Professor Fiona Jones Professor

Fiona is Professor of Rehabilitation Research at St George's University of London and Kingston University, and the founder and CEO of ‘Bridges self-management'. Her background and qualifications are in Physiotherapy, neurorehabilitation and self-management research. She has led studies to evaluate self-management approaches within stroke teams in London and explore support for people with acquired brain injury and long term neurological conditions. She is interested in professional attitudes and skills that influence inclusive approaches to self-management support and sustainability within acute and community rehabilitation settings. In 2013 Fiona set up a social enterprise ‘Bridges Self-management', which works alongside people with long-term conditions to design and deliver best practice in self-management. Bridges is now used by more than 300 acute and community rehabilitation teams across the UK, and in New Zealand and Australia. Fiona is also leading a study funded by the UK National Institute of Health Research to evaluate the use of Experience–Based Co-Design to explore ways to increase therapeutic activity in stroke units. Her academic work through her university role and leading Bridges has enabled a growth in the use of co-production to share the development of programmes and methods with patients, caregivers and clinical staff. The majority of her research now includes aspects of co-design and participatory research methods. Fiona was the Editor in Chief for Physiotherapy Research International Journal from 2006-2012. In 2009 Fiona received the life after stroke award for excellence from the UK Stroke Association and was made a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists in 2011. She was the President of the UK Association of Physiotherapists in Neurology from 2013-2017 and in 2017 received an MBE for services to stroke rehabilitation in the Queen's Birthday Honours list.