EMNODN - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Clinical Psychologist
- Consultant
- Psychologist
Anita is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist who is passionate about the wellbeing of babies, children and families. In 2014 she introduced the role of Psychology in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, working with families and staff to improve their experience of being on the unit. Later, she set up, developed, and led the Paediatric Psychology team across Bedfordshire Hospital sites. Anita is looking forward to working with the Network team and with clinicians across the Network to develop the contribution that psychology can make to neonatal care (including for babies, families and staff).
Anneli graduated from Charing Cross and Westminster Medical School and undertook paediatric and neonatal training in the East Midlands. She was appointed to her current consultant post in 2010 as Nottingham's medical lead for the CenTre Transport Service. After a very happy ten years there, Anneli took up a new consultant neonatologist role, staying within the East Midlands Network, and moved to the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton (UHDB) in September 2020. Anneli has been the clinical lead for the EMNODN north hub since September 2013.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Lead Nurse ( FiCare & PPI )
Job Titles:
- Physiotherapist
- Chartered Physiotherapist
Helen is a chartered physiotherapist and a member of the Association of Paediatric Physiotherapists (APCP). She has a BSc (Hons) in physiotherapy and has over 20 years of experience in paediatric physiotherapy, of which over eight are in neonatal physiotherapy services. Helen has experience in acute and community settings covering a wide variety of paediatric specialities before becoming a neonatal physiotherapist. She trained in several advanced clinical assessments and will continue with a clinical role alongside her Network role. Helen will support, advise and work in partnership with multi-disciplinary teams across the Network to highlight the importance of developmental care, family integrated care and early intervention to help improve the quality of care and long-term outcomes for pre-term babies and their families.
Jane graduated from the University of Sheffield Medical School. Following her house officer year, she began training in obstetrics and gynaecology in Nottingham before transitioning to paediatric training. She initially worked in Sheffield and then completed neonatal training in the East Midlands. Jane was appointed as a neonatal consultant working for the Leicester Neonatal Service in January 2017. Her clinical area of special interest is end-of-life and bereavement care, becoming the clinical lead for organ donation at the University Hospitals of Leicester in January 2018. Jane stepped down from this role when she joined the EMNODN team as clinical lead for south hub in March 2021.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Lead Nurse ( Workforce & Education )
Judith is a registered general and children's nurse. She is qualified in neonatal nursing and has an MA in Independent practice in health. Judith worked in a variety of roles in neonatal nursing for 30 years before joining the Network team. As education and project lead, Judith aims to support the delivery of high-quality neonatal care within the Network through nurse education, training initiatives and quality improvement projects.
Katie has a wealth of clinical experience looking after babies and children with nutrition and feeding difficulties, including infants on neonatal units, children with complex needs and those requiring acute and community nutritional support. She continues in her clinical role alongside her Network role.
Katie has completed master's level study in neonatal nutrition and is passionate about supporting infants, their families and the staff caring for them. She strongly supports the vision of family integrated care and feels this is integral to all infant feeding journeys. Katie is keen to help promote the dietitian's role and work with Network colleagues in standardising nutritional excellence across the Network.
Job Titles:
- Practice Development Nurse
Job Titles:
- Director / Lead Nurse
- Registered General Nurse
Linda is a registered general nurse and midwife qualified in neonatal speciality. She holds an MSc in public services management. Linda has worked across midwifery, neonates and transitional care for several years, many of which were in Cambridge before relocating to the Midlands. Linda ensures that the baby and family journey is integral to all Network projects and works collaboratively with the parents to achieve that aim. She is passionate about ensuring that every opportunity is taken to improve standards of care and safety. As director and lead Nurse, she is constantly striving to ensure consistency and collaboration across all the constituent units to deliver high-quality, equitable services across the Network. She endeavours to raise the profile of nursing by engaging with nurses at all levels and encouraging Network involvement and education and development opportunities.
Linsay joined the Network team in January 2014. Although having never previously worked within the NHS, she has over eighteen years of administration experience in various sectors, including; Human Resources (HR), training & education and aviation. As office manager, she is the central communication point for the Operational Delivery Network (ODN). She is responsible for the coordination and smooth running of the operational and strategic functioning of the Network management team and promotes collaborative working across the ODN.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Parents Advisory Group
- Chairman, Parent Advisory Group
Lynsey is the Chair of the Parents Advisory Group. Lynsey also attends the Board meetings as a Parent Representative. She has had two premature babies, one at 28 weeks and one at 33 weeks, both born at Nottingham City Hospital. Although most of their time was spent within the Neonatal unit at City Campus they also spent a month at the QMC Campus. Lynsey's role as Chair and Parent Representative within the Network is on a voluntary basis.
Job Titles:
- Speech & Language Therapist
Natalie is a speech and language therapist with 20 years of experience supporting complex babies and children with feeding, swallowing and communication needs. Natalie has completed both postgraduate level and advanced specialist neonatal training and is also a qualified Makaton tutor. She continues to work clinically alongside her Network role, raising the profile and importance of the speech and language therapist's role in "normalising" feeding and communication development. This primarily involves working as part of a multidisciplinary team within the hospital and once the babies are home. Natalie will work with Network colleagues to continue to promote family integrated care and developmental care for improved long-term outcomes for pre-term babies and their families. She is passionate about equitable services to support parents, their babies and staff throughout their journey.
Rachel joined the Network team, having previously worked at Derbyshire Children's Hospital. She has over fifteen years of experience working with data, and excel is her weapon of choice! As data analyst, she will support Network projects and also hopes to work with clinicians to develop reports that will help the neonatal units to monitor and improve their performance.
Sarah is a neonatal and paediatric occupational therapist with widespread experience in early intervention and supporting families, babies and children in managing discharge from the hospital and establishing a new normal. She continues to work clinically alongside her Network role and is qualified in several advanced clinical assessments. She has also completed further study, including a level 7 module in neonatal healthcare at Keele University. She is extremely passionate about the role of occupational therapy and the value the profession can add to caring for neonates in units and enhancing longer-term developmental outcomes.
Job Titles:
- Practice Development Nurse
Susan is a registered children's nurse qualified in neonatal speciality and has a keen interest in nurse education and quality improvement. Susan previously worked at Kettering General Hospital for 14 years. Susan's last three years focused on facilitating and developing education events and learning packages, including human factors training and simulation. As a network practice development nurse, Susan will be continuing this at a Network level and will support the running and teaching of the foundations in neonatal care programme which she developed in collaboration with the other members of the education team.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Lead Nurse ( Quality & Service Improvement )
Wendy has worked in neonatal services at Northampton General Hospital since 1994 as a nurse, ward manager and matron, and is qualified in neonatal speciality and is an enhanced neonatal nurse practitioner. Wendy joined the Network team in February 2022 as a deputy lead nurse for quality and service improvement and is passionate about improving services for babies and their families. Wendy works collaboratively with neonatal and maternity colleagues within the East Midlands to ensure that quality is measured and improved in line with national guidance and outcome targets. Projects currently being undertaken include implementing the GIRFT recommendations, perinatal optimisation and developing transitional care services across the Network units. Wendy is also undertaking a masters in quality improvement and patient safety at the University of Northampton.