RCN Defence Nursing Forum Committee

The RCN Defence Nursing Forum Committee comprises of representatives from all single services, including reservists. There is also a representative for civilians who express an interest in this particular forum through either working alongside military nurses or those who have served past their reserve commitment. The committee members are:

Capt Chris Carter- Forum Chair

Since qualifying as a RN (A) in 2000, Capt Chris Carter has had a varied clinical background prior to joining the Army in 2008. Roles have included nursing positions in intensive and critical care, aviation medicine, and critical care outreach and resuscitation services. Since commissioning into the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps (QARANC), he has undertaken a variety of roles and operational deployments and is currently an intensive care nursing officer at 16 Medical Regiment, in Colchester.

Capt Carter has a keen interest in teaching and development of practice. He teaches a variety of multi-disciplinary courses including Battlefield Advanced Trauma Life Support and Advanced Life Support. He continues to practice as an intensive care nurse and resuscitation officer.

Awards:

2012 British Association of Critical Care Nurses (BACCN) Committee Member of the Year Award
2012 BACCN Committee of the Year Award
2006 Nursing Times Innovation in Practice Award

Laura Hodson, Royal Auxilliary Air Force (RAuxAF) - Reserve Forces Representative

Current post: Senior Staff Nurse, Accident & emergency, St Thomas' Hospital, London. Nursing Officer, 4626 (Aeromedical Evacuation) Squadron, RAF Lyneham.

Laura Hodson trained at the University of Hertfordshire, qualifying as a registered nurse in 2003. While a student, she joined the University of London Air squadron based at RAF Wyton. During this time she had flying lessons, which included flying a solo flight that subsequently whet her appetite for the RAF and aeromedical nursing. Her elective placement was with the RAF and spent four weeks at the Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit (MDHU) Peterborough and RAF Lyneham with the Tactical Medical Wing. Laura wrote her dissertation for her degree on the physiological effects of flying.

Laura's clinical experience lies within accident and emergency nursing, where she works with both paediatrics and adults. She originally worked at Barnet Hospital and is now at St Thomas'. Her secondary role within her current civilian post is that of student co-ordinator for the department.

Laura joined the RAuxAF in April 2004 and became part of 4626 (aeromedical evacuation) Squadron. During training weekends her emergency nursing skills were utilised to assist in the training of medics in intermediate life support and basic trauma care. in 2007 she deployed to Afghanistan with the aeromedical evacuation team and since completing her initial officer training at RAF Cranwell is looking forward to future operations as part of the Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT).

Laura has successfully published two articles on the physiological effects of flying in the British Journal of Nursing and Primary Healthcare Journal.

Academic Profile

BSc (Hons) Nursing with RN.
Fundamentals of Emergency Nursing(ENB 998).
Mentorship for Healthcare Professionals (ENB 998).
Dip Trop Nurse.
Aeromedical Evacuation Course.

Heather Scripps - Army Representative

Current post: Officer Commanding Department of Post-registration Courses, Defence Medical Services Training Group

Major Scripps qualified as a registered nurse in October 1996, having trained at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

She worked as a staff nurse in both trauma/orthopaedics and in cardiothoracic surgery; before being commissioned into the QARANC in 1998 working at the Royal Hospital Haslar in a variety of clinical posts.

A posting to 4 Medical Regiment RAMC saw Major Scripps taking on a more managerial/administrative role which also included an operational tour to the Balkans as a troop commander. In 2003 Major Scripps moved into the sphere of nurse education qualifying as a lecturer/practitioner in 2004. Major Scripps has worked in both pre and post-registration nurse education, the management of clinical placements and spent two years as the nurse education adviser (Army).

Major Scripps has a keen interest in research and maintains her clinical skills through an honorary contract with the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine.

Academic Profile

Dip Nursing (Adult).
Mentor For Healthcare Practitioners (ENB998).
Bsc (Hons) Military Nursing.
MA Ed.
RNT.

Stephen McGhee - Territorial Army representative

Current Post: Professional Lead for Adult Field of Practice, School of Nursing Midwifery and Health, University of Stirling, and Senior Nursing Officer 205 (Sc) Field Hospital (V).

Stephen has a proven track record in autonomous nursing practice and leads on advanced clinical examination and is currently the professional lead for adult nursing at the University of Stirling. Stephenalso maintains clinical competence as a nurse practitioner within NHS Lothian. He has developed research interests in advanced clinical practice, immersive virtual reality education and the role of the emergency department in undertaking alcohol screening and alcohol brief interventions.

Lt Col McGhee commissioned into the Territorial Army in May 1995 as a Nursing Officer in Glasgow Squadron of 205 (Sc) Field Hospital. In 1997 Col McGhee's civilian employment changed location and he moved to Edinburgh. In 2003, Stephen was deployed on operations to Iraq during the war fighting phase with 16 Close Support Medical Regiment spending most of the tour as a Nursing Officer with 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment. In 2005, Stephen led the Emergency Department at BMH Shaibah as part of Op Telic 6.

In 2006, a move to HQ 2 Division as SO2 Med (V) allowed Stephen to build a staff portfolio. A key part of this role was providing medical liaison to the migration of 38 (Irish) Brigade into 2 Division control. Part of this work was to integrate a new system of occupational health for reservists in Northern Ireland. Other duties during this time were supporting PfP overseas training exercises in Lithuania and Romania, this involved deploying as a medical subject matter expert to formulate the medical plans for these OTX's. Stephen also had governance over the medical planning for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the provision of all medical cover to ACF/CCF annual camps.
Moving back to regimental duty in 2009 - Col McGhee took command of 153 (Area) Medical Squadron which is part of 225 Medical Regiment and in 2010 he became regimental second in command prior to being selected for promotion to OF4.

Awards

Scottish Prison Service Certificate of Meritorious Conduct.

Academic profile

RGN.
DPSN.
BSc.
PGCE.
RNT.
Msc.

Juliet Bale

Current post: Nurse Specialist GP Practice at Air Command RAF High Wycombe.

Juliet Bale trained at the University of Brighton, Conquest Hospital Hastings, qualifying as a RN (A) in September 2005. While a nursing student she joined the Territorial Army D (220) Medical Sqn, 4 Medical Regiment based in Ditton, Kent.

After working in ITU/HDU and the community as a staff nurse, she was promoted to senior staff nurse and returned to study at the University of Brighton where she was awarded a Degree in Health Sciences.

Juliet volunteered as a crew member for the (RNLI) Royal National Lifeboat Institute in her spare time for a number of years at Hastings in East Sussex.

Her career then diverted from the NHS to the Ministry of Defence in 2009 when she worked as a practice nurse for APHCS at MRS Bovington in Dorset, a phase 2 training facility, undertaking a Ucpd in Assessment and Management of Minor Injuries and Illness. She rasied money for charity by jumping out of a perfectly good airframe at 14,000 feet attached to a Red Devil tandem for Help for Heroes.

Juliet joined the RAuxAF in July 2011 and became part of 4626 (Aeromedical Evacuation) Sqn. In October 2011 she was promoted to nurse specialist at Air Command RAF High Wycombe. Juliet is currently studying modules at RCDM towards a Graduate Certificate in Defence Healthcare.

She has a keen interest in travel health and the military and quality care for service personnel and dependents. Juliet was recently honoured with the title of Queen’s Nurse from the QNI.