26 March 2024

What is your role within King’s Health Partners?  

I am the Director of Nursing and Midwifery for the South East Genomic Medicine Service Alliance (SEGMSA). Although I am based at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, our team works across the region (south London, Kent, Surrey & Sussex) to support the embedding of genomics in everyday practice to support the achievement of the Nursing & Midwifery Council’s proficiency standards and the ambitions of the NHS England Genomics Strategy.  

We offer comprehensive educational resources for all staff, as well as sessions tailored to specialist areas. We organise networking events to share and highlight good practice and encourage nurse- and midwife-led research. We have funded nurses and midwives to increase the capacity and capability of genomic healthcare within cancer and rare disease areas.  

What do you enjoy most about your role?  

I enjoy meeting nurses and midwives from a variety of roles and settings and working with them to ensure that patients have equity of access to genomic healthcare. I learn something new every day as we talk about how genomics might impact on the care of their patients.  

Their passion to ensure they give the best care despite challenging times in the NHS is really inspiring. I am heartened at how genomics is being embraced and perceived as a positive force, both for improving patient care and also for enhancing career and personal development. 

What inspired you to get into this work?  

When I was an inherited cardiac conditions nurse, I saw first-hand how genomics can help patients and families can benefit from genomics and also some of the challenges they may encounter. As a nurse providing holistic care, I was in an ideal position to support them through this journey and through my research, I also gained more insights on the impact of having better access to genomic healthcare.  

Training and inspiring more nurses and midwives to use genomics in practice to reduce inequity and delays in care drives me to try my hardest and be as innovative as I can in this role.  

What are the benefits of working in partnership?  

I have found working in partnership really rewarding as it ensures we can bring out the best in each other to benefit our patients. Within KHP, we can make sure that we develop and maximise appropriate education resources that are tailored to the needs of the team. I have met so many experts who have generously given their time to support our endeavours and in turn we have been able to shine a light on their work and foster collaborations. We are currently supporting research outputs that are ready for translation in clinical care and so the next phase of the GMSA with the Networks of Excellence will be an exciting time for us.  

What would be your career top tips?  

Mentorship and finding people who inspire and support you really helps to set out a vision for your career-don’t be afraid to cold-call, good leaders want to hear from you and want to develop the next generation!  

This is often said, but seeking a job you enjoy and having a team that works effectively cannot be overstated - they are in essence another ‘family’ where you spend a great majority of your time, so the experience should (most of the time) be fulfilling!