I am a specialty trainee (ST4) in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Wales. I have broad clinical experience in the specialty and work experience in different healthcare systems with different challenges. I aim to provide high-quality obstetric care to women in the UK. I am passionate about improving obstetric care through compassionate leadership, building a supportive work environment, creating more learning opportunities for team members, and developing new innovative solutions for rising challenges. The clinical leadership fellowship will help tremendously towards this goal.

As the chairperson of the Welsh obstetrics and gynaecology education committee, I am deeply committed to supporting trainees' successful results in the Royal College examinations. We achieve this by organizing multiple education seminars every year, a role that I am proud to lead.

I am a trained salsa and bachata dancer, my passion outside of work.

I completed my dental degree at Cardiff university, graduating in 2021, then going on to complete my dental foundation training in Brecon war memorial hospital. Keen to undertake further training, I undertook dental core training (DCT) programmes in paediatric dentistry and restorative dentistry at Cardiff and most recently in maxillofacial surgery at Prince Charles Hospital and the Royal Glamorgan Hospital.

During my posts I have initiated and led various projects, including multiple audits, Quality Improvement Projects and service evaluations. These efforts have resulted in meaningful changes to patient care pathways, enhancing both quality and holistic care. Originally from the Gloucestershire countryside, I never anticipated moving away from home. However, the years I spent training in South Wales captivated me, and I have now made Cardiff my home. I love that many of my hobbies, such as mountain walking and sea swimming, are either right on my doorstep or just a short drive away.

Outside of work I also enjoy baking, running, ballroom and Latin dancing and scuba diving.

I am thrilled to join the HEIW team this year and look forward to the unique opportunities this fellowship will offer. I am committed to fostering an inclusive environment where every individual is valued and respected and to promote a culture of compassionate leadership within the NHS.

This year, I will be leading a project focused on improving the recruitment and retention of dental trainees in Wales. With a growing shortage of NHS dentists, particularly in Wales, we aim to enhance training opportunities, helping to build a skilled, sustainable workforce for the future of NHS dentistry and facilitate patient access to NHS dental care.

I graduated Cardiff University in 2010 with a First Class Honours Degree in Optometry and Vision Sciences, qualifying as an Optometrist in 2011, following my pre-registration year working for Boots Opticians in Bath.

I've enjoyed working as a resident and locum Optometrist in both South Wales and the South-West of England, most recently working for an independent Practice in the Vale of Glamorgan.  Having settled back in Wales with my family in 2023, I am excited at the opportunity to be involved with the innovative changes in healthcare being implemented by HEIW. 

I enjoy new professional challenges, obtaining the Professional Certificate in Medical Retina in 2018, and am undertaking the Professional Higher Certificate in Medical Retina. I hope to use these qualifications to participate in and contribute to the improvement of eye care provision in my community.

Outside of work I love spending time with my family, playing with clay on my pottery wheel, heading to the local beach with my dog and escaping to the mountains in the winter to slide on some snow!

I am really looking forward to working with the Optometry Department in HEIW and having the opportunity to develop my leadership and management skills over the coming year.  The project I’m undertaking during my fellowship year is; ‘Artificial Intelligence and Optometry in Wales: Investigating how AI could be used and incorporated into eye care services. The benefits and barriers to AI and the potential impact on the workforce’.

Eleri is a pharmacist based in South Wales. After graduating from Cardiff University in 2020, she embarked on the multi-sector foundation pharmacy training programme in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. Following rotations in community pharmacy, primary care, and secondary care, Eleri gained an invaluable insight into the opportunities and challenges that pharmacy teams encounter in different settings.

After completing her foundation training in 2021, Eleri worked as a diploma pharmacist in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Whilst working at the Royal Gwent Hospital and Nevill Hall Hospital, she also studied towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy at Cardiff University. She gained experience in various specialities including elective surgery, respiratory medicine, education and training, and quality improvement.

