Paula Bright BSc Hons MCSP LJLCP
Paula's 25 years experience spans a wide range of NHS specialities including neurology, respiratory, paediatrics and elderly care. After specialising in Musculoskeletal physio, she worked in outpatient clinics, GP surgeries and gyms within the UK and abroad.
This rich knowledge base with her interest in how a persons life experience and individual context, creates their unique symptom presentation, inspired Paula to set up the practice with a focus on truly individualised, high quality treatment.
She has come to learn that the challenges we all inevitably encounter within our lives become the very opportunities that enable us to grow and progress.
Below is a timeline of some of Paula’s personal & professional milestones that have shaped her business purpose of ‘People, Profit and Planet’ and her vision of Physiotherapy as a force for good.
Knee Osteo Arthritis Pilot Study Collaboration
Newquay Surgery commissioned a pilot study for people on total knee replacement waiting list.
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Future Climate Leaders
Course participation and project proposal (see clip).
Environmental Physio Network
Helped launch at the CSP conference; now joint lead for the clinical pillar.
Opened Brightside clinic & rehab space
Renovated with sustainability and human health at the heart of decisions.
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Surf Life Saving World Champs (Surfboat)
Represented Perranporth SLSC.
Kernow Lifestyle Medicine Conference
Organising committee & provider of “movement snacks”.
Active Cornwall — Board role
Senior Independent Director, vice chair & sustainability lead.
B-23 programme
Accepted onto the programme.
Full time Brightside + sustainable renovation
Left Lander practice; secured Good Growth grant; completed carbon literacy training.
Bought the clinic
A big step towards building Brightside’s future.
Scilly Swim
Relay swim to scillies raising raising £10k for SAS after a year training.
Pandemic pivot — Brightside online
Went online, then moved from Threemilestone clinic room to Perranporth clinic room.
Yoga Teacher Training
300hr Yoga TT with Limehouse Yoga.
ConnectTherapy™ Teaching in Australia & New Zealand
Lead teaching assistant for Dr Linda-Joy Lee in Australia- Sydney & Melbourne & New Zealand- Auckland over 3x 3 week periods culminating in me teaching my own workshops on the foot & ankle and Cervical spine & thorax.
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Huge Family Loss
Lost my amazing older brother to lung cancer. Grief and loss are unwelcome teachers. Connection with my family, humanity and the planet has deepened in the wake of this enormous loss.
Lander Medical Practice
Started work at Lander Medical Practice, Truro. Stopped working at St Agnes Surgery, where I’d made good friends in colleagues in this unique community.
Surfboat Vogalonga
To follow...
Scilly Row Challenge
Rowed a surfboat back from isles of scilly in 6 hrs raising money for Cancer research UK.
Canada Learning
Canada with Diane Lee, after completing the Discover physio series in the UK (2013) Introduction to a whole person clinical reasoning model under Diane Lee and Dr Linda-Joy Lee. This is what I’d been looking for! My enthusiasm lead me to become a teaching assistant on the subsequent series and then taking solo road trip around Canada which started with a glorious week with Diane Lee in her clinic in White Rock, Vancouver.
Welcome to the Brightside!
Brightside Physio was born! Small and part time.
St Agnes Surgery
Started at St Agnes Surgery.
Camborne Redruth Community Hospital
Musculoskeletal (MSK) job at Camborne Redruth Community Hospital (CRCH).
Locum & bank positions
Returned from NZ adventures to Locum & bank positions in Liverpool, Liskeared and Duchy hospital.
New Zealand
Travelling New Zealand (NZ) with a bestie and settling to work in Kaikoura in the MSK Physio Clinic based there. It wouldn’t be a stretch to label this place ‘heaven on earth’ and I learnt what community spirit, a health worklife balance and embracing the natural environment for health and for play really meant. I really felt welcomed into this community of 5000 people, joining every sports team and taking every CPD course I could, notably the NZ manipulation Physio Association series.
Junior Physio Rotations
3 years of junior physio rotations through all hospital disciplines and then 1 year at senior level. So much learning that university doesn't give you informal as well as formal- Respiratory, neurological, paediatric rheumatology physio work has only served to deepen my knowledge and understanding of pathology and human health and rehabilitation for my MSK career passion. Numerous continuous professional development courses including 300hr foundational Acupuncture training and hydrotherapy qualifications enriched my scope of practice further.
BSc Hons degree in Physiotherapy
Graduated from University of Wales, College of Medicine with BSc Hons degree in Physiotherapy. I played harder than I worked and came away with a 2:2 degree. Hard lessons were learnt that sometimes sacrifices have to be made to get results.
Womens Rugby
At 14 years old I joined the St Austell women's rugby team. Already playing St Austell and county netball, I realised that I loved physical challenge and testing my mind and body to meet challenges outside my comfort zone. This is a trait that has informed my whole career and one that I encourage in my patients to this day- That ultimately, you can pretty much do anything you put your mind to! Women's rugby became my sport of choice and I played for Cornwall, Welsh Universities and South England.