About

Thistle Physio’s founder, Alison Hughes, is a Chartered Physiotherapist with almost 20 years’ experience in the profession.

Having undergone rehabilitation to her achilles following a dancing injury as a teenager, Alison was inspired to help others in a similar predicament and went on to study physiotherapy at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen – ranked number one for physiotherapy in Scotland and top three in the UK.

Graduating with a BSC(Hons) degree in 2005, in the intervening years she’s gone on to gain extensive experience across a range of NHS settings, including Inverness, Worcester, Edinburgh, Cheltenham and Gloucester.

Previously an Advanced Practitioner specialising in lower back pain in Edinburgh for NHS Lothian, Alison has experience working in private practice, both in the Cotswolds and at FASIC, which is part of the University of Edinburgh, and one of Scotland’s leading multi-disciplinary Sport and Exercise Medicine clinics.

Currently, she works in the Musculoskeletal Advanced Practitioner Service in Gloucester Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This is a specialist service which GPs send their patients to for skilled assessment of musculoskeletal problems, which have not been helped by usual management methods. A senior role, Alison’s responsibilities sees her conduct further investigations, administer corticosteroid injections, liaise with orthopaedic consultants for case discussion, and refer patients for surgery should it be needed.

Now, based out of the Cotswold Suite, New Barn Close Surgery in Broadway, Worcestershire, Alison offers musculoskeletal physiotherapy services to cater to a range of physical needs.