Valerie qualified as a Registered Mental Nurse in 1992 and has 25 years’ experience across all sectors, including inpatient, community and outpatient clinics. Valerie’s current area of expertise is dementia.
Valerie has worked in a variety of roles since qualifying across both public and private sectors. These roles have included, adult mental health, older peoples nursing home, community care and most recently as dementia specialist nurse within acute care and a specialist memory clinic, this role included developing and managing her own nurse led clinic.
Valerie has been awarded to prestigious scholarships to improve services for people living with dementia which culminated in a visit to Australia to learn about services over there. Whilst there she developed several academic networks with whom she hopes to work collaboratively in the future. Valerie was listed as one of the Health Service Journals top 50 inspirational women in health in 2014.
Valerie has worked extensively in older people’s mental health services since 1999 and has developed an interest in living well with dementia. Valerie has completed a Bachelor of Science degree in dementia studies and has recently submitted her Master of Science dissertation in the same subject. Valerie’s goal is to undertake a professional doctorate investigating ways to support people living with dementia to live well with the condition.
Valerie has recently joined Anglia Ruskin as a clinical skills tutor for mental health following providing professional training in dementia across the local acute trust.