Professional Activities
UNIVERSITY
Institute Impact officer / lead within the Health and Life Sciences Faculty Impact committee 2018-onging: I work with the Institute and the Faculty to develop support structures and University PI’s and research teams to identify, facilitate and advise development of successful Impact Case Studies for submission to Unit of Assessment 1 (Clinical Medicine) for the national Research Excellence Framework (REF), previously for 2021 and now for 2027.
Institute lead within the Health and Life Sciences Industrial Collaboration board 2021- ongoing: This role involves strategic planning and development of University structure, mechanisms, and key performance indicators to achieve and measure enhanced engagement, knowledge exchange and technology transfer between the University and Industry. We report back to the University Faculty management team.
Institute Human Materials Office 2021-ongoing: I work with the University’s Human Tissue Authority group to promote and maintain policy standards and governance around the storage and utilisation of human research samples.
Diagnostic research theme co-lead and Institute Research Committee member 2018-2020: I contributed to strategic planning to improve grant success, research outputs, optimising use of research resources, and enhancing staff interaction and development. We reported to an external advisory panel, as well as, the Faculty management team. Again, planned activity was discussed against available budgets.
Academic supervision: I have supervised 15 PhD and 3 MD students; 11 as primary supervisor. 11 students have successfully completed. 5 students are ongoing. I have also supervised 6 Post-Doctoral Research Associates, over 30 medical student projects and mentor medical students, academic clinical fellows and lecturers.
ALDER HEY CHILDRENS NHS TRUST
Associate Director of Research– I work with the hospital research director and a team of clinicians, allied staff, researchers and managers to co-develop the research strategy, promote key research strengths, enhance the research environment, support researchers, promote sustainability, improve connectivity with local and national institutes, and enhance the impact of research work undertaken in the hospital. Linked to this role, I have been a co-writer on several infrastructure grant applications for the hospital, including an NIHR Health-Tech Research Centre call, MRC Partnership grant and an NIHR capital grant.
Neurology lead and co-developer of the Regional Paediatric Neurovascular service This service is multi-disciplinary (including neurology, neurosurgical and adult and paediatric radiology teams). We have been commissioned by NHS England (NHSE) to provide a Highly Specialised Vein of Galen Malformation (VOGM) service. The service enables children with VOGM to be treated in the North of England with quality of patient care supported via national audit and governance. 2017-ongoing (now neurology co-lead).
Neurology adjunct clinical lead and research lead for the Northern Paediatric Demyelination Service. The Alder Hey team have been commissioned by NHSE to provide a Highly Specialised Paediatric Demyelination service. This regional service links together paediatric neurology centres in Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. It also works very closely with the Regional Adult Neuro-Myelitis Optica (NMO) service at the Walton, Liverpool. The service provides specialist care for children with suspected demyelinating conditions, such as Paediatric Onset Multiple Sclerosis, Acute Demyelinating Encephalo-Myelitis (ADEM) and paediatric NMO. 2022 - ongoing.
Liverpool Health Partners (LHP) lead for paediatric neurology research at the Hospital: I am co-developer of BRAINLIFE (Life-course Connected Bio/Data Repository for Neurology and Mental Health) and lead for UNICORN (Understanding Neurological Brain Injury in Children, measuring Outcome, impact of Research and Neuro-Rehabilitation). LHP is a consortium between Liverpool Council, Health, Social and Academic organisations within the Liverpool City Region to enhance health research for the benefit of the local population.
International Child Health Group As part of this Alder Hey Hospital group and the BPNA, I co-organised and co-delivered the first International Paediatric Epilepsy Training course (in Nepal).
Past member of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board - Paediatric services planning committee: I was an invited advisor for development of paediatric neurology services within the Trust (largest health trust in Wales). I provided advice on the service need, overlap with existing health services in Wales and nearby English health services and feasibility of specialist staff recruitment, 2016-2017.
