Allied health professionals work with the multidisciplinary team to provide expertise in the assessment and diagnosis of functional, biological, and psychosocial impacts of illness and rehabilitation of patients admitted to the ICU. The supportive therapies delivered by allied health professionals have been shown to enhance patient rehabilitation and outcomes during and after critical illness. A number of allied health professionals working in The Alfred ICU are actively involved in education and research and are internationally recognised as experts in their field.
BHlthSci, MSpPath
Louisa is a senior Speech Pathologist and Allied Health Team Lead in the Alfred ICU, with expertise in tracheostomy management, ventilator dependency and flexible endoscopic swallow evaluations in critical care. She has worked across intensive care settings in both the Victorian public and private health sectors, as well as spending six years in the UK National Health Service and long-term mechanical ventilation units.
Louisa continues to develop a dedicated Speech Pathology service within The Alfred ICU with Tanya Blyth.
BSpPath
Tanya is a senior Speech Pathologist at The Alfred working in ICU. She has worked as a Speech Pathologist for over 20 years, with a special interest in acute care and oncology.
Tanya has worked in Victorian private and public health sectors and within the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. Tanya has completed research advancing the identification of cognitive communication impairments in the mild traumatic brain injury population, and her clinical interests include tracheostomy management and ICU-acquired communication and swallowing impairments. She continues to develop a dedicated Speech Pathology Service within the Alfred ICU in collaboration with Louisa Greenham.
She has completed research advancing the identification of cognitive communication impairments in the Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) population, and her clinical interests include tracheostomy management and ICU-acquired communication and swallowing impairments. Tanya continues to develop a dedicated Speech Pathology Service within the Alfred ICU in collaboration with Louisa Greenham.
Sarah is a Senior Dietitian in the Alfred Intensive Care Unit, where she has worked across multiple acute clinical areas since 2010. With over 8 years of experience in critical care nutrition, Sarah has developed expertise in the nutritional management of critically ill patients and is committed to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care. Sarah has a strong interest in education and workforce development and is passionate about supporting and upskilling junior dietitians to build the knowledge, skills and confidence required to work effectively in the ICU environment. She holds a Graduate Certificate in Health Services Management, which complements her clinical expertise and interest in healthcare leadership and service improvement.
BNutDiet
Steph is a Senior Dietitian at The Alfred ICU. She has worked in critical care nutrition for over 7 years, holding leadership roles at Monash Health and Eastern Health in ICU before joining the Alfred ICU Dietetics team.
In addition to her expertise in critical care nutrition, Steph has a strong interest in health professional education. She has held educational roles as a Dietetic Educator and Student Coordinator and is a member of the Alfred Health Allied Health Education Committee. Steph completed a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Monash University. She is undertaking higher qualifications in health professional education at the Australia Catholic University. Steph has a passion for teaching and educating others on critical care nutrition and development of training, education and competency programs. Outside of work, Steph loves to bake and be outside!
BSc, MDiet
Georgia is a senior Dietitian at The Alfred ICU with experience in large specialist ICUs in both Australia and the UK. She has experience in education and competency development as part of COVID-19 upskilling.
Georgia led the rapid development of an international COVID-19 best-practice guideline in the UK on enteral feeding in the prone position. She holds an extended scope of practice for fine-bore nasogastric tube insertion (the first in Victoria). She completed a Bachelor of Science (physiology) at the University of New South Wales and a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Sydney. Georgia has a strong interest in both quantitative and qualitative research and is planning on undertaking a PhD in the field of critical care nutrition.
BHSc (Nutrition & Dietetics), APD
Chloe is a Senior Dietitian in The Alfred ICU. Since commencing in critical care nutrition at the Royal London Hospital in 2019, she has worked across intensive care units in both the UK and Australia. She is passionate about advancing culturally safe and equitable care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples throughout the patient journey, as well as driving broader organisational and systemic change.
BNutriDietet, APD, MPH, PhD
Emma is a Senior ICU Dietitian, co-lead of the ICU Nutrition service and lead of research for dietetics and nutrition at The Alfred. Emma has worked at The Alfred for 18 years and with ICU for 16. Emma also leads the Nutrition Program at the ANZIC-RC at Monash University.
Emma has a keen interest in understanding the impact of nutrition on recovery from critical illness, with a particular focus on extended nutrition interventions. She has published more than 100 scientific articles and is regularly invited to speak at national and international conferences as an expert in critical care nutrition.
BOccThy
Chloe is a senior Occupational Therapist at the Alfred ICU specialising in providing early assessment and rehabilitation in Intensive Care. After initially commencing her career in Melbourne, Chloe moved to London in 2018.
While in London, she gained ICU experience whilst working at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and Kings College Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.Chloe has experience in the establishment of Occupational Therapy services within the Intensive Care environment and has developed the Occupational Therapy service in the Alfred Intensive Care.
