Christine Moffat
CBE, PhD, MA, RGN, DN
Professor Christine Moffatt was awarded Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing in 2006 for her outstanding contribution to nursing research, practice and education which has transformed leg ulcer management and the lives of countless patients.
Christine is an internationally recognised clinician and researcher in wound care and leg ulceration. Her work has been instrumental in shaping specialist wound care nursing within the UK, which is now considered to be the best in the world. Her contributions, both in terms of research and innovative practice, to the field of wound management have been extensive and significant. From developing the first integrated leg ulcer service and the four-layer bandage system that subsequently set the gold standard for patient care nationally and internationally, to pioneering the introduction of Doppler ultrasound, which is now considered a mandatory part of diagnosis and treatment.
Christine is Professor of Nursing at Thames Valley University, London and a director of the Centre for Research and Implementation of Clinical Practice. The centre has a large clinical research programme which includes undertaking multi-centre trials and Christine is actively involved in assisting organisations in the development and evaluation of new service models and guidelines for wound management in this arena.
She also runs the Lymphoedema Framework Project, in partnership with the British Lymphology Society, Lymphodema Support Network and primary care bodies throughout the world. Indeed, Christina initiated the first lymphoedema epidemiology study in the community ever to be undertaken in the UK. The project has already published, in conjunction with the European Wound Management Association, a position document on multi-layer bandaging and, as part of its research, the needs of children and older people are being studied.
For over 20 years, Christine’s unique expertise has helped to shape service delivery in the community, transforming leg ulcer services from a consultant to a nurse-led service. In 1994, she established the independent nurse-led research centre dedicated to leg ulcer management, which today is recognised around the world. As its director, she has helped lead national service developments and research projects to implement and evaluate best practice in the management and care of patients. As well as creating a comprehensive and world-renowned evidence base for leg ulcer management, she has assessed the impact on patients and the cost-effectiveness of such approaches. Her leadership, research and training in this area have led to improved recovery rates and a reduction in the prevalence of leg ulcers in the UK.
Dedicated to extending knowledge on tissue viability, Christine has been responsible for creating an extensive range of education and wound care programmes. These have enabled thousands of nurses and other health care professionals to benefit from her expertise and knowledge and include BSc level and distance learning programmes incorporating video and CD-ROMs. A renowned public speaker, Christine has also published widely and regularly undertakes lecture tours.
Her colleagues believe her contributions to wound healing have not just helped to change ulcer management in the UK. When she was president of the European Wound Management Association council, an organisation responsible for facilitating research, education and practice in European countries, Christine helped develop and publish position documents on key clinical issues in five languages. She also helped to bring clinicians and academics from European countries together to share best practice and learn from one another.
Today Christine is a nurse consultant at St George’s Hospital, responsible for the clinical leg ulcer service and research programme and she is also President of the Leg Ulcer Forum. In the 2006 New Year’s Honours List, Christine was awarded a CBE for her services to health care.