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About us
Who we are
The clinicians at The Facial Rehabilitation Centre have all worked together for many years in the internationally renowned Facial Palsy Multidisciplinary Team at Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
We all have many years of experience working with patients who require rehabilitation following facial paralysis and all specialise in both facial therapy and botulinum toxin injection therapy.
Alongside Our NHS work we wanted to offer a private service for patients who desired quicker access to specialist facial palsy care and valued enhanced rehabilitation sessions. Therefore the Facial Rehabilitation Centre was set up in 2020.
Conference presentations given by the TFRC team
International Facial Nerve Symposium (IFNS) 2025 Madrid;
Invited speaker; ‘Botulinum toxin management in facial palsy’
‘International facial therapy consensus guidelines'
British Oculoplastics (BOPPS) Conference 2025;
Invited speaker; ‘An update on specialist facial therapy’
British Neurotoxin Network Conference 2024;
‘Botulinum toxin management in synkinetic facial palsy’
Nordic Facial Nerve Conference 2023;
Keynote speaker; ‘Individualised evidence-based approach to rehabilitation in facial palsy’
IFNS South Korea 2022
· The benefits of an early multi-disciplinary approach in facial palsy rehabilitation
· Final results of international consensus guidelines study for specialist facial therapy
· Analysis of the correlation between resting facial symmetry and voluntary movement in patients with facial palsy and synkinesis pre and post a novel facial therapy group
· Multidisciplinary online facial rehabilitation for synkinesis (MOFRS)
Nordic Facial Nerve Conference 2021
· International Consensus on Specialist Facial Therapy
IFNS LA 2017
· Holistic management of ocular synkinesis
· Development of a facial therapy specialists' group
· Enhanced MRI scanning in atypical facial palsy
FTSI Conference – Birmingham
· Chair’s Welcome Speech
· Management of Ocular Synkinesis
IFNS Boston 2013
. The Psychological Impact of a Multidisciplinary Facial Palsy Clinic
Multi-disciplinary International Facial Conference ‘Controversies and Challenges in Facial Palsy; St Andrews Centre for Plastic Surgery, Chelmsford
· Specialist Facial Therapy Outcomes
Royal Society of Medicine
· Controversies around electrical stimulation in facial rehabilitation – a debate
Research & book chapters published by the TFRC team
Lim CS, Neville C, Nduka C, Kannan R, Malhotra R. Periocular Management of Pediatric Facial Nerve Palsy. Am J Ophthalmol. 2025 Oct;278:292-304. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2025.06.038. Epub 2025 Jun 20. PMID: 40545019.
Paranhos Barbot M, Neville C, Gwynn T, Young K, Selley-West C, Malhotra R, Nduka C, Kannan RY. A Comparative Study of Platysmal Myoneurectomy With Variations of Selective Neurectomies in Post-Facial Palsy Synkinesis. Microsurgery. 2025 Mar;45(3):e70040. doi: 10.1002/micr.70040. PMID: 40013721; PMCID: PMC11866734.
Lim CS, Nagendran S, Neville C, Nduka C, Kannan R, Malhotra R. The Effectiveness of Facial Exercise Therapy in Ophthalmic Complications of Facial Nerve Palsy and the CADS Grading Scale as an Ophthalmic-Specific Grading System. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2024 Nov-Dec 01;40(6):685-695. doi: 10.1097/IOP.0000000000002700. Epub 2024 May 9. PMID: 38722780.
Neville C, Beurskens C, Diels J, MacDowell S, Rankin S. Consensus Among International Facial Therapy Experts for the Management of Adults with Unilateral Facial Palsy: A Two-Stage Nominal Group and Delphi Study. Facial Plast Surg Aesthet Med. 2024 Jul-Aug;26(4):405-417. doi: 10.1089/fpsam.2023.0101. Epub 2023 Nov 3. PMID: 37922418.
Szczepura A, Holliday N, Neville C, Johnson K, Khan AJK, Oxford SW, Nduka C. Raising the Digital Profile of Facial Palsy: National Surveys of Patients’ and Clinicians’ Experiences of Changing UK Treatment Pathways and Views on practical guide for trainees, general practitioners, nurses and allied health professionals. In production
Venables V, Neville C, Gwynn T, Kannan RY, Nduka C. Impact of lower motor neurone facial palsy on oro-motor function and its remediation. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2019 Sep;72(9):1570-1575.
