Professional Qualifications
RGN– August 1988 / Registered Nurse (Child) Diploma HE/ Pt 15 Professional Register- October 1995 SCPHN (School Nursing)- MSc / Diploma (level 7)-Distinction- September 2013 / Community Prescriber– September 2013
Professional skills
I practice with a high level of autonomy.
My work is person centred and family focused.
I complete robust and holistic assessments. These include:
DST assessments, FNC assessments, Checklists for Continuing Healthcare.
Clinical Reviews for the Death in Custody Service- Commissioned by NHS England.
Health Needs Assessments for individuals and populations using a structured and formatted approach.
School observations, family interviews and assessments using the ADI-R framework.
Play based assessments for Autism indicators using the ADOS2 framework (Trained in ADOS2 Administration and Coding).
Career History
From February 2023- Train the Healthcare Trainer 5 week course completed- 96% overall score/ offering training on a range of subjects (offered over many years but now registered as Train the Healthcare Trainer through Health Education England). Subjects include basic Epilepsy Training/Rescue medication training (your competency will not be assessed in this training), record keeping in line with the NMC standards, Medication storage and administration in schools, Care Planning (available for other bespoke training but will require advance enquiry and discussion).
From February 2023
Offering independent ADOS2 assessments and ADI-R with families to feed into a panel of professionals assessing for Autism and other neuro-diverse conditions.
To work with families (information gathering) post diagnosis to determine need to help and support them to navigate their way post diagnosis and what this then means for them.
To information gather about the child’s understanding of their diagnosis and signpost accordingly.
May 2021- current day– Accredited Naming Celebrant with Humanists UK
- Writing, and delivering bespoke Naming Ceremonies for people on request.
- Delivering the ceremonies at an arranged time and location for families.
- Naming ceremonies are not just for children but are adaptable to any change of name or occasion where new family members might be welcomed.
- To be honest- a naming ceremony can be adapted to most occasions involving names!!
September 2021- current day– CHC Coordinator/ Clinical Assessor (Adult/ LD) Leeds CCG
- Undertaking DST assessments for adults with Learning Disabilities and young people in transition between children and adult services across Leeds.
- Working within a small team of assessors- sat within social care/ employed by the ICB, completing DST assessments, and making recommendations regarding eligibility for funding.
- Working closely with Case Managers undertaking joint reviews of CHC eligibility and ensuring support packages are meeting need and are appropriate.
- Presenting DST and funding requests to finance panels and eligibility panels.
- Fact finding and information gathering for the DST process.
- Liaison with families and care providers.
- Developed creative ways of thinking which have ensured all completed documents as evidence based as possible.
- Completing DST’s-some virtual initially and now mainly face to face.
- Adapting to different ways of working in regard to the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Undertaking specific work to improve the PHB process and delivery across Leeds.
- Developing knowledge of different IT and administration systems.
January 2020-September 2021- Clinical Nurse Assessor for Continuing Health Care (North Yorkshire)
- Practising as a Clinical assessor within CHC.
- Completing checklists for eligibility for a DST.
- Checklists completed as part of the D2A process under Covid-19 direction.
- Completing DST’s- live initially and now virtual.
- Completing FNC needs portrayal documents and processing FNC applications.
- Fact finding and information gathering for the DST process.
- Liaison with families and care providers.
- Developed creative ways of thinking which have ensured all completed documents as evidence based as possible.
- Presenting DST and funding requests to finance panels and eligibility panels.
- I have devised SOP’s for new and old processes.
- I have completed retrospective assessments.
- I have completed CHC full funding reviews.
- I have completed CHC joint funded reviews.
- I have completed support plans for Notional PHB contracts.
- I have worked with others to develop job descriptions for change management roles.
- I have undertaken the duties of a Band 7 clinical lead- I have led supervision and focus groups, completed staff appraisals, and supported both clinical assessors and case managers during a difficult time.
- I have supported a team of 10 people to adapt to working from home principles and helped them to overcome some of the challenges this creates.
