Hartlepool hospital trust medics backing Team GB's Olympic and World Championships hopes

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust physiotherapy department supplies expert assessment and treatment to Durham University’s elite sports programme, Team Durham.

One of the University’s many successful sports is rowing, with three of their students being selected to represent the GB Under 23 Rowing Team.

Dominic Ellington, a senior physiotherapist at North Tees and Hartlepool, helps the university’s rowing club which has led to him supporting the wider Great Britain rowing team.

He has recently returned from supporting Great Britain at the World University Rowing Championships where he helped the team storm to the top of the medal table with six golds and a silver at the event in Shanghai in China – beating their previous best medal total.

Following this international trip, Dominic continues to offer support to the other Great Britain Rowing Squads, having recently spent two weeks at the Avizaqcua Olympic training camp in Portugal offering his clinical expertise to the Senior Women’s Squad.

When he isn’t travelling around the world, Dominic works at clinics across the trust as well as in Durham City at Maiden Castle.

Fellow physiotherapist Ryan Pearson is also supporting Durham University’s Women’s Under 21 Hockey Team and recently travelled to a training camp in France to provide the team with round the clock assistance.

The physiotherapy team are also involved with Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, one of the region’s best women’s rugby teams.

Physiotherapists Amy Coleman, Paul Miller and Janine Hegarty provide expert treatment both in clinic to the players, but also provide pitch-side support should any player become injured during the game. The team also has its own athletes too, with physiotherapist Ursula Hardy playing for Darlington’s Sharks rugby.

Matt Wynne, Head of Specialist Services at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust said: “We have a team of really talented physiotherapists providing services in the community as well as across our hospital sites. You can see from their achievements so far, they are absolutely committed to the level of care they provide their patients with, day in day out."