NATIONAL:
National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) I am neurology lead for the review and update of the guideline for Meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia: recognition, diagnosis and management. The committee is a national group of clinical experts on meningitis in children and adults. We are updating the guideline based on recent available evidence and/or consensus opinion. I am the topic lead on evaluating/managing acute and long-term neurological outcomes; topic advisor on diagnostics. The update is estimated to take 3 years. 2020-ongoing. NICE Guideline development progress
British Paediatric Neurology Association (BPNA) of UK and Ireland - BPNA is a charitable public health organisation whose mission statement is to improve the care of children with neurological difficulties. A key objective is supporting the education and training of paediatric neurologists in the UK and Ireland. It serves over 570 members. I have been an Executive committee member and Chair of Education Quality and Standards for, the BPNA since 2018-ongoing.
As an executive committee member, I advise on budgetary, financial and workforce management including strategic/business planning to ensure available resources are used effectively and performance indicators are met. Budgets are balanced between a variety of research and service activities including developing/running educational courses, supporting research, supporting clinical training, running Special Interest Groups, engaging and collaborating with Patient groups and non-government organisations, developing clinical and training policy, undertaking independent reviews of service provision within NHS hospital trusts.
As Chair of Education, quality and standards (EQS), I lead development, content and teaching standards of our UK courses. I chair the EQS committee, overseeing nine courses in the UK and overseas. I develop and deliver courses against an agreed budget and governance structure. I manage the workforce ( >110 faculty teachers).
We typically run 20-30 courses and educate 950-1100 UK medical professionals per year. The UK courses provide the biggest financial input to the BPNA budget. We run the courses at a surplus. Overseas, supporting the International chair, we help run courses in 17 countries (Namibia to Qatar) and have taught over 4000 medical professionals.
Action Medical Research (AMR) AMR is the largest UK charity focussed on paediatric research. I am an invited reviewer, scientific advisor and panel member for AMR training fellowship (scholarship) interviews. Through collaboration between AMR and BPNA, we offer a jointly funded research training fellowships to neurology or neuro-disability trainees. I am the BPNA lead for this fellowship. I advise on the provision and delivery of this fellowship in discussion with the AMR/BPNA. 2019-ongoing. ACTION research grants
Meningitis Research Foundation - MRF
I am an invited expert advisor, including advisory panel member for the development of the Meningitis Progress Tracker, an WHO commissioned web-based tool to aid dissemination of information on the incidence and impact of meningitis on child and adult health across the globe. 2019-ongoing Meningitis Progress Tracker
Encephalitis Society. Encephalitis Society
I am an invited expert advisory panel member for the Society. We work closely with this charity for our Encephalitis and brain infection focussed research projects in the UK and overseas.
BPNA Research Committee As a committee member, I promote research activity, fellowship/scholarship applications, mentorship and foster collaboration among paediatric neurology trainees and consultants, across UK and Ireland. I also undertake scientific review and support organisation for the Annual BPNA conference. 2018-ongoing. BPNA annual conference
INTERNATIONAL:
World Health Organisation (WHO): I am an invited consultant for WHO. I contributed to development of their road map for ‘Defeating Meningitis by 2030’. This roadmap aims to promote a step-change in awareness, diagnosis and management for meningitis across the globe (2019-ongoing) - Defeating Meningitis
WHO: I am an invited member of their expert group on diagnostics (2019-ongoing), aiding development of a target product profile for a multi-pathogen meningitis diagnostic appropriate for global use - WHO Meningitis Diagnostics
PATH: I am an invited consultant (PATH is a global non-profit organisation promoting public health - PATH) on ‘case use for meningitis testing’. I advise on clinical and economic value of different approaches to clinical testing of suspected meningitis.
Other Administrative or Committee Roles
- Co-covenor of 'Neurological emergencies' Special Study Module taught to YR 3/4 medical students.
- Topic lead for Neuro-Infection theme in the 'Frontiers of Disease' MRes
- Steering and Management Groups for 'EncephUK'
- Supervise PhD students (3); Academic Clinical Fellows (3), Post-doctoral Research fellow (1)MRes students and Research Fellows (rotate through group)