Pescarini E, Neville C, Gwynn T, Young K, Chandrasekharan L, Nduka C, Kannan RY. The Need for Routine Assessment of Masseter Function After Masseteric Nerve Harvest With the Borschel Method. JAMA Facial Plast Surg. 2019 Sep 1;21(5):461-462.
Kannan RY, Neville C, Nduka C. Vermilion-Mucosal Advancement Flap: A Scarless Technique of Adynamic Wedge Resection of the Lower Lip in Patients With Facial Palsy. JAMA Facial Plast Surg. 2018 Sep 1;20(5):423. doi: 10.1001/jamafacial.2018.0639.
Kannan RY, Neville C, Gwynn T, Young K, Venables V, Nduka C. Evaluation of Masseteric Nerve-Based Selective Neurotization for Multivectorial Augmentation of the Weak Smile. JAMA Facial Plast Surg. 2019 Jul 1;21(4):340-341.
Cooper L, Izard C, Harries V, Neville C, Venables V, Malhotra R, Nduka C. Paradoxical Frontalis Activation: An Underrecognized Consequence of Facial Palsy. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2018 Feb;141(2):263e-270e.
Kannan RY, Neville C, Gwynn T, Venables V, Malhotra R, Nduka C. The effect of template-based sequential (TBS) coding on an NHS plastic surgical practice. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2018 Jul;71(7):1058-1061.
Szczepura, A., Khan, A., Holliday, N., Nduka, C., Neville, C., Johnson, K., Mistry, H. and Oxford, S., 2018. PP26 facial palsy therapy: can novel ‘smart spectacles’ help people smile? International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 34(S1), pp.76-76.
Neville C, Venables V, Aslet M, Nduka C, Kannan R. An objective assessment of botulinum toxin type A injection in the treatment of post-facial palsy synkinesis and hyperkinesis using the synkinesis assessment questionnaire. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2017 Nov;70(11):1624-1628.
Ziahosseini K, Venables V, Neville C, Nduka C, Patel B, Malhotra R. Occurrence and severity of upper eyelid skin contracture in facial nerve palsy. Eye (Lond). 2016 May;30(5):713-7.
Pucks N, Thomas A, Hallam MJ, Venables V, Neville C, Nduka C. Cutaneous cooling to manage botulinum toxin injection-associated pain in patients with facial palsy: A randomised controlled trial. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2015 Dec;68(12):1701-5.
Research & Book Chapters Published By The TFRC Team
Lim CS, Neville C, Nduka C, Kannan R, Malhotra R. Periocular Management of Pediatric Facial Nerve Palsy. Am J Ophthalmol. 2025 Oct;278:292-304. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2025.06.038. Epub 2025 Jun 20. PMID: 40545019.
Paranhos Barbot M, Neville C, Gwynn T, Young K, Selley-West C, Malhotra R, Nduka C, Kannan RY. A Comparative Study of Platysmal Myoneurectomy With Variations of Selective Neurectomies in Post-Facial Palsy Synkinesis. Microsurgery. 2025 Mar;45(3):e70040. doi: 10.1002/micr.70040. PMID: 40013721; PMCID: PMC11866734.
Lim CS, Nagendran S, Neville C, Nduka C, Kannan R, Malhotra R. The Effectiveness of Facial Exercise Therapy in Ophthalmic Complications of Facial Nerve Palsy and the CADS Grading Scale as an Ophthalmic-Specific Grading System. Ophthalmic Plast Reconstr Surg. 2024 Nov-Dec 01;40(6):685-695. doi: 10.1097/IOP.0000000000002700. Epub 2024 May 9. PMID: 38722780.
Neville C, Beurskens C, Diels J, MacDowell S, Rankin S. Consensus Among International Facial Therapy Experts for the Management of Adults with Unilateral Facial Palsy: A Two-Stage Nominal Group and Delphi Study. Facial Plast Surg Aesthet Med. 2024 Jul-Aug;26(4):405-417. doi: 10.1089/fpsam.2023.0101. Epub 2023 Nov 3. PMID: 37922418.
