Fresh from the major trauma enhanced rehabilitation service winning a HSJ Award for their partnership work supporting survivors of life-changing trauma, team lead physiotherapist, Nick Holden, tells us about his role, the trust placed on the service and how rewarding it can be to help people overcome their life-changing injuries.
Tell us about your role?
I’m a physiotherapist with a specialist interest in complex major trauma rehabilitation. My journey in this field began during the NHS@MIHP programme (a bespoke programme of rehabilitation), where I supported people injured in the Manchester Arena Attack. Since then, we’ve developed a formal research trial and launched a dedicated service to explore whether the life-changing impacts we saw then can be replicated across the wider major trauma population.
Day to day, I work closely with patients to fast-track recovery after serious injury, supported by a brilliant multidisciplinary team that meets regularly to review and refine rehab plans. My role blends clinical expertise with coaching and motivation. I help people stay engaged, rebuild confidence, and find the right balance between too much and too little. We’re aiming not just for recovery, but for people to achieve things they didn’t think were possible.
We’re based within the Nuffield Health Manchester Institute of Health and Performance (MIHP), and that partnership is a huge part of our success. The gym provides an energising, real-world environment where patients feel safe to re-engage with movement and rebuild confidence in a space they can continue to use long after they leave us.
This service is also a collaboration between NCA and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT), and I’m lucky to work with a passionate, expert team who are fully invested in helping patients rebuild their lives after trauma. I couldn’t do it without them.
What does a typical day look like?
Much of our time is spent delivering tailored rehab sessions, working one-to-one or in small groups, helping people make meaningful progress with the right support around them. We also use the biomechanics lab and excellent facilities at MIHP to carry out in-depth assessments that guide our approach.
Each week we hold joint team meetings to plan care and troubleshoot challenges, alongside dedicated goals meetings that keep everyone focused on what matters most to each patient. We work closely with colleagues in occupational therapy, orthoplastics, psychology, and sports medicine, and regularly liaise with community services to ensure patients are supported beyond our walls.
One of my favourite parts of the role is the creative problem-solving — thinking outside the box when standard pathways don’t quite fit. As a team, we take pride in adapting to the individual and finding solutions that work for them.
We’ve also created a very open, welcoming environment, which has fostered something incredibly valuable: peer support. Patients tell us this is one of the most important aspects of their experience - being around others who ‘get it,’ sharing stories, motivating each other, and realising they’re not alone in their recovery.
You often meet people at their lowest point, following life-changing trauma — how do you maintain the right mindset to support them?
It’s an enormous privilege to be trusted at such a vulnerable point in someone’s life. That trust means everything. While the work can be emotionally demanding, we’ve seen time and again how much people can recover, adapt, and thrive — with the right support.
What helps is knowing the impact this service can have. We’ve had patients who wanted amputations but later said they were grateful to keep their limbs. Others who were in a dark place and unsure about the future have rebuilt relationships, re-engaged with life, and started setting goals again. That kind of transformation is deeply motivating.
We support each other too. Regular supervision, open team conversations, and peer reflection help us stay grounded and resilient. Our occupational therapists in particular play a key role in supporting the psychological and practical aspects of recovery.
At its core, we treat people as people — not just injuries or cases. We have the time to build meaningful relationships, offer reassurance, and provide just the right push when it’s needed. That’s where a lot of the magic happens.
How rewarding is it to see the progress your patients make?
It’s hugely rewarding. Seeing someone walk without a limp, get back to work, kick a football with their child, or hike a trail they thought they’d never return to - that’s what it’s all about. We’ve watched people exceed expectations — physically, emotionally, and socially.
But the real reward is helping people get back to what matters most to them. Whether it’s being pain-free for the first time in years or regaining confidence in everyday life, those moments are incredibly powerful.
The gym is more than just a setting — it’s a symbol of how rehab can look and feel when we prioritise environment, equipment, and dignity. Patients tell us it changes how they see themselves and their recovery. Many go on to keep up with gym use or regular exercise after discharge, which is a huge win for long-term physical and mental health.
We’re already seeing positive outcomes in function, confidence, and lifestyle changes — and I hope commissioners continue to recognise the value of this model not just for individuals, but for the sustainability of trauma rehabilitation in the NHS.
What do you enjoy most about your role?
I love working with people from all backgrounds — building relationships, helping them rediscover belief, and watching them achieve things they never imagined possible.
Working in a genuinely collaborative way with both NCA and MFT has been a brilliant part of this service. Everyone is aligned, passionate, and focused on what really matters: changing lives after trauma. It’s been a joy to be part of something so cohesive and forward-thinking.
I’m also incredibly proud of the team. Watching staff develop confidence, support one another, and grow professionally is a huge part of what makes this service special. The supervision, mentorship, and shared purpose benefit us as much as the patients.
And finally, I’m a huge advocate for gym-based rehab. The environment normalises recovery and promotes long-term engagement with movement. It’s brilliant seeing patients who never imagined setting foot in a gym go on to become active, independent, and empowered in ways that last long after rehab ends. That has a lasting impact — for them, and for the NHS.
Pride in the service
We’re incredibly proud of this service and grateful to Nuffield Health for providing such a professional, inclusive environment for our patients. The combination of time, expertise, compassion, and facilities is rare, and it works.
This model shows what’s possible when you invest in people, place, and purpose. With the right backing, we believe this approach could be scaled across the UK to deliver fairer, more effective recovery pathways for all major trauma survivors.