To pursue her interest in education and training, and quality improvement, Eleri joined the HEIW Pharmacy Deanery in 2023 as a Clinical Placement Facilitator (CPF). As a CPF, she supports the delivery of the Funded Pharmacy Undergraduate Placement Programme (FPUPP), which facilitates increased experiential learning opportunities for student pharmacists in Wales.

During the Welsh Clinical Leadership Training Fellowship, Eleri will be working with the HEIW pharmacy team to as part of her project, Eleri will create and share an evidence base with employers to support them in developing job offers that are professionally and personally rewarding for newly qualified pharmacists working in Wales.

Eleri is looking forward to engaging with a multitude of stakeholders across Wales as part of this project. Additionally, Eleri is eager to develop new skills and knowledge which will support her to become a compassionate and influential leader.

In her spare time, Eleri plays netball, tennis and touch rugby for local teams. She also enjoys gardening, cooking, and spending time with her friends and family.

My name is Emily and I’m a ST4 paediatric registrar in South Wales. I grew up in Ceredigion in West Wales and am a fluent Welsh speaker. I studied medicine in Cardiff University, and graduated in 2017, following which I completed my Foundation Programme Training in Swansea Bay University Health Board. During this time I completed a rotation in paediatrics which sparked my interest in child health, and led me to taking an “F3” year where I worked as a junior clinical fellow in the Children’s Hospital for Wales in general and respiratory paediatric medicine. I then entered paediatric training in 2020, and have since rotated through various subspecialties in hospitals across South Wales.

Throughout my training, I have always enjoyed medical education, having spent time as department teaching lead, along with keen involvement in undergraduate teaching. I am looking forward to combining my love of teaching with developing as a clinical leader in my new role as a Welsh Clinical Leadership Fellow. My project will be based with the Medical Education Department in Cardiff and Vale, where I will be building on the work of previous fellows in developing simulation programmes to improve patient safety. I am excited for the challenges and opportunities that the year ahead will bring.

In my free time, I love spending time with family and friends, trying out new restaurants and recipes, and planning my next travel adventures!

I qualified as a Paediatric Nurse in April 1995 and was lucky enough to work in Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children as a staff nurse and to undertake the Paediatric Intensive Course whilst I was there.

I have worked in management and leadership roles for the last 24 years but I feel that you don’t have to be a manager to be a leader, good leadership can happen in any guise. I have experienced excellent leadership over the years and have also experienced the damaging impact of poor leadership on individuals and teams.

Whilst I have undertaken a Leadership module as part of my MSc I am looking forward to developing and enhancing my leadership skills throughout the programme as well as having support with more formal project management.

My fellowship project is to review the Career Framework for Nurses (Bands 2-9), which is one of the actions of the Strategic Nursing Plan. The purpose of the framework is to showcase the many different roles and pathways that are available to nurses to develop and progress their careers, which will hopefully have a positive impact on the retention and recruitment of nurses'.

I have worked in a variety of roles as a Paediatric Nurse across acute and community settings. I have worked in Nurse Education for the last 7 years and very much looking forward to commencing the Clinical Leadership Fellowship.

Outside of work I am a busy with family life, I am married, with 2 sons and a dog. I enjoy walking, travelling, socialising and have tried several hobbies though Yoga is the most recent (and relaxing).

I was born and brought up in South Wales. Completing my Undergraduate Nursing (RN) Bachelor’s degree at the University of West of England, Bristol. Whilst there I learned to scuba dive and undertook an expedition to Kenya, Tanzania and Zanzibar helping renovate schools and climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.

I started my NHS career in Hwyel Ddu UHB working as a health care assistant in 2000.

Once completing my Nursing degree, I undertook a nursing post in Cardiology, Coronary Care, Pacing theatre, Neurology and Medicine nursing wards. I went on to complete my Midwifery degree at Cardiff University in 2006. Working in Cardiff as a midwife ever since.

During this role I completed my Postgraduate certificate in Newborn Examination and Behavioural Assessment at Cardiff University.

