Staff
All Therapists are fully qualified Occupational Therapists with further specialist qualifications, AHTA accreditation and extensive experience in managing hand and upper limb injuries. We are committed to the highest quality patient care and clinical excellence.
Amelia Clarke
Amelia has worked as an Occupational and Hand Therapist in both regional and metropolitan Victoria since graduating from La Trobe University in 2004. She has worked at the practice for 15 years. Amelia enjoys attending professional development and postgraduate courses and actively participates in clinical research with therapists and surgeons. She is also the clinical coordinator for student placements from La Trobe, Monash, and Deakin Universities.
Amelia has a special interest in chronic pain conditions as well as Lymphoedema management. She has completed the ALA lymphoedema training and has a passion for the treatment of both Upper Limb lymphoedema and working closely with Oncology and Breast Care teams. Other special interest areas include hand therapy intervention for osteoarthritis of the thumb and hand helping the patient improve function, reduce pain and avoid surgical intervention where possible. Amelia is an accredited Hand Therapist as awarded by the Australian Hand Therapy Association.
More recently, Amelia has taken over as the new Director of South Eastern Hand Therapy.
Annemarie Marshall
Annemarie is an Occupational Therapist and Accredited Hand Therapist (AHT), as awarded by the Australian Hand Therapy Association. She joined the practice 8 years ago and is also a qualified nurse with expertise in the areas of wound and pain management. Her nursing background adds extra value when treating post-operative clients following trauma and elective surgery. She enjoys working closely with surgeons to achieve the best possible outcomes and functional goals for her clients.
She has an expertise and special interest in arthritis management and rehabilitation. Annemarie has a wonderful ability to connect with her clients and is very practical and client-centered in her approach to hand rehab.
Chloe Wirth
Chloe graduated from La Trobe University in 2016 with a Bachelor of Health Science & Masters of Occupational Therapy and joined the practice in 2021. She has experience in OT and Hand Therapy from The Alfred and Caufield Hospitals. She completed the Grade 1 rotation program and worked in inpatient burns and outpatient Hand Therapy.
Chloe has also volunteered through Interplast on two trips to Mongolia assisting with education on burns and plastics services to adults and children.
Chloe believes in providing the best evidence-based practice when treating a variety of hand conditions. She is passionate about assisting people to live a meaningful life, and is looking forward to doing this in the hand therapy context.
Chloe is working towards her full accreditation (AHT) with the Australian Hand Therapy Association.
Diane Hedin
Diane is an Occupational Therapist and Accredited Hand Therapist (AHT), as awarded by the Australian Hand Therapy Association. Diane is a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), following completion of the American Hand Therapy Association examination.
Diane has worked in hand therapy in the public and private systems in Melbourne for more than thirty-five years. She has worked alongside Bernadette in the practice since 1993. Diane has extensive experience in hand therapy and speaks fluent Vietnamese. She has traveled to Vietnam as part of the Interplast program where surgeons and therapists travel to developing countries to perform surgery and provide rehabilitation expertise.
She is incredibly skilled and knowledgeable in areas ranging from treating acute, traumatic injuries to more chronic hand and wrist conditions.
Diane is planning retirement in 2023.
Bernadette Kelly
Bernadette qualified as an Occupational Therapist in Dublin, Ireland. She established the Hand Therapy practice in 1993 following work in Ireland, England, and Australia in both the public and private healthcare systems. Founding the clinic alongside Professor Michael Leung, her vision was to improve outcomes for patients in the community, and provide best-practice therapy, research, support, and training for all things hand, wrist, and elbow.
Bernadette is an Occupational Therapist and Accredited Hand Therapist (AHT) as awarded by the Australian Hand Therapy Association. She is also a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT), following completion of the American Hand Therapy certification examination. She is a full Member of the Australian Hand Therapy Association.
Bernadette is an experienced hand therapist and has been actively involved in the hand therapy community of Melbourne through supporting Australian Hand Therapy Association activities, participating in research with therapists and surgeons in the area of hand therapy, presenting at seminars, and accepting clinical placement students.
Recently, Bernadette has made the transition to retirement. She is looking forward to traveling, pursuing her love of languages, and spending time with her family.