Meet the team
Ann Norman RGN, PG DipN.
Specialist practitioner (General practice nursing).
Current role: RCN Professional Nurse Adviser for Learning Disability and Nursing in Criminal Justice Services.
My career in nursing within the NHS and the Prison Service has been varied. My background was that of a community nurse. I joined the Prison Service in 1992 and received a Nursing Standard award in 1998 for recognition of developing services to female prisoners. Later in 1999 I was awarded a further Prison Service award for my work at HMP Winchester. I have been a long-standing RCN activist and was keenly involved in the development of forum status within the RCN. I was chair of the RCN Prison Nurses' Forum between 1998-2000.
I have been active in the past in writing for publications around the nursing roles in prisons and vulnerable people within our society. I co-edited a book in 2002 on Prison nursing (Blackwell publishing). In 1999 I was seconded to the Department of Health (Prison Health Task Force) and in 2000 my role was that of assistant director of nursing in a national cross government department.
In 2004, I was seconded to the RCN in my current role where I assist in the development of policy, support members locally and nationally across the four UK countries. I support two very active and enthusiastic forums and aim to continue that support in the interests of both prisoners, prison nursing staff, individuals who have a learning disability and the nurses who provide care to them.
Email Ann Norman
Liz Walsh -
Forum Chair
Senior Lecturer in Offender Health, School of Health Care, University of Leeds
I had positive experiences in prison health care during nurse training and I've been working in and around offender health care ever since qualifying in 1995. Since I left clinical nursing in prisons in 2000, I've worked in nurse education, research and practice development, supporting both nurses and students (both pre- and post-registration) who work with offenders.
As a practice developer and researcher, I've undertaken key projects to support nurses in developing practice, such as developing and implementing clinical supervision and reflection across the prison estate, and addressing the emotional labour of caring for offenders. My current work focuses on the need for a truly multidisciplinary approach to practice in prison, recognising the importance of work with discipline colleagues.
Having nursed in prisons and now working with practitioners who care for offenders, I understand current challenges in providing care in a custodial setting, where care and custody are competing priorities. I'm keen to see these nurses afforded the support they need to ensure continued delivery of high quality care, and for wider policy and strategy to be influenced by nurses with relevant experience and enthusiasm in this challenging area.
Email Liz Walsh
James Mullins
Integrated Clinical Lead for Forensic mental health services, Bedfordshire
James began his nursing career as a health care assistant at the age of 16. Working at local elderly nursing homes, he gained essential experience before embarking on his registered nurse training at Edinburgh’s Napier University in 2000.
On completion of a Diploma in Adult Nursing, James, worked as a staff nurse at the department of Clinical Neurosciences at Edinburgh’s Western General Hospital. In 2004, he began a Bachelor of mental health nursing degree, again studying at Napier University. At this time he also took a role as a senior staff nurse at one of Europe’s leading private addictions clinics, Castle Craig Hospital near Edinburgh. James worked at Castle Craig for two years, an experience that involved caring for individuals from such diverse backgrounds as members of the royal family and MPs to those affected by homelessness.
Following this, he was appointed to the post of substance misuse clinical nurse specialist at HMP Bedford in November 2006. He was later appointed to the post of head of the Mental Health Inreach Service at HMP Bedford in February 2008.
Employed in this role by South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust, James oversaw the development of mental health services to prisoners at HMP Bedford and tailored the practice to suit the needs of a busy remand population. He was appointed as integrated clinical lead for forensic mental health services in Bedfordshire in August 2011 giving him a countywide remit which includes HMP Bedford, Robin Pinto Low secure unit and Community forensic mental health teams.
James also has a position of visiting lecturer to the University of Bedfordshire and teaches on the care of mentally disordered offenders while also providing training to various criminal justice agencies.
James has had published work in both the Care programme approach journal, The Approach and the Mental health practice nursing journal. He was also Highly Commended by the Care programme approach association awards in 2010 in the category of Excellence in CPA policy and practice standards.
James' hobbies include following Heart of Midlothian football club, fishing, rugby, running, cinema, listening to music, reading and walking.
Email James Mullins
Emma Helen Bradley
Director of Secure Healthcare for G4S
With over 16 years experience of working with offenders in a variety of roles from staff nurse to my current role as director of secure health care for G4S I am able to offer a wide variety of experience and knowledge to support the continued development of the role of nurses in the criminal justice system. I am committed to enhancing the role of nurses and the RCN in such settings for the benefit of service users.
