Name Adrian Byak Address 9 Cameron Crescent, Ryde, NSW, 2112 Telephone Mobile - +61412553222 Work / Fax +61298025222 Nationality Australian Date of Birth 6 th March 1975 Personal Statement I have worked in the area of spinal cord injury management exclusively for the past 11 years. I finished my physiotherapy degree from the University of Sydney in 1997 and worked at the Royal North Shore Hospital before travelling and working overseas for 2 years returning to Australia in late 2000. Since that time I have worked at Moorong spinal cord injury unit for a period of about 6 years, the Spinal Outreach Service (SOS), The Assistive Technology and Seating Clinic (AT&S) and also in my own private physiotherapy business where I specialize in spinal cord injury management. I am passionate about achieving the best possible outcomes for people. Having worked in quite a small area for a long period of time I have built up several professional links within the spinal cord injury network in NSW. I have presented research papers at national and international spinal cord injury conferences, I hold several consultative positions which indicate my expertise in physiotherapy management of spinal cord injury such as a dispute and approved assessor for the lifetime care and support authority. I have also travelled to the United States to view many of the recovery programs and some of the leading centres for spinal cord injury management such as The Craig Hospital, The Shepherd Centre, The Chicago Institute, Project Walk and The Miami Project. I have worked in all facets of spinal cord injury management, at RNSH when I first started as a physiotherapist performing acute management, at Moorong spinal cord injury unit performing rehabilitation, at the spinal outreach service perform transitional management of individuals into the community, at the assistive technology and seating clinic performing outpatient seating services on a statewide level and I now spend my time performing community based physiotherapy rehabilitation. I have extensive experience and provide a high standard of professional intervention of all aspects of physiotherapy management for all types and levels of people with a spinal cord injury. Academic Qualifications 1994-1997 Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy) University of Sydney, Cumberland College of Health Sciences 1998 Awarded The J Val Simpson Memorial Prize for Manual Therapy for exhibiting the highest proficiency in Manual therapy in the Bachelor of Applied Science (physiotherapy) course Work History Clinical. Novemeber 2003 Present Private Spinal Cord injury Physiotherapist, Director Own business, now trading as Optimise your Level Physiotherapy Addressing the physiotherapy needs of individuals with spinal cord injury
in the community. This can involve bursts of intervention to achieve specific functional goals, consultation with local physiotherapist with limited spinal cord injury experience, maintenance management of individuals with severe injuries, assessment, caliper training, wheelchair skills training in the community and equipment prescription. 19 th March 2007 Present Level 4 Seating Therapist Assistive Technology and Seating Service. Royal North Shore Hospital. Clinical Technology Services. The development of seating solutions and equipment prescription for spinal cord injured individuals throughout metropolitan and regional NSW. The position involves case management and liaison with community therapists and accessing community based services. Nov 2008 Present Disputes Assessor & Approved Assessor Lifetime Care & Support Authority Approved Assessor Role - Provide expert opinion on recommended treatment rehabilitation and care needs of individuals in the scheme. Dispute Assessor Role Provide decision (as legislation) to resolve a dispute between a participant of the Scheme and the LTCS itself. Ie act as an independent adjudicator in disputes around the treatment, rehabilitation and care needs of individuals with catastrophic spinal cord injuries. 11 th January 2001 March 16 th 2007 Grade 1 & 2 Physiotherapist (now level 4) Moorong Spinal Injuries Unit, Royal Rehabilitation Centre Ryde 600 Victoria Rd Ryde 2112 The rehabilitation of clients post discharge from acute hospitals until discharge to the home including all therapy required for clients to obtain optimal functional ability following spinal cord injury. Including goal planning, education, equipment trials and therapy. Included student placements and QA projects. 13 th October 2003 18 th October 2004 (12 month secondment) Grade 2 Physiotherapist (now Level 4) NSW Spinal Outreach Service. I was employed as the physiotherapist in the set-up phase of the
newly formed NSW Spinal Outreach Service. The spinal outreach service is a statewide service aiming to promote health maintenance and community re-integration following spinal cord injury. Other 22 nd March 1999 5 th April 2000 & 25 th Sept 10 th Nov 2000 Senior II Physiotherapist Finsbury Health Centre, Paediatric Physiotherapy Service Pine Street London EC1 R OLP tel ++ (44) 02075304235 Working with children of all ages with varying conditions including Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Delay, Dyspraxia and Neuron-Muscular Disorders. Work was spread between special needs schools, mainstream schools and a community caseload which increased in holiday periods. 4 th September 22 September 2000 Senior I Physiotherapist St Anne s Hospital, St Anne s Rd South Tottenham, London N15 3TH Very similar role as above job, with more emphasis on administration and management of therapists and resources. Work History - Teaching Course Course Project Presenter Spinal Seating Professional Development program Seating and wheeled mobility Educational Workshop. Coffs Harbour NSW. Ran educational workshops to up-skill community based clinicians on seating and wheeled mobility with a focus on spinal cord injury management. Theory and practice Presenter (multiple years) Physiotherapy Management of People with Long Term Paralysis Following Spinal Cord Injury Presented on Wheelchair skills, wheelchairs backrests and cushions, advanced bed mobility, resources in NSW for the course run at the Royal rehabilitation Centre Sydney. Also lead the practical workshops. Presenter and script writer NSW State Spinal Cord Injury Service Seating Professional development Program. Assisted in the development of the NSW seating for spinal cord injury education program. Specifically wrote and performed the video for Self Study Module 3 on sitting balance assessments and assisted in the video presentations for all of the self study modules. http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/gmct/spinal/education.asp Tutor in Neurological Physiotherapy II (2002-2006).