- I have offered support and guidance around flexible working and have helped to re-design the formulas for case management.
- I have led the Local Resolution Meetings (LRM’s) for appeals and the appeal process. I have negotiated with Legal teams and produced robust reports for presentation at Independent Review Panels (IRP)
- I have managed and organised a case load of complex people in receipt of CHC funding. I have conducted the annual reviews and identified changes required to the packages of support. I have liaised with wider specialist and community services to ensure the support received is of the required standard.
- I have also ensured safeguarding principles are adhered to at all times and have coordinated support required as a recommendation of safeguarding meetings.
- In addition to this I have worked very closely with the Transforming Care team, Dynamic Support Register, CeTR leads and LD services to ensure support for some very complex people.
- My understanding of computer systems is developing all the time.
- I am a competent user of QA, Apex Live and SystmOne and am able to learn quickly about other systems in use.
September 2019 to present day (Contracting through CAB-Independent Health Consultancy Ltd) Clinical Supervision for Independent Nurses (Nurse working outside of an NHS Contract)
September 2019 to present day (Contracting through CAB- Independent Health Consultancy Ltd) Completing Health Assessments, Care Planning, signposting and review for Children, Young People and Vulnerable adults.
- Undertaking school observations of the child (Primary years), parent interviews and collecting family histories, and Health Needs Assessments (ADI-R Framework) on a contractual basis for children and young people experiencing physical health, social and emotional difficulties in different environments.
- Undertaking play based assessments with children and young people within the ADOS2 framework.
- Coordinating meetings with other professionals to identify concerns and underlying reason for assessment requests.
- Coordinating family meetings to discuss the presenting needs- these can be physical and developmental need, social and emotional need or trauma based need.
- Completing a robust and specialist assessment identifying the key areas of support required to improve outcomes for the person.
- Working in a multi-agency manner ensuring all necessary elements of the person’s life are explored and captured.
- Signposting and referring families for specialist services and support where necessary and supporting the family to access these services.
- Supporting other disciplines to offer suitable strategies to support where appropriate.
- For all assessments undertaken the 12 domains of the CHC framework are used as a guide and tool ensuring a complete and robust assessment.
- Working with families post diagnosis with a neuro-diverse condition such as Autism- gathering information for them and signposting them for appropriate support.
- Also working with some children post diagnosis and finding out what the diagnosis itself means for them.
2018-present day (Contracted per review through CAB- Independent Health Consultancy Ltd) – Clinical Reviewer for the death In Custody Service/ Spectrum Healthcare
- This work is with the adult prison population
- Completing Clinical Reviews (Level 1 and Level 2) on a contractual basis, for the Death in Custody service.
- Working in collaboration with the PPO (Prison and Probation Ombudsman) investigating the death of any individual who dies whilst in custody/detention at any prison across England.
- Commissioned by NHS England, the Clinical Reviewer conducts a systematic and structured review of health records and produces a comprehensive and robust report. This process determines ‘Equivalence of care’ and identifies both areas of good practice and also suggests areas of improvement required.
- The process requires extensive knowledge of the Criminal Justice System and also the frameworks by which Health Care in prison is delivered.
- Extensive knowledge of NICE guidance and Clinical guidance is required for this position.
- Extensive knowledge of chronic and acute conditions and monitoring of such is necessary to undertake this post successfully.
- The ability to analyse and interpret health information is also very important, so it is vital that information is factual, succinct, relevant and detailed. This involves me conducting a review of the information to ensure it reaches the 4 standards.
- These reports are included in the Fatal Incident Reports produced by the PPO and are referenced during the Coroners Inquiry.
- The Clinical Reviewer can be summoned to court to give evidence at any time.
2015-2019 Traded Health Practitioner (School Nurse) North East Primary Area Inclusion Partnership/Leeds Community Healthcare Trust (0-19 pathway and 25 years for complex needs).
- An autonomous role assessing the complex social, emotional and behavioural needs of children and young adults who are having great difficulty in accessing main stream services.