I completed my Teaching and Assessing qualification in 2015 to become a registered Teacher I went on further to complete my Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Practice at Cardiff University in 2017. Which has allowed me to work as Clinical Supervisor For Midwives and most recently working as a Practice development Midwife within Cardiff and Vale UHB.

My hobbies include walking, kayaking, photography and swimming, which I am fortunate to be able to undertake with my family.

Through all my career all I have wanted to do is support, develop and enhanced maternity services for colleagues and patients alike. I wish to continue this leadership further through my clinical and academic experience. By undertaking the WCLTF course I wish to represent midwives and pregnant people services within Cardiff and Vale UHW develop further and ensure a sustainable service.

Louise is a colorectal trainee. After attending medical school at Liverpool university, she completed an MPhil in stem cell therapy. She has undergone her foundation and surgical training across the Severn Deanery and Wales. She recently took time out of program to complete a PhD, investigating the psycho-social outcomes for patients following emergency laparotomy.

She is the surgical fellow for the NELA project team and was awarded the Bevan Exemplar for the development of a South Wales Pelvic Floor Service. Her research interests are data driven care for improving patient outcomes and experience of healthcare delivery.

Louise’s fellowship project is with the simulation team at HEIW. The project looks at ways we can utilise simulation to promote interprofessional education and transformation. This will enable members of the multiprofessional team to learn with, from, and about each other, in the aim of improving patient outcomes and experience.

Michael is a musculoskeletal physiotherapist with a specialist interest in endurance sport and lower limb injuries. His career started outside of healthcare in the field of ergonomics.

After completing a degree in ergonomics at Loughborough University in 2004, Michael developed an interest in the human body and treating injuries. This inspired him to subsequently retrain as a post-graduate physiotherapist.

Michael worked as a physiotherapist for six years in the NHS before completing a Masters in Advanced Neuromusculoskeletal Physiotherapy at Kings College London in 2014. After completing his MSc, he enjoyed refining his clinical and managerial skills at Pure Sports Medicine in central London, working as a specialist clinician and business development manager.

Having lived and worked around London for most of his life, Michael moved to Wales in 2021 after meeting his wife. Michael currently works as a clinical specialist physiotherapist in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board but enjoys having a diverse range of responsibilities within the NHS, private practice and elite sport. He currently holds the role of principal physiotherapist for the men’s Welsh gymnastics team.

Michael has a passion for travel, nature and the outdoors. He has worked as a physiotherapist at multiple sporting events around the world; including ultramarathons in the Amazon rainforest, the Himalayas and ‘Race Across America’. He also enjoys participating in endurance sporting events, completing a half ironman in Majorca, a Lake district ultramarathon and multiple long-distance cycling events.

Michael is excited to join the Welsh Clinical Leadership Training Fellowship to immerse himself within the spheres of leadership and digital healthcare. He is looking forward to working with HEIW to understand how advances in technology can help to optimise the working lives of NHS clinicians and subsequently how this can lead to improvements within patient services.

The project Michael is undertaking during his Fellowship year is about developing a greater understanding of digital technology and its use in the Welsh mental health care service. This will consider how digital technology is used by the workforce to improve patient care and satisfaction. The aim of this work will be to develop recommendations to inform the strategic mental health workforce plan set out by Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW).

Nathan was brought up in the South Wales Valleys and completed his undergraduate degree in Medicine at Cardiff University, graduating in 2018 with honors.

Nathan completed his Foundation Training in South Wales before taking a year out of training as a Clinical Fellow in Emergency Medicine during the COVID-19 Pandemic. During this time, he discovered a passion for Emergency Medicine and entered EM training in South Wales, currently finishing his ST3 year.

Throughout his training, Nathan has always had an interest in Medical Education and Quality Improvement, working to improve patient care, staff experience, and working conditions. Over the past 12 months, he has led projects including the improvement of pain management in the Paediatric Emergency Department and the development of a proforma for the management of the Critically Ill Child.