I have been a member of the RCN Nursing in the Criminal Justice System Forum since 2008 and firmly believe that the forum can provide support, advice and expertise to support and further develop the role of nurses working in the criminal justice system; who in turn can contribute to the reducing re-offending behaviour strategy and the effective management of socially excluded groups to divert them away from the criminal justice system to more appropriate care and support services.
Email Emma Bradley
Karen Swinson
Custody Care Consultant, Metropolitan Police
My career in forensic health care commenced in 1999 when I was appointed to lead an inaugural Home Office pilot at Kent Police to introduce nurses into police custody suites. This created a unique service provision of health care within police custody and received a Home Office Beacon Award in 2000. I was then appointed to manage the Forensic Medical Services Department including the forensic medical examiners.
I moved to the Metropolitan Police Service in 2009 as a custody care consultant to establish and plan the ultimate model of health care service provision for London. I was appointed director of nursing on commencement of the new health care service which will introduce nurses into police custody suites across London.
As Nursing Standard's Nurse of the Year 2008 in Innovations in Criminal Justice, I have had the opportunity to highlight the fantastic work going on across many different police forces in terms of nursing provision to Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street.
I have worked at national level with the Home Office, MHRA, Skills for Health, the Department of Health and others on numerous projects which all seek to improve the quality and standards of care delivered nationally within this unique environment. The RCN forum provides fantastic support to nurses across the CJ spectrum and I am delighted to represent police custody and provide support to the growing numbers of nurses in this field for the day to day challenges they will face.
Email Karen Swinson
Mark Warren
Forensic Liaison Practitioner, Cwm Taf Local Health Board
I am a mental health nurse who has worked as a clinician, manager and educator for people with mental health difficulties within criminal justice settings since 1998. My experiences include running court and police liaison services, providing support and advice to probation officers and managing prison inreach services for men and women. I have worked in criminal justice settings in Jersey, New Zealand, England and Wales so can offer a wide range of experience within the specialism.
I am currently involved in developing services for high risk personality disorder offenders in partnership with Wales probation and developing new ways of working with specialist police public protection teams.
I understand the challenges faced by nurses working within the criminal justice system but I am also aware of the opportunities these settings present for nurses to develop practice and provide care for a marginalised group of service users.
Throughout my career I have been privileged to work alongside many nursing colleagues who have shown tremendous professionalism, resilience and skill. I hope as a committee member to be able to bring my experiences and passion to the forum and continue to influence practice development for nurses.
Email Mark Warren
Jo Tomlinson
Staff Nurse, HMP Stafford A category C prison for Adult Males
Nurse of the Year Award - 2012
I have a particular interest in offender health, psychosocial nursing and the mental wellbeing of children and young people. I have an avid interest in childhood anxiety and stress disorders and the long term disabling and debilitating effect that this has on individuals throughout their life if untreated at an early stage, particularly around issues of self medication with alcohol and drugs and the impact that this has on the individual, in relation to the development and cycle of offending behaviour.
This interest has resulted in my developing and implementing a service model of care at HMP Stafford for all prisoners who suffer with anxiety disorders and a separate model of care “The Ten Point Care Model” for those prisoners who are ex-forces and suffer with severe anxiety issues, this was recognised as “good practice in the 2012 HMIP Inspection”. As a result I was awarded Nursing Standard's Nurse of The Year 2012. Winning this award has enabled me to raise awareness of offender health nursing, and showcase it for the speciality that it is, while at the same time raising awareness of service development needs within prisons.
I have a long and varied background of working in the health care setting, beginning my career as a health care assistant in the community and a general hospital, nursing homes and working as a team leader in community nursing care.
In 2004, I qualified as a RN in Child Health Bsc (Hons) and have continued to develop professionally completing courses, in mental health, substance misuse, CBT with anxiety disorders, and recently have studied EMDR (eye movement and desensitisation therapy) which I am intending to use in my current role at HMP Stafford to deliver interventions to prisoners who are ex-forces and suffering with PTSD.
I have held various staff nurse posts, including paediatrics, eating disorders, child and adolescent mental health (Tier 4), A&E, medical, surgical and orthopaedics and currently offender health.
I am passionate about my work in offender health care and the immense difference that positive and effective interventions delivered to those individuals while in custody result in long-term benefits for them, their families and society as a whole.
I also understand the challenges that nurses working within prison settings face on a daily basis. I am looking forward to working as a forum committee member and to raising the profile of offender health nursing, showcasing it for the speciality that it is, supporting all the nurses who work within the criminal justice setting, highlighting areas for service development and supporting the invaluable work that the RCN does on behalf of all nurses.
Email Joanne Tomlinson