BPO
Karly is an Orthotist at The Alfred. After completing a Degree in Orthotics and Prosthetics, Karly has focused her career on Orthotic management of trauma patients in the acute setting. Karly has an interest in the management of patients fitted with Halo Thoracic Orthoses.
She has completed research that aimed at providing optimal care in this area.
BAppSc (Physio), BSc (Hons), Grad Dip Exerc Sports Sci, PhD
Scott is the Senior Physiotherapist at The Alfred ICU, a position he has held for more than 20 years. Scott commenced working at The Alfred in 1992 as a junior physiotherapist, before undertaking post-graduate studies that included a PhD in exercise physiology.
Scott was also appointed Senior Lecturer in the School of Physiotherapy at La Trobe University.
He returned to The Alfred on a full-time basis in 2003, as the senior physiotherapist in ICU. Over the last 20 years Scott has led the 7-day physiotherapy service for The Alfred’s ICU, including specialist physiotherapy services including physiotherapy for heart and lung transplant services, artificial heart technology (VADs), ECMO, Burns and Trauma.
Scott has presented at a number of national courses, with a particular focus on physiotherapy for specialised group, early mobilisation in ICU, and the physiotherapy response to COVID-19 in ICU. In collaboration with ANZICS-RC, Scott contributes to research investigating the role of physiotherapy in ICU. In addition to his appointment at The Alfred, Scott has appointments as a sessional lecturer in physiotherapy at both La Trobe University and Monash University. Scott also has a number of international physiotherapy affiliations, including in Singapore, Hong Kong and Korea.
BPhysio
Terry is a Senior Physiotherapist in The Alfred ICU. After he commenced work at The Alfred in 2001, Terry spent years rotating through many areas of The Alfred’s acute services, before becoming a key part of The Alfred’s ICU physiotherapy team.
Terry works across all areas of The Alfred’s ICU, but in particular, has expertise in cardiothoracic services (heart and lung transplant, VADs), ECMO, Trauma and Burns. He provides education services to the physiotherapy department, particularly in the aforementioned areas, as well as tracheostomy management, bariatric care and early rehabilitation in ICU. Terry also teaches into Physiotherapy in ICU courses, and contributes to physiotherapy research in our busy ICU physiotherapy research program.
PHD
Kate is an Advanced Clinician Physiotherapist in ICU and Cardiac Services at The Alfred. In 2021, she completed her PhD on Early Rehabilitation and Functional Outcomes in Patients Requiring Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.
Her clinical and research areas of interest include early rehabilitation of patients requiring mechanical circulatory support, muscle weakness and functional outcomes in critically ill patients.
BPT (Hons), PhD
Claire is a senior physiotherapist in ICU at the Alfred. In 2020, Claire completed her PhD investigating early mobilisation in ICU, with a focus on frailty and trauma patients.
BA, GradDipPsych, BPsychSc(Hons), MPsych(Clin)
Megan is the clinical psychologist in the Alfred ICU, and provides psychological assessment and intervention to patients during their ICU admission. Megan has previous experience supporting adults with complex psychiatric needs. Megan is working to develop the psychology service within the ICU, and views mental health as an integral part of the critical care journey and recovery.
BPsychology/social work (Honours), PGDip Adult Protection
Katie is a senior social worker at The Alfred ICU specialising supporting patients and families throughout a critical care admission. She has worked at Alfred Health since 2021 and has previous working experience in regional healthcare in Victoria.
Katie has also previously worked in the NHS healthcare system in Scotland in both a community and hospital capacity. She has a keen interest in burns care, end-of-life care in ICU and supporting caregivers with children entering hospital.
Katie has also previously worked in the NHS healthcare system in Scotland in both a community and hospital capacity. She has a keen interest in burns care, end-of-life care in ICU and supporting caregivers with children entering hospital. Katie leads the ICU social work team and social work support is on offer for patients and families 7 days a week.
BASc (Psychology), MSW
Charmaine is a Senior Social Worker at The Alfred ICU and Alfred Brain. She has worked at Alfred Health since 2014 specialising in supporting patients, families and carers throughout the continuum of their hospital journey from critical care to discharging from hospital.
Charmaine’s experience also extends to working across other major metropolitan acute and rehabilitation hospitals. She has a strong interest in stroke care and innovating social work practice to provide research and service delivery design in this area of practice. She is also passionate about multidisciplinary NDIS care and supporting patients, families and clinicians in facilitating service delivery and planning for new and active NDIS patients who experience a critical illness journey.
Charmaine works part time in ICU and she also oversees the social work service across the acute inpatient Stroke and Neurology Units.
BHuServ, MSW & GradCertAHW
Mardi is the lead senior Social Worker at the Alfred ICU, leading the ICU Social Work team in providing psychosocial support for patients and families throughout their critical care admission. Mardi has worked at Alfred Health since 2013 with experience across a multitude of medical units and specialities, and she is passionate about providing end-of-life care support and crisis support in the ICU. Mardi also has experience working in London in a hospital discharge team. Mardi has an interest in supporting new Social Work staff in providing end-of-life care support in ICU.