Outside of work, Nathan is a dog dad to two, often found wandering the beaches or mountains of South Wales with friends and their pooches. A keen foodie, Nathan enjoys trying new restaurants and has a passion for home baking in his spare time.

Nathan is very excited to be starting a new and exciting prospect by joining the Welsh Clinical Leadership Fellowship Training programme. He is looking to further develop his leadership style and learn from inspirational clinical leaders across Wales.

The project Nathan is undertaking during his Fellowship year relates to the development of transfusion education for the Foundation School, which aims to deliver equitable transfusion education for resident doctors across Wales and thus improve transfusion safety for patients and staff alike.

Parisa is a Rehabilitation Medicine registrar in Wales. She graduated from University College London in 2017 after gaining her undergraduate medical degree and an intercalated BSc in Global Health.

During her time at university, Parisa worked at the Refugee Therapy Centre in Finsbury Park. There she became interested in the systemic barriers people faced in accessing services. She completed her Foundation Training in South Thames Deanery and moved to Wales in 2019.

Whilst working as an Internal Medicine Trainee during the COVID-19 pandemic, Parisa was an Associate College Tutor and Co-chair of various Junior Doctors Forums. These roles enabled her to raise the issues and challenges that her peers faced during the pandemic to the Royal College of Physicians and health board management. As part of the Leadership Fellowship, Parisa is looking forward to working with HEIW to develop strategies to improve the wellbeing of doctors.

Rehabilitation Medicine is a specialty which supports people with long term health conditions and disabilities. This involves working holistically and collaboratively with patients, the multi-disciplinary team and various stakeholders in health and social care. Parisa is keen to develop leadership skills, in order to advocate for improvements to NHS services, to meet the needs of her patients locally, regionally and nationally.

Rose Jones is a Specialist Nurse – immunisation in the Vaccine Preventable Disease Programme in Public Health Wales. She graduated from Cardiff University as a paediatric nurse in 2006 and then completed a post graduate diploma with Swansea University in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing in 2010. She moved into her first specialist role in immunisation and vaccination in 2018, with Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB, and subsequently moved to a national specialist role with Public Health Wales in 2020.

When Rose starts the Welsh Clinical Leadership Fellowship in 2024 she will have recently completed an MSc in Public Health with the University of South Wales.

A significant part of Rose’s current professional role involves engaging and collaborating with NHS services delivering vaccination programmes in Wales. She also works closely with Welsh Government and the NHS Executive, providing policy advocacy and specialist advice on vaccination.

Rose has represented Wales at UK wide vaccination programme board meetings and recently presented at the National Immunisation Conference for Healthcare Workers in Stockport and the Royal College of Nursing Congress in Newport. She has won individual and group national awards for her work in vaccination and has co-authored a journal publication relating to vaccination innovation. She has provided leadership to national workstreams including a change to the HPV vaccination programme in 2023 and more recently the review of childhood immunisation standards and guidelines in Wales.

In her spare time Rose enjoys participating in amateur ballet – a passion from her childhood. She loves the sea, walks with her dog and volunteering at a local youth club and a community coffee morning.

Rose has a special interest in communicable disease and is excited to be working in the Quality and Nursing Directorate in Welsh Government on Infection Prevention and Control policy areas and working with the Vaccination Division, in the Public Health Directorate, on the development of a national vaccination equity strategy. She’s looking forwards to the opportunity to focus on further developing her leadership skills within the Welsh Clinical Leadership Fellowship this year.

Suma has worked in Cardiff and Vale Health Board for last 22 years where she worked in emergency, acute, rehabilitation and community setting providing excellent care to patients and wider community. She supports Cardiff and Vale health board in the capacity of investigation officer.

She is an exceptional leader who believes in prudent health care and flourishes on change management. Suma is an advocate of equal opportunities and been in the forefront of uplifting international nurses.

