I am a Senior Lecturer, Course Lead, Nurse and Patient Safety Specialist. I have worked both in the NHS and private health sector in a variety of roles, from ambulance nurse to NHS 111, from continuous quality officer to NHS commissioning patient quality and safety senior manager. These roles have given me a wealth of experience and expertise. As a nurse I qualified with the ambulance service (many) years ago as an instructor and ambulance driving instructor. I have worked alongside inspirational nurse directors, highly skilled paramedic practitioners and clinicians of high calibre. Each person has shaped my knowledge and skills to enable me to undertake my current role here at the university.
After leaving the Army in 1996 I commenced on a long-standing career in the NHS and private health sector. Pivotal points in my career seem to involve my time outside of the hospital nursing role. Those that know me will not be surprised by this. After serving as a cardiac, respiratory, and urgent care hospital nurse I progressed into workforce development under the NHS Agenda for Change. After a few years contracting for NHS and non-NHS organisations I returned to clinical practice as a nurse and clinical instructor. This time of my life allowed me to work in the UK with a variety of professions and abroad in Nigeria and Abu Dhabi. During this time, I continued to work clinically in the pre-hospital specialism where I have had the honour to watch the Paramedic profession grow. After gaining a wealth of experience and clinical skills I took up a position as a clinical auditor and clinical nurse lead for NHS 111 and Out of Hours General Practice cover. I progressed my clinical skills into this area and quickly took up a combined position as lead auditor, training manager and resuscitation officer for the organisation. Here I worked across the UK from prisons to dental practices, from social care to general practice all using the threes areas of my role. During this time, I fostered my first experiences into patient safety, a defining point in my career. This led to accepting a position with Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent clinical commissioning groups as a quality and safety manager, a role I loved that combined my experience, knowledge, and skills.
My background in patient safety and audit has developed my expertise in these areas but has also given me a passion for education. I believe patient safety and quality starts with getting the basics right. Through my students I can ensure their patients are getting a quality and safe service. As a patient safety specialist for the local area this is the expressed wish for my patients and families.
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