- Close collaboration with Health providers to establish support required to ensure these children and young adults remain safe and cared for in an appropriate and structured way.
- Enhanced communication with children, young adults, families and professional colleagues to provide a comprehensive and robust assessment of need relating to Social and Emotional Mental Health (SEMH).
- Coordinating home visits, school visits and hospital visits, to ensure all information gathered is accurate, present and young person/ adult and family focused.
- Collating information from a variety of sources to produce a comprehensive and robust assessment of need.
- Undertaking Specialist Nursing Assessments for children and young adults with a whole range of health SEMH needs and presenting this information at panel meetings to secure funding for often very costly out of LA area placements.
- Establishing if the child meets the criteria for NHS Continuing Care, Joint Care (with LA) support packages, respite (LA), respite (Continuing Care) or End of Life Care. This work extends into the adult sector as I am working with people in transition from children’s to adult services also.
- Additional close work with Complex Needs / SEN services to provide Health contributions for Education and Health care Plans (EHCP’s) formerly Statements of Educational Need.
March 2014-2015 (Full time) March 2015-2019 (Part time)-Traded Health Practitioner (School Nurse) Primary School/ Leeds Community Healthcare Trust
- An autonomous Public Health role working as the only Traded School Nurse in the area.
- Responsible for the health needs of a defined school population.
- Identification of Health needs through collaboration and close working with colleagues from the Education, LA and voluntary sectors.
- Enhanced communication with children, families and professional colleagues to provide a comprehensive and robust assessment of need.
- Undertaking Specialist Nursing Assessments for children with a whole range of health and complex needs in relation to support required for LA care, respite, Continuing Health Care and End of Life care.
- School observations and family histories taken for referral for specialist assessments.
- Working in collaboration with other Health Professionals to secure support and care packages for children, enabling them to access Education and wider social and community activities.
- Individual work with children and families, reviewing care packages and packages of support within the Continuing Health Care framework. Attending panel meetings where required to determine ongoing levels of support required.
Winter months- October 2017- December 2017 (Part time and agency work/ weekends)Band 6 Community Nurse supporting the Neighbourhood Teams in North Leeds
September 2012-2013- Full time student– MSc in SCPHN (Specialist Community Public Health Nursing) at Leeds Metropolitan University
January 2009-2014 Lead Nurse in SILC sites across Leeds (Complex Needs Service)(2-19 years)
- Responsible for the oversight of the health needs of a defined school population.
- Enhanced communication with children, families and professional colleagues to provide a comprehensive and robust assessment of need relating to NHS Continuing Care, Joint Care (with LA), support packages, respite (LA), and respite (Continuing Care) and End of Life Care.
- Undertaking Specialist Nursing Assessments for children with complex needs in relation to support required for care, respite, Continuing Health Care and End of Life care (Within the CHC framework, checklists, assessments and DST’s)
- Networking across multiple agencies to identify services which would provide best outcomes for children and families.
- Provision of Professional Health and Nursing advice to a range of disciplines.
- Attendance at decision panel meetings to present assessments and provide relevant clinically assessed information.
- Additional close work with Complex Needs / SEN services to provide Health contributions for Education and Health care Plans (EHCP’s) formerly Statements of Educational Need.
March 2006-2009(Part time)-Specialist Inclusive Learning Centre (SILC) Nurse (Complex Needs Service)
January 2001-2009 (Part time)-Inter-agency Transitions Manager- Health/ Nursing representative in a Multi-Agency Team (Leeds City Council) (age range 16-25 years).
1998-2001–Staff Nurse with a District Nursing Team (full time adults)
1996-1998-Children’s Staff Nurse/ Junior Sister Posts- Orthopaedics and Plastics at St James University Hospital (SJUH)/ General Surgery and Neuro-Surgery at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI)
1995-1996-Completed Diploma in Higher Education (Child) at Leeds Metropolitan University
October 1991-1995-Adult Medical wards, Staff Nurse Post (rotation) at SJUH
August 1988-October 1991-Completed RGN training at Leeds (East) College of Health
Qualifications, Education and Personal Development– 2021-2023:
Benchmarking in practice– the 11 domains of the DST.
