About

Inpatient Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: in my original professional discipline as a paediatric nurse, I have had lengthy experience working in Birmingham, London and Kent in a number of different inpatient services in the NHS and independent sector (CAMHS). This included Ward Manager/Director of Nursing roles. This included both general CAMHS inpatient services, and lengthy experience as ward manager of a hospital for young people with eating disorders.

Eating Disorders: I worked as ward manager of a young person’s eating disorders hospital for many years. Subsequent to this I developed my expertise with this client group by working in a specialist community eating disorders service for children and young people. This allowed me to develop skills in the Maudsley Family Therapy for Anorexia Nervosa modality, alongside group and individual therapy trainings.

Paediatric Liaison: I have a passion for working with children and young people who are experiencing physical health symptoms that may be connected to their emotional health. This has included working with clients who have medically unexplained symptoms, chronic fatigue, and long term paediatric conditions that can have significant impact on school attendance, social opportunities and overall experiences of being a developing child and teenager. I enjoy and am confident in working with children and young people with diagnosed and undiagnosed profiles of neurodiversity.

NHS Leadership: I have most recently held a senior Lead Nurse position in an inner London NHS CAMHS service. This has given me opportunities to work in the senior team to develop services that responded to the needs of a diverse, multi-ethnic population. It also gave me opportunity to work clinically with young people with a broad range of mental health symptoms, including anxiety, depression, Emotionally Based School Avoidance and other difficulties.