Szczepura A, Holliday N, Neville C, Johnson K, Khan AJK, Oxford SW, Nduka C. Raising the Digital Profile of Facial Palsy: National Surveys of Patients’ and Clinicians’ Experiences of Changing UK Treatment Pathways and Views on the Future Role of Digital Technology. J Med Internet Res. 2020 Oct 5;22(10):e20406.
Venables V, Neville C, Gwynn T, Kannan RY, Nduka C. Impact of lower motor neurone facial palsy on oro-motor function and its remediation. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2019 Sep;72(9):1570-1575.
Pescarini E, Neville C, Gwynn T, Young K, Chandrasekharan L, Nduka C, Kannan RY. The Need for Routine Assessment of Masseter Function After Masseteric Nerve Harvest With the Borschel Method. JAMA Facial Plast Surg. 2019 Sep 1;21(5):461-462.
Kannan RY, Neville C, Nduka C. Vermilion-Mucosal Advancement Flap: A Scarless Technique of Adynamic Wedge Resection of the Lower Lip in Patients With Facial Palsy. JAMA Facial Plast Surg. 2018 Sep 1;20(5):423. doi: 10.1001/jamafacial.2018.0639.
Kannan RY, Neville C, Gwynn T, Young K, Venables V, Nduka C. Evaluation of Masseteric Nerve-Based Selective Neurotization for Multivectorial Augmentation of the Weak Smile. JAMA Facial Plast Surg. 2019 Jul 1;21(4):340-341.
Cooper L, Izard C, Harries V, Neville C, Venables V, Malhotra R, Nduka C. Paradoxical Frontalis Activation: An Underrecognized Consequence of Facial Palsy. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2018 Feb;141(2):263e-270e.
Kannan RY, Neville C, Gwynn T, Venables V, Malhotra R, Nduka C. The effect of template-based sequential (TBS) coding on an NHS plastic surgical practice. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2018 Jul;71(7):1058-1061.
Szczepura, A., Khan, A., Holliday, N., Nduka, C., Neville, C., Johnson, K., Mistry, H. and Oxford, S., 2018. PP26 facial palsy therapy: can novel ‘smart spectacles’ help people smile? International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care, 34(S1), pp.76-76.
Neville C, Venables V, Aslet M, Nduka C, Kannan R. An objective assessment of botulinum toxin type A injection in the treatment of post-facial palsy synkinesis and hyperkinesis using the synkinesis assessment questionnaire. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2017 Nov;70(11):1624-1628.
Ziahosseini K, Venables V, Neville C, Nduka C, Patel B, Malhotra R. Occurrence and severity of upper eyelid skin contracture in facial nerve palsy. Eye (Lond). 2016 May;30(5):713-7.
Pucks N, Thomas A, Hallam MJ, Venables V, Neville C, Nduka C. Cutaneous cooling to manage botulinum toxin injection-associated pain in patients with facial palsy: A randomised controlled trial. J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg. 2015 Dec;68(12):1701-5.
Training courses given by TFRC team
Facial Therapy Specialists International; Management of facial palsy – Foundation Course for therapists (online, on-demand module based course)
This accredited online course is designed for therapists and medical professionals working with facial palsy patients, providing a strong foundation in assessment and basic therapeutic management. Developed and led by Catriona Neville, an Extended Scope Practitioner Facial Physiotherapist and CEO of Facial Therapy Specialists International, it offers nine hours of modular video-based learning, practical exercises, and an assessment, all to be completed within one month. While suitable for those looking to build expertise in this field, it is an introductory course, and further practical training or mentoring is recommended. It is not intended for patients, who are advised to seek specialist advice or visit Facial Palsy UK for support.
Find out moreFoundation courses in facial palsy management
East Grinstead
Newcastle
Birmingham
Guildford
Cork, Ireland
London
Canada
Advanced courses in facial palsy management
. QVH
. Cork, Ireland
· Training webinars introduced & given by TFRC team members
· FTSI Advanced Webinar – Management of Synkinesis
· FTSI Advanced Webinar – Eye management and post-surgical rehabilitation
· FTSI Advaced Webinar – Assessment and Management of Paediatric Facial Palsy Patients