Chief Executive

• Aug 2020 - Present

Leading an amazing addiction recovery charity on a journey of development, growth and expansion with the aim of providing the best and most accessible addiction recovery programme across public and business sectors in the UK. Leading an amazing addiction recovery charity on a journey of development, growth and expansion with the aim of providing the best and most accessible addiction recovery programme across public and business sectors in the UK.

Ex-Officio Board Member

• Sep 2020 - Present

SMART is a global organisation and I provide UK representation on the International Board of SMART Recovery. The three founding countries are USA, UK and Australia. SMART is a global organisation and I provide UK representation on the International Board of SMART Recovery. The three founding countries are USA, UK and Australia.

Visiting Researcher

• Sep 2020 - Present

LHP Associate - Special Projects Lead

• Jan 2020 - Jun 2020

Leading and facilitating new partnerships in the public-private interface. Enabling system wide approaches to improving population health. Projects include development of Liverpool as a smart city, innovation in digital technologies including artificial intelligence/machine learning. Supporting social care providers to implement new technologies and connecting different stakeholders with each other to maximise on expertise, efficiency and joined up working. The creation of A Civic Data cooperative that links information to enable better commissioning decisions, primary research and enabling businesses to undertake meaningful business development through better insights as to population and market needs.

Programme Manager and Vice Chair - Single Point of Access for Research and Knowledge

• Sep 2018 - Jan 2020

Leading transformational improvement work with 7 NHS organisations and 4 Universities to harmonise clinical research services for the largest Academic Health Science System in the UK. Working with some amazing people with many years of experience and insight. Authentic co-creation and collaboration at its best! Leading the creation of a joint research service called SPARK.

Associate Chief Operating Officer

• Apr 2015 - Jun 2020

Alongside the Director of Research I head up the Clinical Research Division. I provide strategic and operational high level leadership. I am principally responsible for the operational delivery of the 10 year integrated research strategy, attracting new business and working with local HEIs. I lead on operational performance and portfolio management, lead the management of all financial matters and oversee the management of large budgets (>£10M) I write business cases, provide advise on the management of clinical research, liaise with external companies, design and roll out performance management frameworks within and across organisations. Represent and promote the Trusts research business externally across Liverpool Health Partners and at national meetings and events, act as the interface between the Trust and the NIHR clinical research network locally and nationally. Lead the safety and quality agenda for research ensuring that the research business unit operates within a quality assurance framework. Lead the developments of the clinical research facility (research ward) and support bids for future funding. Support and advise consultant colleagues who are involved in commercial and non-commercial partnerships. Solve problems large and small on a daily basis and keep momentum up in order to meet deadlines, targets and expectations from external partners.I am a registered NIHR reviewer (funding applications), sit on the University of Liverpool sponsorship committee (member and reviewer) and have recently enrolled on the NHS Leadership Academy Programme. I link the Trust with external partners such as the AHSN and Liverpool Health Partners (currently advisor for the generation of an Industry Gateway Office). I lead the development of innovation projects and deliver portfolios of work that bridge both the early and late translational gaps. I link with SMEs and innovation companies.

NIHR Leader

• Nov 2012 - Sep 2018

A 6 year DH funded bespoke leadership programme aimed at developing senior managers and directors in research& innovation. Set up and endorsed by Dame Sally Davies the programme aims to transform organisations through developing and inspiring individuals to become inspirational high quality leaders. Mixed methods of organisational and personal coaching are used, delivered and supported by world renowned Ashridge Executive Coaches. As a result the creation of a Health Research Leadership Organisation is underway by this group.

Paediatric Clinical Research Facility Business Manager

• Sep 2011 - Apr 2015

I provide senior leadership to the clinical research facility and as the business manager I have an outward facing role. The role ensures collaborations with other organisations, develops the visibility and PR aspects of the CRF. I was co-applicant on the successful NIHR experimental medicine research bid that has brought in £2m to fund infrastructure over the next 4 years. I oversee all the quality functions of the CRF and am ultimately responsible for the safe delivery of early phase clinical trials in neonates and children. I regularly work closely with many pharmaceutical companies and am the conduit by which companies approach the Trust in order to establish feasibility of trials and the consequent set up and delivery of such trials on the facility. I have excelent negotiating skills and as such am able to influence those around me to achieve positive outcomes for all stakeholders. I am responsible for developing strategies and their execution that work towards placing the CRF at the forefront of paediatric clinical research in the UK. Experienced in the management of intellectual property I aim to identify and exploit innovations that emerge from the research work conducted on the CRF. In essence the Business Manager ensures that the business of the CRF is conducted to the highest standards.

