Meet the team - November

Meet the team bringing you the latest South West bulletin for postgraduate doctors and dentists in training

We’ve worked with colleagues across training and education to bring you this bulletin. Introducing this issue's contributors Jane Luker, David Lee, Jenny Albiston, Caroline Harvey, Pamela Ellis, Kiran Singh and Jennifer Jopson from the Dental team and Nick Haddington, Sarah Crawshaw and Phoebe Davis from the Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation team.

You can contact members of the Dental team here and the Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation team here.

Jane Luker

Dental Postgraduate Dean

Jane qualified from Kings College London in 1981. After several hospital posts, she was awarded a Medical Research Council training fellowship to undertake a PhD maintaining clinical practice in part-time NHS general dental practice. On completion of the training fellowship, she became a senior community dental officer leading the implementation of a service for medically compromised patients and urgent care, which included undergraduate dental supervision at Bristol Dental School. In 1995, Jane completed her specialist training in Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW).

She then became a consultant and an honorary senior lecturer in Dental Maxillofacial Radiology in 2000. In 2002, she became the Clinical Director for Dental Services and in 2007, she was appointed as the Deputy Medical Director for UHBW. In 2013, she took on the role of Postgraduate Dental Dean for the South West and went on to become the Chair of English Deans in 2019. In January 2022, she was appointed as the Chair of the Council of Postgraduate Dental Deans and Directors. Outside of work, Jane enjoys gardening and walking.

David Lee

Associate Postgraduate Dental Dean for Dental and Therapy Foundation

David works part-time in general practice in Sidmouth, Devon. 

Outside of work David has four daughters and is about to have his first grandson. He is a keen Woodworker, runner, cyclist and fly fisherman.

Jenny Albiston

Associate Postgraduate Dental Dean Early Years and Training Programme Director

Jenny qualified from Liverpool in 2005 and has worked in the South West ever since.  She has predominantly worked in General Dental Practice and has held an Academic Clinical Fellow post at Peninsula Dental School. Jenny has experience of being a Clinical Supervisor in undergraduate clinics and an Educational Supervisor in practice. Jenny has recently worked on extending the provision of the two-year Joint Dental Foundation and Core Training (JDFCT) programme in the South West.

Outside of Dentistry, Jenny has four children which does not permit much time for hobbies. However, she does help to run a local Rainbow and Brownie unit and she is an Ambassador for Girlguiding South West.

Caroline Harvey

Associate Postgraduate Dental Dean for Dental Core Training

Caroline has been the Associate Dean for Dental Core Training since 2014. Since the appointment, she has been actively involved in the introduction of significant changes to the traditional "SHO" posts which have included the development of a DCT Curriculum, the introduction of National DCT Recruitment and the development and use of the Axia dental e-portfolio.

Caroline has a keen interest in all aspects of postgraduate dental education, and she is an Exam Board member and Development Lead for the MFDS at the Royal College of Surgeons of England. She has recently been appointed as the external examiner for the Membership in Orthodontics (MOrth) exam. Clinically, Caroline is a specialist in Oral Surgery and has worked as an Associate Specialist in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Torbay Hospital since 2002.

Outside of work, Caroline lives on a smallholding in Devon with her husband, three dogs, a cat and four sheep. Caroline enjoys keeping fit by trail running with her dogs. Caroline is a very keen gardener and aspires to open her garden to the public, as part of the National Garden Scheme, in the not-too-distant future.

Pamela Ellis

Associate Postgraduate Dental Dean for Specialty Training

Pamela’s day job is as a Consultant Orthodontist in Dorchester where she lives with her husband and two teenage girls. Her role as Associate Dean allows her to make sure that our dental specialty trainees are receiving good quality training, have encouragement when things are going well and support them when things are not going to plan. 

“It’s a joy to be the Associate Postgraduate Dean who looks after Dental Speciality Training in the South West.  I have always been grateful to those who helped me in my career, and being involved in training is a chance to give a little back. It’s great when people who you have supported become colleagues and even better when they go on to be trainers themselves.” Pamela states.

In her spare time, Pamela enjoys walking, running and time at sea on her boat.

Kiran Singh

Dental Specialty Trainee in Special Care Dentistry

Kiran currently works as a speciality registrar in Special Care Dentistry at Bristol Dental Hospital. She is a member of the British Society of Disability and Oral Health and the British Gerodontology Society and has been published in the British Medical Journal Case Reports, Dental Update and the International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry. Outside of dentistry, she enjoys spending time with family and friends.

Nick Haddington

Regional Head of Pharmacy

Nick’s role is that of an expert educationalist, responsible for the commissioning and quality management of pharmacy workforce training. He holds the positions of Lead Visitor with the Health and Care Professions Council and External Examiner at two schools of pharmacy, is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and is annotated as an Independent Prescriber. With previous roles as Director of Taught Postgraduate Programmes at a UK university, and as an active prescriber in the NHS, he has a particular interest in education reform and workforce transformation, with a focus on prescribing training.

Jennifer Jopson

Dental Specialty Trainee in Orthodontics

Jenifer Jopson, Orthodontic Specialty Training Registrar (ST5) at Bristol Dental Hospital and the Royal United Hospitals Bath.  Outside of work, Jen enjoys spending time with her family and exploring the many beautiful walks, places and beaches the South West has to offer.  

Sarah Crawshaw

Pharmacy Foundation Training Lead

Outside of work, Sarah enjoys playing and watching sports of all kinds. She plays netball for a local team where her height comes in useful. She loves animals and has a golden retriever who keeps her busy but gives the best cuddles.

Phoebe Davis

Pharmacy Technician Lead

Outside of work, Phoebe enjoys participating in running, cycling and triathlon events. She also enjoys reading fiction and spending time with my husband and two dogs.