Profile

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Consultant physiotherapist for the management of spasticity in children at Birmingham Community NHS Foundation Trust P/T (2006 to date). 

Private practice within my local area Birmingham/Worcestershire specialising in treating children with movement disorders predominantly cerebral palsy 

• Consultant role; sole physiotherapist to date appointed nationally within the NHS working at a consultant level in paediatric neurology 

• Patient centred; specialising in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy, for over thirty-five years working in both a hospital and community setting 

• Creative and innovative; created evidence-based post-graduate courses for therapists on the treatment and management of children with cerebral palsy including constraint induced movement therapy. 

• Education; completed a PhD http://etheses.bham.ac.uk/6571/at the University of Birmingham in 2016. This was based on a randomised controlled trial investigating constraint induced movement therapy in the pre-school child with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. The randomized controlled trial that was conducted and described in the thesis has now been published in Clinical Rehabilitation https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29552921. Previously undertook a research master’s degree at the University of Birmingham in 2002 and the dissertation was based on the development of a new tool for the early identification of cerebral palsy in the high-risk group. 

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Achievements

• Awarded a Fellowship of the Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists in recognition of an exceptional contribution to the advancement of paediatric physiotherapy (November 2019)

• In 2009 received the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority Clinical Doctorate Award which provided funding to undertake a PhD at the University of Birmingham which is now completed. The research project has compared two methods of constraint induced movement therapy for pre-school children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. 

• Continues to be clinically based and has worked as a physiotherapist specialising in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy, for over thirty years. This is both in the hospital setting and, in the community, and has included administration of Botulinum toxin injections under the supervision of a community consultant.

• Extensive training from the Bobath Centre in London, which is a centre of excellence for treating cerebral palsy and has been involved for many years in their tutor training programme which has included leading Introductory Paediatric Bobath courses all over the country on the treatment and management of cerebral palsy. From 1991 to 1996 taught on the eight-week paediatric Bobath course on the practical module and child development.

• Development of short courses on the treatment and management of cerebral palsy which includes Constraint Induced Movement Therapy listed 

• Teaching neuro-paediatrics at the University of Birmingham to both the physiotherapy undergraduate and the master’s degree students 

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Publications

Christmas, PM, Sackley CM, Feltham, MG, Cummins, C. (2018) A randomized controlled trial to compare two methods of constraint-induced movement therapy to improve functional ability in the affected upper limb in pre-school children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy: CATCH TRIAL. March 19 2018 Clinical Rehabilitation https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29552921

 

Christmas, PM (2019) Constraint-induced movement therapy for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy Paediatrics and Child Health. DOI: 10.1016/j.paed.2019.07.014

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International and national presentations

• Christmas PM, (2021) Evidence-based prac3cal applica3on. Herlordshire Community NHS Trust 17-18 &24-25 November 2021

• Christmas PM, (2021) Constraint-induced movement therapy East Kent Hospitals NHS Founda3on trust (25/01/21 & 25/02/21 & 20/05/21)

• Christmas PM, (2021) Constraint-induced movement therapy. Powys teaching hospital (30 & 31/ 03/ 21)

• Christmas PM, (2021) Constraint-induced movement therapy Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS trust (01/12/20 & 6/4/21 & 5/5/21 & /9/6/21).

• Christmas PM, (2021) Evidence-based prac3cal applica3on NCORE. July 5-9 2021

• Christmas, PM.(2020). Evidence-based Practical Application. Webinar (312 attendees) Association of Paediatric Chartered Physiotherapists 

• Christmas, PM. 2019. Use of Botulinum toxin in the management of spasticity: Pre-conference workshop: The 6thMiddle East Pediatric Orthopaedic Society Annual meeting (24/10/19) Dubai UAE

• Christmas, PM. 2019. Spasticity Management in children: the evidence base. The 6th Middle East Pediatric Orthopaedic Society Annual meeting (25/10/19) Dubai UAE

• Christmas, PM. 2019. Cerebral palsy: Evidenced based theory and its practical application to treatment. Three-hour PT/OT Workshop session (26/10/19) Dubai UAE

• Christmas PM 2019 Cerebral palsy: Evidenced-based theory and its practical application to treatment. A one-day workshop 12/10/19 Manchester Physio.co.uk.

• Christmas, PM. 2019 Ex-preterm Infants- follow-up and early recognition of motor issues Neonatal neurology Study Day West Midlands Regional Teaching programme for ST 4&5 (August: Education Centre Birmingham Women’s Hospital)

• Christmas, PM. 2019 Midlands Paediatric Dysphagia CEN Study day: Dysphagia and CP. (April: St Luke’s Church Centre Birmingham)

• Christmas, PM. 2019 A weekly series of 5 evening lectures on the treatment and management of the child with cerebral palsy (Moseley Hall Hospital lecture Theatre: February-March)

• Christmas, PM. 2019 Spasticity and its clinical presentation to Community Paediatricians (Moseley Hall Hospital lecture Theatre: May)

• Christmas, PM 2017 Management of the shoulder in cerebral palsy The Association of Chartered Paediatric Physiotherapist (Birmingham: June) 

• Christmas, PM. 2016 Management of the shoulder in cerebral palsy The Association of Chartered Paediatric Physiotherapist (Great Ormond street: October) 

• Christmas, PM. 2014 Constraint induced movement therapy. A pilot study: General results. Presented at: Hemi-help Professional Conference. (London, September) 

• Christmas, PM.2014 A randomised controlled trial to compare two methods of constraint induced movement therapy to improve functional ability in the affected upper limb in pre-school children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. The Society for Rehabilitation Research. (Glasgow Caledonian University: June). 

• Christmas, PM. 2012 Constraint induced movement therapy. A pilot study:  Aims and protocol Presented at: Hemi-help Professional Conference. (Birmingham: September) 

• Christmas, PM. 2008 The Role of the Consultant Therapist. Presented at: National Conference. The Association of Chartered Paediatric Physiotherapist (November). 

• Christmas, P.M. 2008. Development of the Consultant Therapist Role. West Midlands Therapy Managers Group (January) 

• Christmas, PM. 2007 Constraint Induced Movement therapy. Presented at: National Association of Paediatric Occupational Therapists. (Aston University Birmingham May) 

• Christmas, PM. 2006 Constraint Induced Movement therapy. A Case Study. Presented at: Neurology Meeting (Birmingham Children’s Hospital: July) 

• Christmas, PM. 2005 Cerebral Palsy-A Case Study. (Birmingham Children’s Hospital: November). 

• Christmas, PM. 1999 The Treatment of Cerebral Palsy Using Below-Knee Plasters as an Adjunct. (Birmingham Children’s Hospital: March). 

• Christmas, PM. 1997 Assessment and Treatment of Cerebral Palsy: An N.D.T. Approach. (Birmingham Children’s Hospital: May). 

• Christmas, PM. 1993 Use of Plastering in Cerebral Palsy. (Association of Chartered Paediatric Physiotherapists: November). 

• Christmas, PM. 1990 Identification of delay or defect in the pre-school child. Presented at: General Practitioner’s Child Surveillance course a series of six presentations for Solihull Family Practice Service 

• Christmas, PM. 1990 The Use of A.F.O.’s in Cerebral Palsy. (Southern Derbyshire National Demonstration Centre in Rehabilitation: September).