Amy Shapiro
Birmingham,West Midlands
Summary
Clinical expert in neuro-rehabilitation across brain and spinal cord injury. Amy's unique strengths across advanced clinical assessment, education and training and service development create the optimal skillset for securing and optimising high quality care for patients with neuro-disability. She is passionate about supporting every client to live life to their fullest potential, and has the skills and experience to enhance patients' and families lives through high quality, expert nursing support.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Spinal Cord Injury Practitioner (Nurse Lead)
West Midlands Network Model of Care
Birmingham
04.2024 - Current
- Manage complex clinical caseloads across multiple regional hospitals, ensuring tailored patient care and effective treatment plans
- Providing specialist advice on spasticity, neurogenic continence, positioning, pressure area management and autonomic / respiratory dysfunction to local medical, nursing and therapy teams
- Coordinating regional spinal cord injury educational packages, addressing specific needs of each Trust to enhance staff knowledge and patient outcomes
- Liaising with spinal cord injury centres, NHS-E, ICBs, and senior acute hospital clinicians to coordinate high-quality care and rehabilitation pathways for spinal cord injury patients, improving overall service delivery
Clinical Nurse Specialist in Neuro-Rehabilitation
Inpatient Neurological Rehabilitation Unit (INRU)
Birmingham
03.2020 - 04.2024
- Expert nursing clinical oversight of complex brain injury patients
- Led nursing neuro-rehabilitation education package, covering tracheostomy management, positive behaviour support, mental capacity, DoLs, and complex positioning to enhance staff competency.
- Leading on nursing tracheostomy care assessment and service planning, including a quality improvment project which reduced respiratory related readmissions to the acute sector by 62%.
- Participation in rehabilitation consultant-led ward rounds, MDTs and family meetings
- Provided holistic support as key worker to patients and relatives impacted by life-changing neurological injury, facilitating emotional and practical assistance throughout rehabilitation.
- Significant experience with disorder of consciousness patients, including DoC assessment and co-ordinating withdrawal of artificial nutrition in line with current national guidelines.
Clinical Nurse Specialist - Hyperacute Rehab.
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
Birmingham
04.2015 - 03.2020
- Developed rehabilitation plans for patients post-life-changing neurological injury to support their functional recovery
- Managed complex brain and spinal cord injury pathways to optimise patient recovery
- Complex discharge planning following neurological injury
- Offered emotional support to patients and families throughout treatment to enhance coping and resilience
Staff Nurse - Neurosurgery
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
04.2012 - 04.2015
Staff Nurse - Intensive Care Unit
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
09.2010 - 04.2012
Education
Master of Science - Neuro-Rehabiliation
Keele University
Keele01-2023
Bachelor of Science - Neuroscience Nursing
Birmingham City University
Birmingham, BIR01-2014
Diploma of Higher Education - Nursing
Birmingham City University
BirminghamSkills
- Non - Medical Prescriber
- Health Assessment accredited
- Significant Quality Improvement and Audit Experience
- Expert knowledge of neuro-rehabilitation and complex care pathways and funding mechanisms
- Significant incident management and risk assessment expertise
- Neuro - Rehabilitation MDT experience
- Holistic care planning incorporating complex neurological impairments and psycho-social co-morbidities
- Intermittent self catheterisation and trans anal irrigation competent
Academic Publications
- Shapiro, A; Quinn - Thomas, F and Hunter, S (2024). Bad News in a Good Way:- Clinicians' Experiences of Communicating the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Prolonged Disorder of Consciousness to Relatives. British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing 21(1)
- Contributor to Wiley textbook 'Rehabilitation after Major Trauma' - publication pending.
Recent Courses / Conferences
- February 2026 - Coloplast - 'Neurogenic Continence Experts MasterClass'
- May - June 2025 - National Spinal Cord Injury Centre - 'Fundamentals of Spinal Cord Injury for Professionals Outside of SCI Centres - Acute and Rehabilitation'
- January 2025 - Qufora - Trans Anal Irrigation Masterclass.
- June 2024 - SPIRIT International Conference on the Management of Spinal Cord Injuries.
Timeline
Spinal Cord Injury Practitioner (Nurse Lead)
West Midlands Network Model of Care
04.2024 - Current
Clinical Nurse Specialist in Neuro-Rehabilitation
Inpatient Neurological Rehabilitation Unit (INRU)
03.2020 - 04.2024
Clinical Nurse Specialist - Hyperacute Rehab.
University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
04.2015 - 03.2020
Staff Nurse - Neurosurgery
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
04.2012 - 04.2015
Staff Nurse - Intensive Care Unit
University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust
09.2010 - 04.2012
Master of Science - Neuro-Rehabiliation
Keele University
Bachelor of Science - Neuroscience Nursing
Birmingham City University
Diploma of Higher Education - Nursing
Birmingham City University