU, patients are often admitted with a life-changing event such as a stroke. The team works closely together to achieve the best outcomes for the patients, and as an OT, I assess patients’ functional abilities, focusing on remediation of function to enhance their independence and reducing the risk of complications because of new impairments. My role also involves providing education, equipment prescription and complex discharge planning to achieve optimal and positive patient outcomes. I love working in acute care, as each day is different, keeping us on our toes!

Lewis Nagle

Role: Occupational Therapist  

How long have you worked for Barwon Health? 2 years

I was attracted to working at Barwon Health because of the broad range of clinical rotations across the continuum of care, and the opportunity to work in a large department with experienced therapists as a part of a large health service. During my career journey at Barwon Health, I have primarily worked in South Wing inpatient rehabilitation, as well as in inpatient neurorehabilitation and acute neurosciences at University Hospital Geelong. Currently, I am the inpatient trauma/spinal OT in an inpatient rehabilitation unit at the McKellar Centre. Barwon Health has supported my career development by providing me with opportunities to hone my skills in clinical rehabilitation, through seeing a diverse range of patients. The thing I enjoy the most about my role is working as a part of a close-knit multidisciplinary team to achieve positive patient outcomes. Compared to other health services, working at Barwon Health provides the opportunity to complete rotations not available in rural settings across trauma/spinal community rehabilitation, and develop OT skills across a broad range of health settings.

Debbie Verikios

Role: Clinical Lead Occupational Therapist Trauma Rehabilitation Team 

How long have you worked for Barwon Health? 30 years

When I reflect on my career at Barwon Health, I am filled with a sense of pride and accomplishment. As a Geelong native, I have always been a supporter of public health, having grown up in a large migrant family with limited financial resources. After starting my occupational therapy career at a private hospital in Melbourne, I knew I needed to return to my hometown to establish myself professionally. Over the years, I have been fortunate to work with an incredible team at Barwon Health's McKellar Centre, where I started in 1993 as a trauma rehabilitation specialist. I have seen the service grow and evolve, and have expanded my skills over my 30 years of employment.

Barwon Health has been immensely supportive of my career development, providing me with opportunities to attend professional development courses, workshops, and conferences. I have been able to train in a variety of specialty areas, such as clinical supervision, OT driving assessments, pressure injury management, and wheelchair scripting. My role has also allowed me to participate in various committees, such as the Ethics and Disability Advisory Body, and to teach occupational therapy students at Deakin University. Additionally, I have been able to provide secondary consultation to occupational therapists across Victoria.

What I enjoy the most about my role is the diversity, autonomy, and flexibility it offers. I love working in a multidisciplinary team and supporting the Geelong community. Working at Barwon Health is special because of the respect that is shown for the local community and public health. The dedication and effort put into our work is driven by the knowledge that we may need to use the services ourselves or for our loved ones. I feel fortunate to be a part of a team that adds value and improves people's lives.