She is a member of Chief Nursing Officers ‘Global Ethnic Majority Group (GEM)’. Suma is board member for RCN Wales. She volunteers for South Wales Police being a member of their Independent Advisory Group.

Suma represented Cardiff and Vale health Board in several conferences and presented in CNO’s conference 2023. Suma had the opportunity to meet His Royal Highness King Charles for his 75th Birthday in Buckingham palace and represent GEM in Florence nightingale commemoration service in Westminster Abby 2024.

Suma’s special interest is compassionate leadership and equity, diversity and inclusion which is why she has chosen ‘Ward Managers Toolkit’ as her project.

This project will Suma an opportunity to investigate the working of a ward/unit in hospital setting and identify the opportunities and struggles the ward manger faces in their day today management of ward/unit. This toolkit aims to aid both new and established ward mangers with information for smooth running of the ward/unit and delivering high quality safe care.

Developing a toolkit, Suma believes may support ward mangers, manage the ward more efficiently by supporting staff from all ethnic background to develop and flourish into future leaders.

Thomas is an Anticoagulation Specialist Pharmacist based in the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.

After completed his Masters in Pharmacy in the University of Portsmouth, his interest in clinical pharmacy attracted him to hospital pharmacy. He completed his pre-registration training in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board where he then stayed and worked as a clinical pharmacist. Throughout his time in Cardiff and Vale he worked in many different specialities and completed his Post-Graduate Diploma in Clinical Pharmacy through Cardiff University.

After a short break travelling around South and Central America, Thomas took on his current role. This role has allowed for further developments such as completing his Independent Prescribing, studying Research Methods and undertaking several Quality Improvement Projects. He has a passion for delivering the best possible care for patients which has led to the anticoagulation team being shortlisted as finalists in the ‘Excellence in Hospital Pharmacy Practice’ at the clinical Pharmacy Congress and awarded winners for ‘Enhancing Patient and Carer Experience’ at the National VTE Awards.

The project Thomas is undertaking during his Fellowship year relates to gathering and utilising data to highlight improvements that can be made to enhanced recovery after surgery pathways. Thomas has a special interest in patient experience which is why he has opted to undertake a project on which aims to improve patient outcomes, reduce length of hospital stay and ultimately improve patients' experience.

Outside of work, Thomas enjoys spending time with his young family and friends. He is happiest when outdoors and enjoys the occasional run, bike ride, and nice long walk with his dog Teg. He also enjoys watching sports and attends as many home Wales football matches as possible.

Hello everyone, my name is Tom. I work as a clinical specialist physiotherapist for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board in a split role. I work as a first contact physiotherapist and have a specialist interest in persistent pain management, utilising a patient centred approach to help patients optimise their physical function and psychological and emotional wellbeing.

I have a keen interest in promoting the great work that allied health professions undertake to improve their patient’s function and ultimately quality of life. I am involved in facilitating quality improvement projects, educating, and coaching fellow clinicians about the QI process, highlighting benefits and supporting them to minimise barriers during their projects. I have presented clinical project work at national conferences, and I am working towards achieving my MSc in Advanced Healthcare Practice from Cardiff University.

I am currently working with the Allied Health Professions Framework Team here at HEIW. My fellowship project is to horizon scan and initiate early development of a transformation internet- hub (a resource repository), for health and social care leaders. Particular emphasis will be placed upon workforce transformation, providing leaders with tools to ensure the upcoming health and social care workforce will be able to adapt to future needs. This project aims to provide a ‘one-stop-shop’ for busy leaders to facilitate their transformation journey, ensuring that quality and impact are equitable across Wales for the benefit of individuals seeking health and social care.

I am a keen kayaker, cyclist, and squash player. I enjoy being busy, which is just as well as I am a dad of 3 children under the age of six (I know, I hear you…… I don’t look old enough!).

I look forward to meeting, working alongside and learning from all of you. Please do email me if you have any further questions or an interest in the project.