June 2026

Last week, Pauline, Josh, Daniel and Imogen were at AUT University completing a block course as part of their postgraduate certificate in hand and upper limb rehabilitation, a core requirement on the path to becoming Registered Hand Therapists.

Registered Hand Therapist is a professional qualification that sits above standard physiotherapy and occupational therapy training. Earning it takes postgraduate study, supervised clinical hours, and formal peer assessments. The block courses are intensive: academic content grounded in the latest research and best practice, with sessions led by some of the most experienced hand therapists in the country and presentations from leading hand surgeons. It is the kind of learning that directly shapes how a therapist assesses and treats the patients in front of them.

Pauline, Josh, Daniel and Imogen are four of six therapists at Hands On Rehab currently working toward their registration. While they are developing their skills, every one of them is mentored by a senior Registered Hand Therapist, making sure they are working at the top of their scope, applying what they know well, and getting the guidance they need to keep growing.  They are back in clinic this week ready to put what they have learnt into action.

We think it is worth being open about how hand therapy expertise is built. It is not something that happens quickly, and it does not stop once someone is registered. The commitment to training, mentorship and current evidence is what keeps the standard of care where it needs to be.

February 2026

Three Years at Shorecare Smales Farm: Nearly 2,500 New Patients and Counting
Three years ago, Hands On Rehabilitation opened its doors at Shorecare Smales Farm, bringing specialist hand therapy directly into an acute care setting on Auckland's North Shore. What started as a new model of care has become one of our most impactful clinics, and this month we're marking that milestone with a lot of pride.

A Different Kind of Clinic

Shorecare Smales Farm isn't a typical hand therapy setting. It sits within a busy urgent care environment, which means the patients who come through the door are often in acute pain, freshly injured, and looking for answers fast. Getting the right specialist input at that moment, rather than weeks later after a GP referral, makes a real difference to outcomes.

Since opening in February 2023, our team at Shorecare Smales Farm has seen nearly 2,500 acute patients. That's 2,500 people who received specialist hand therapy assessment and management at the point of care, many of whom would otherwise have waited significantly longer for treatment. Those patients come to us with everything from wrist fractures, finger dislocations, and tendon injuries through to hand lacerations, crush injuries, and complex wounds requiring careful management.

We serve patients from right across the North Shore, including Takapuna, Milford, Devonport, Northcote, Birkenhead, and beyond. For many of them, having a hand therapy specialist available on the spot at Smales Farm means they leave with a diagnosis, a splint, and a clear plan on the same day they're injured.

More Than a Clinic
Our role at Shorecare goes beyond seeing patients. From the beginning, we've worked alongside the wider Shorecare team, including the staff in A&E, the dressing clinics, and the fracture clinics, to support the management of hand and upper limb injuries across the facility.

That collaboration has involved education as much as treatment. Our therapists have worked closely with the Shorecare team to build knowledge and confidence around hand injury management, from wound care and splinting through to recognising which injuries need urgent specialist input. When the whole team understands hand injuries better, patients benefit.

The Team Behind It
The success of the Shorecare Smales Farm clinic comes down to the three therapists who have built it. David Beattie, Mark Lanigan, and Courtney Wilkinson have not only delivered excellent clinical care but have become a genuine part of the Shorecare community. Working in an acute environment requires a particular kind of therapist: someone who is clinically sharp, adaptable, and able to build trust quickly with both patients and colleagues from other disciplines. David, Mark, and Courtney bring all of that.

Their ability to integrate with the Shorecare team, contribute to education, and maintain consistently high standards of care in a fast-paced setting has made this clinic what it is.

Looking Ahead

We're proud of what has been built at Shorecare Smales Farm and grateful for the partnership with the Shorecare team that has made it possible. The model works because both organisations are committed to the same thing: getting patients the right care, quickly.

If you've had a hand, wrist, or finger injury and you're on the North Shore, our team at Smales Farm can see you. No referral needed.

Here's to the next three years.

Hands On Rehabilitation | Shorecare Smales Farm

September 2024

We are excited to announce that from September 2nd 2024 we will be offering Hand Therapy services from Shorecare, Greville Road.

We are thrilled to be working even more closely alongside our Medical and Nursing colleagues offering on site care for those painful wrist hand and finger injuries. The clinic will be staffed by Registered Hand Therapists with a special interest and involvement in sports and injury management.

Opening hours are Monday to Friday.

Looking forward to streamlining your hand injury and rehabilitation journey!

www.shorecare.co.nz

February 2023

We are excited to announce that from February 7th 2023 we will be offering Hand Therapy services from Shorecare, Smales Farm.

We are thrilled to be working even more closely alongside our Medical and Nursing colleagues offering on site care for those painful wrist hand and finger injuries. The clinic will be staffed by David Beattie and Kirsty Neal, both experienced Physiotherapists, Registered Hand Therapists with a special interest and involvement in sports and injury management.

Opening hours are Monday to Friday and our rooms are located in the Korowai Ora Specialist Clinic space. To visit enter through main entrance and proceed to Specialist Clinic Reception 3. (To the Right of main reception, look for the Hands On signage)

Looking forward to streamlining your hand injury and rehabilitation journey!

https://www.shorecare.co.nz/

April 2022

Our Westgate Clinic is Moving!

Just 3 doors up from our exisiting clinic, our new Westgate clinic will be open from the 3rd of May 2022. Located at 4/7 Maki Street, we’ll still have the same convenient free parking available.

March 2022

Introducing Hands On Rehab Papakura!

We have recently acquired Counties Hand Clinic which is a boutique hand therapy clinic based in Counties Medical Integrated Health at 6-18 O’Shannessey Street in Papakura.

The clinic was opened by Teri Mitchell in 2019 and she has done a great job, offering hand therapy services to hand injured patients in the Papakura region. The Papakura site complements our existing locations in Manukau and Drury.

The clinic doors re-open Monday 21st March.

To contact us or make an appointment please see below.

Book Now