South West

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Gail Wilson – Deputy Nursing and Midwifery Lead 

Gail is the deputy nursing and midwifery regional lead for Workforce, Training and Education – South West, with experience as a registered general nurse and public health nurse, working in both acute and community settings. Gail is also a qualified nurse teacher with over eight years experience as a senior lecturer and programme lead for community health and health informatics. Gail’s portfolio includes undergraduate and postgraduate nursing, social care, community nursing, nursing placements and end-of-life care. Gail has a Master's degree in Health Informatics and a bachelor's degree in Health Studies.

Dr Rachel Tims – Regional Senior Nurse Workforce Lead

Rachel is a children’s nurse with 30 years' experience. She is a proud and passionate nurse educator with clinical experience working with children and young people specialising in oncology, haematology, and neuro rehabilitation. Rachel has worked as a nursing academic for 20 years, focusing on teaching and supporting interprofessional practice and research modules, as well as supervising undergraduate and postgraduate learners through research and enquiry-based projects from across a range of health-related disciplines. Rachel has a doctorate in Health and Social care, a Master of Education and a bachelor's degree in nursing.

Rachel’s portfolio includes Nurse Associates, Return to Practice and learner experience. Rachel is also leading the implementation of the Safe Learning Environment Charter (SLEC) for multi-professional learners in the region. 

Lucy Duncombe – Regional Senior Nurse Workforce Lead 

Lucy qualified as a children’s nurse 20 years ago. Since a placement in the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) during her final year, critical care has been her passion. She has worked across PICU, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and community home ventilation (with a stint in adult ICU during COVID-19) and has always loved supporting those with complex clinical needs.

Lucy is a huge advocate for children and young people. She has designed services that encourage collaboration and empower young people as they transition to adult services.

Lucy has a Master's degree in Leadership and Management in Health and Social Care. 

Lucy’s portfolio includes undergraduate and postgraduate midwifery, neonatal nursing, children’s nursing and widening participation. Lucy is leading the implementation of the Safe Learning Environment Charter (SLEC) for Midwifery learners in the region. 

Selina Saveker - Regional Senior Nurse Workforce Lead 

Selina is an adult nurse with 20 years of experience working in both secondary and primary care nursing, specialising in emergency and critical care and has worked in Worcester, Hereford and Gloucester. 

She is passionate about coaching and mentoring and has supported many learners and colleagues throughout her career to identify, progress and achieve their ambitions. Selina worked as a senior lecturer and programme lead in the nursing team at the University of Gloucestershire before joining the regional transformation team supporting integrated care board (ICB) colleagues with workforce redesign and project development. Selina has a Master's degree in educational leadership and a Bachelor's degree in nursing. 

Selina’s portfolio includes mental health and learning disability nursing workforce. 

Kate Teagle – Widening Participation Development Manager 

Kate’s role includes working with health and care organisations in the South West to support them in developing programmes to engage with young people and underrepresented groups. 

Kate has worked in the hospital environment for over 30 years in various administrative and educator roles, which has enabled her to gain a wealth of experience. Kate also has experience as a youth engagement officer, inspiring young people to consider a career in the health and care sector.  

Jake James - Social Care Workforce Lead

Jake has many years of experience working within a counselling capacity as well as providing clinical supervision to other staff members. He has worked with clients who have a history of substance use, people within the criminal justice system and people who have no housing provisions.

Jake is the social care workforce lead for the region. His primary aim is to promote and support the upskilling of those working within the social care sector in order to increase staff retention, enhance job satisfaction and improve patient outcomes.

Vic Shaw - Clinical Fellow Maternity

Vic is a registered midwife and is currently the midwifery clinical fellow for the region. When not in her clinical fellow role she is a midwifery lecturer at a South West university. Vic has a Master of Science (MSc) degree in reproduction and development, plus a higher education teaching qualification. Before moving into education, she worked clinically for several years, and her favourite area of practice was always complex midwifery care in central delivery suite. Vic’s passion is supporting learners and trusting partners in achieving the best learning environment, and in turn the best outcomes for women and their babies. 

Ann Treasure – Personal Assistant  

Ann works as a personal assistant to Christian (Regional Head of Nursing and Midwifery) and Gail (Regional Senior Nurse). Ann is key to keeping the programme organised and meetings running smoothly. 

Kristen Cowley – Business Support Administrator 

Kristen is a business support administrator for the nursing and midwifery team. Kristen also supports the trainee nursing associate and return to practice programmes. 

Sharon Twine - Business Support Administrator 

As a business support administrator, Sharon provides support to maternity and neonatal programmes; children and young people and widening participation programmes; and the wider nursing and midwifery team. 

Hearing the student voice:

Throughout December, January, and February we have run 35 multi professional listening events with students, academics, practice educators and newly qualified staff. 

The aim of these focus groups has been to develop an understanding and consensus on what good looks like for education and training. We want to understand more about when things have worked well, and positive experiences that have assisted learning and development.  

From taking this approach we also are exploring how things can be further improved and sustained moving forward. These listening events are informing two wider projects:   

- Establishment of student councils in each of the seven integrated care systems 

- Development of a safe learning charter  

Look out for invites to future events where we’ll be sharing the learning from the focus groups and giving progress updates.  

Our work spans a wide range of specialities, education and training programmes including midwifery, nursing (all fields of practice e.g., adult, mental health, children and young people nursing and learning disability nursing), prison nursing, community and specialist community public health nursing (SCPHN). 

Our priority workstreams include:

- Return to Practice (RtP) Nursing and Midwifery

- Pre-registration attrition

- Reducing pre-registration attrition, and improving retention (RePAIR)

- Nursing Associate (TNA)

- Undergraduate nursing expansion

- Postgraduate pre-registration expansion

- Social care

- Maternity

- Midwifery and Neonatal Nursing

The nursing and midwifery team also supports continuing professional development (CPD) investment, the expansion of educational placements for pre-registration students and the development of the nursing and midwifery workforce across both health and social care settings.

Opportunity to join the first South West multi-professional student council.

We are looking for nursing, midwifery and allied health professional (AHP) students to become members of the first South West multi-professional student council. Council members will be given the opportunity to represent the student voice on contemporary issues, challenges and successes relating to their education.

Find out more information and express your interest in joining here.