Medicines for Children Research Network Local Manager

• Sep 2006 - Mar 2014

I was the first Medicines for Children Local Research Network manager appointed in England in 2006 under the newly formed DH initiative - the National Institute of Health Research. Together with my 2 Co-Directors we formed and established, what is now a highly performing research network across Merseyside, Cheshire and North Wales. Our networks recruitment contribution is currently 30% of the total number of children recruited into clinical research studies Nationally (over 7500 children in 2012). Approximately 80-90 studies are open at any one time. Specialising in paediatric pharmacology we have built a talented team of outstanding research nurses who are experts in early phase research and novel medicines. Increasing the number of medicines licensed for children, based on robust evidence is our priority. Our mission is to help develop a healthcare system that delivers the right medicine to the right child at the right dose and the right time.

Advisory group member

• 2004 - 2013

I am on the conference working group that organises the annual conference for the Forum. In the past as part of this group I have overseen the development of several national tool kits, advice services and tried and tested new ways of working that emmanate from the DH Research Directorate. The Advisory Group represents the wider R&D Forum community on all matters related to clinical research in the UK. I am on the conference working group that organises the annual conference for the Forum. In the past as part of this group I have overseen the development of several national tool kits, advice services and tried and tested new ways of working that emmanate from the DH Research Directorate. The Advisory Group represents the wider R&D Forum community on all matters related to clinical research in the UK.

R&D Manager

• Jan 2003 - Sep 2006

I was employed as an R&D Officer by the PCT just as DH had agreed to provide a modest sum per annum for PCTs to set up a research governance service. The small funds meant that collaboration between several PCTs with one providing a central function was the most sensible way forward. To this end myself, another R&D Officer and the R&D Manager set up a partnership of 10 PCTs for research governance. Halton & St helens PCT R&D Office was the hub. 10 PCTs across cheshire were guided by the central office (hub) and received all manner of support and advice. The network was called CHAMP. We were responsible for liaising and negotiating with PCTs in order to gain agreement to the partnership, we set up the databases and mechanisms to underpin it and offered peripatetic support/outreach to PCTs in order to help them assess and approve research projects. We also set uip a moniotoring function and supplied template service level agreements , letters and other SOP type documents. The partnership was very successful.

Clinical Trials Coordinator

• Jan 2002 - Apr 2003

Setting up commercial clinical trials in obstetrics, gyneacology, urology, reporductive medicine and other aspects of womens health. I increased the commercial portfolio by 60% in 12 months by providing pharmaceutical companies with one port of call wihch they used to set up clinical trials. This service proved to be very valued by companies, investigators and their study teams and as such a significant increase in activity was realised. Setting up commercial clinical trials in obstetrics, gyneacology, urology, reporductive medicine and other aspects of womens health. I increased the commercial portfolio by 60% in 12 months by providing pharmaceutical companies with one port of call wihch they used to set up clinical trials. This service proved to be very valued by companies, investigators and their study teams and as such a significant increase in activity was realised.

PhD Student

• Oct 1998 - Oct 2002

I studied full time for 3 years (experiment, data generation & analysis) and then wrote up a thesis in year 4 whilst working at Liverpool Womens Hospital. My PhD was in the field of toxicopathology relating to human foetal development. It was funded by the Johnathon Falkoner Charity for studying potential causes of cot death. I used a technique called stereology to unbiasedly sample and analyse nearly 100 human placentas (resulting in over 1000 histological samples), deriving the volume fraction, surface area and total volumes of the various rammifications of the villous tree. I developed all the techniques in sampling, made all the histological sections and stained slides myself and analysed every slide myself, in the dark, using a projection microscope for a year. The population under study fell into four cohorts: IUGR (intrauterine growth retardation) babies born to smokers and non smokers, normal birth weight/size babies born to smokers and non smokers. The placentas from these 4 cohorts were analysed and compared using stereological and non parametric statisticcal methods. Results showed that the placentas of IUGR smoker babies were the same as normal birth weight non smoker babies i.e normal placenta. However the IUGR babies born to non smokers displayed placental insufficiency thereby clearly demonstrating that babies born to smokers are gerowth retarded due to the toxic effects of smoking rather than placental insfficiency. Previous to this research it was thought that all IUGR babies had insufficient placentas in terms of volume and surface area of the villous tree. Furthermore there was a very strong direct linear correlation between number of cigarettes smoked per day and the degree of growth retardation. This demonstrated that if a woman finds it impossible to quit smoking just reducing by 5 per day makes a satistically significant difference to foetal growth.