Biography

After qualifying as a registrered nurse Helen worked predomininatly acute care delivery, being in Accident & Emergency for 15 years and gaining qualifications with the British Orthopaedic Assocation which led to the development of a trust casting certificate.  From this Helen left to complete the Community Specialist Practitioner Programme Bsc (Hons) and also became a supplementary prescriber.  She then led a pilot study into delivering acute care in a 'hospital at home' service, which was then rolled out to many other localities for their trusts to deliver as this acute care delivery service was deemed as a positive prospect in care delivery between primary and secondary care providers. At this point she was then re-located to work within the local prison service developing and running long-term condition clinics, with the additional development of daily drop in nurse-led clinics for acutely ill prisioners.

Helen then proceeded to a lecturing position at a further education college delivering all aspects of a Health & Social Care Level 3 course and here she obtained her PGCE qualification, developing an Emergency Care Cadet programme which led her to take a paramedic lecturing role with the University of Cumbria where she compiled the Associate Ambulance Practioner (AAP) programme, which is now being implemented throughout many national ambulance trusts.  From here Helen became Course Lead for the Dip HE Paramedic Practice course, she then returned to the NHS for 6 months as a complex Case Manager, but missed lecturing she has since returned to the University as a Paramedic Lecturer working on several modules.

Helen is now a Senior Lecturer in Paramedic Practice and is Programme Lead for Emergency Care, Enhanced Health Assessment and Unscheduled Care.  She is also Module Lead for Minor Illness & Trauma, Major Illness & Trauma, working closely with Paramedic Science Top-up Degree and MSc programmes. 

 

Qualifications and memberships

  • Registered Nurse Adult Dip HE
  • Teaching and Assessing NMC 997/998
  • British Orthopaedic Association (BOA) - Casting Certificiate
  • Community Specialist Practitioner Bsc (Hons)
  • Community Practitioner Nurse Prescriber
  • Future Quals First Aid Instructor/Trainer
  • Post Graduate Certificate in Education
  • Nursing Midwifery Council Member (NMC)
  • BOA Casting Register/Council
  • HEA Fellow
  • College of Paramedics Associate Member
  • MSc PD module

Academic and research interests

  • Type 1 Diabetes & side effects/complications
  • Truama and management of poly-trauma
  • Management of acute (pre-hospital) spinal and other bone injuries

Recent external roles

  • School Governor at Brisbane Park Primary School
  • Active member of Diabetes UK local group
  • Barrow Golf Club Junior Committee Secretary/Treasurer