Emergency responses in custody– July 2021
REACT- Using the REACT approach– June 2021
Humanist Naming Celebrant course- March – April 2021.
Supporting Families and Autism awareness– 1 day conference January 2020.
ASD– The facts for parents– June 4th, 2021
Diagnosis Autism- What now?- June 4th, 2021
NCFE Cache Level 2 certificate in Understanding Autism– July 2021.
Autism- Step by step, the ultimate guide for families– June 2021.
6 steps to reducing problem behaviours for children with Autism– July 2021
Safeguarding, capacity, and risk– September 2021.
The PPO perspective on the impact of Covid-19 in prisons in the UK– 26th January 2022
ACCT– Healthcare roles and responsibilities- 20th April 2022.
Systems engineering Initiative for patient safety– 20th April 2022
Compliance based training and competency frameworks– 27th July 2022
Human factors/ ergonomics (safety science) for patient safety: Level 1- Understanding- 3rd October 2022
CHC training- Including delivery and support for trainers– 26/09/2022, 27/09/2022, 03/10/2022, 09/10/2022.
Health and safety and welfare– Level 1- 02/11/2022
ADOS2– 4 day training in administration and coding- November / December 2022
Understanding Autism Level 3/ Higher Distinction- 1st February 2023 (refresher course).
Liberty Protection Safeguards Training- 1st February 2023.
NHSE CHC Masterclass– the nuances of the framework discussed. 8th February 2023.
Train the Healthcare Trainer– Health Education England- Completed February 2023 (96% overall score)
e-LH refresher training (2021) to include:
Introduction to Continuing Healthcare, Core Values and Principles of Continuing Health care/ Referral for Continuing Healthcare: Fast track pathway tool / Referral for continuing Healthcare: Checklist / Referral for NHS-funded Nursing Care and Assessment
Statutory Mandatory Training 2022/23 to include:
Anaphylaxis/CPR, Moving and handling, Infection control, IG, Mental Capacity, Safeguarding children, Safeguarding vulnerable adults, Data security, Fire safety, Equality Diversity and Human Rights, Conflict of interest, Prevent training (e-LH) 2018/19/ 2019/2020/21/22/23, Data Security awareness (e-LH)-2017/18/19/20/21/22/23,
Historical training and additional qualifications of relevance and importance.
Developing Professional Supervision in Practice for professionals working with children and young people-Professional / Clinical supervision updates-2018
Making sense of behaviours (Julia Dyer/ Advanced Sensory Integration Practitioner)-2018
Introduction to Sensory Integration and Sensory Processing Disorder (Julia Dyer/ Advanced Sensory Integration Practitioner)-2017
Behind Closed Doors: Bespoke training delivered around DV and abuse-2017
Think Family, Work Family (LSCB training)-2017
Webster Stratton Classroom Management (4 day training)-2016/2017
HENRY Group Facilitators training-2017
HENRY Core Training–2016
Emotional Health and Wellbeing pathways for Children and Young People (LCH)-2015
Self Harm and depression-Assessing the risk (CAMHS)-2015
Advanced Health Needs Assessment Training-2013/2014
MSc (at Distinction) Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN/ School Nursing) (Leeds Metropolitan University)-July 2013
Nursing and Midwifery Mentorship Update (Leeds Metropolitan University)-2009
Supervisors and Assessors Training– 2009/2010
ENB 998- Mentorship in Practice- 1997
Diploma in HE/Part 15 of the Professional Register/ Children’s Nursing – (Leeds Metropolitan University)-October 1995
Care of the Terminally Ill – AQA certificated Course-1993
Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Counselling Skills- AQA certificate 1992-1993
Registered General Nurse (RGN) August 1988 (Leeds (East) College Of Health) – October 1991
CAB-Independent Health Consultancy Ltd 