University of Sydney. Cumberland College of Health Science. School of Physiotherapy. Teach tutorial classes to fourth year physiotherapy students Physiotherapeutic management of Spinal Cord Injury. June 2001-2007 Clinical Educator. Elective student placements. Spinal cord injury University of Sydney. School of Physiotherapy. Supervision of students on placement from the University of Sydney. All aspects involved with taking a student, including orientation, tutes, organizing timetables, visits and grading. Publications 2003 Harvey L, Byak A, McQuade L, and Hawthorne S. Quantifying the magnitude of torque physiotherapists apply when stretching the hamstring muscles of people with spinal cord injury. Archives of Physical and Medical Rehabilitation. (In Press). 2003 Harvey L, Byak, Ostrovskaya M, Glinsky J, Katte L, A Randomised Control Trial. Effects of four weeks of daily stretch on the hamstring muscles of people with spinal cord injury. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy (AJP). (In Press). 2002 Harvey L, Byak A, Ostrovskaya M, Glinsky J. Reliability of a device designed to measure ankle mobility. Spinal Cord. (In Press) Research / Grants 2003 Participant in MAA research grant. Development of a Database of training and stretching exercises appropriate for wheelchair dependant clients with paraplegia or quadriplegia. Ongoing at present. Hopefully completed by November 2003. 2002 Co-recipient of research grant from Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney. Does splinting the thumb decrease the length of the Flexor Pollicus Longus (FPL). A multidisciplinary project with the Occupational therapy department at Moorong Spinal Injuries Unit. 2001-3 Participated in research taking place at Moorong Spinal Injuries Unit, including the above three publications. 2002 Worked as a research physiotherapist for the Rehabilitation Studies Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney. Employed to collect and process data evaluating the effect of stretching on ankle mechanics and function. The project included applying software to analyse gait, work with spreadsheets (excel), and liaise between several hospital sites and therapists. Presentations
2002 Presented Quantifying the magnitude of torque physiotherapists apply when stretching the hamstring muscles of people with spinal cord injury at the Australasian Branch meeting of the International Spinal Cord Society, Auckland, New Zealand. 2003 Present Development of a Database of training and stretching exercises appropriate for wheelchair dependant clients with paraplegia or quadriplegia at the Australasian Branch meeting of the International Spinal Cord Society, Perth, Australia. 2003 Presented Quantifying the magnitude of torque physiotherapists apply when stretching the hamstring muscles of people with spinal cord injury at the inaugural National Neurology conference in Sydney, Australia. 2003-4 Presentations for the Spinal Outreach Service in Dubbo, Orange, Coffs Harbour and Sydney (6 in total) relating to physiotherapy management in Spinal Cord Injury for therapists in rural settings. Included Physiotherapy management, wheelchair prescription and demonstration of the Database for Physiotherapy Exercises for Spinal Cord Injury Continuing Education Continuing education has included. Team Building for Managers 2001, FIM training and education 2001 Attended ISCOS. Australasian branch meeting of the International Spinal Cord Society. Melbourne 2001, Seating and Mobility Seminar Rosehill 2001, Ottobox Seminar showcasing new developments in lower limb calliper devices, Parramatta 2001, Statewide NSW department of health Telehealth meetings 2001-3, Attended ISCOS Australasian branch meeting of the International Spinal Cord Society, Auckland New Zealand, 2002, Attended Making Connections. State forum into Spinal Cord Injury research and management featuring Christopher Reeve in 2003, Attended Writing a research proposal workshop. Presented by Rob De Bier. Rehabilitation Studies unit, University of Sydney, 2003, Performed an Interstate networking / visit to Brisbane spinal unit for benchmarking and to share ideas, 2003, Attended IFESS. The International Functional Electrical Stimulation Society Conference, 2003, Attended ISCOS. Australasian branch meeting of the International spinal cord society, Perth, Australia, 2003. Attended National neurology conference. Sydney Australia, 2003 Attended NSW Rural Allied Health Conference, 2004 Attended workshop Respond Effectively to Difficult and Challenging Behavior. 2004 Attended workshop from Allied health therapists visiting from Denmark on practice in Spinal cord injury management in Europe, 2004. Attended One Day Novita Tech workshop on integration of assistive devices for individuals with disability / environmental control solutions, 2005. Australasian Rehabilitation Outcome Centre (AROC) FIM credentialing. Result 94. 2005 Attended ANZCOS Australian and New Zealand meeting of the International Spinal Cord Injury Society, Melbourne Australia, 2006 Hospital (RRCS) & Unit (Moorong) in-services 2001-7. Journal club organized by Ms. Lisa Harvey looking at how to analyse and interpret the quality of research papers 2003-9. Attended ANZCOS Australian and New Zealand meeting of the International Spinal Cord Injury
Society, Sydney. Australia, 2007 Part of the NSW spinal physiotherapist interest group, 2008 - present Part of the spinal cord injury seating focus group, 2008- present Attended One Day Hands on seating workshop, 2008 Attended WorkCover NSW - Soft tissue management update, 2009 Rotator Cuff Update seminar and workshop. SEPA, 2009 Attended Wound Mangement 3 day workshop Manly. 2010 Attended SpineCare 2001 Conference Laying the Foundations 2011