Meet the team

The new steering committee for the Rheumatology Nursing Forum was formed in October 2010.

Vicky Chamberlain - Chair

Vicky Chamberlain Vicky qualified as a registered nurse in 1977 and after 14 months as a staff nurse in her training hospital in London, went on to undertake the Orthopaedic Nursing Certificate at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Hospital in Oxford. Following this she worked in New Zealand before coming back to the UK to take up a sister's post on a trauma orthopaedic ward in London. Following marriage and children her career has taken a number of turns including obtaining a first degree and working as a health promotion officer in South Manchester. Whilst undertaking a Masters level postgraduate diploma in health studies, she moved into the field of rheumatology.

Vicky has worked as a rheumatology nurse specialist since 1997, and currently works at Trafford Healthcare Trust in Greater Manchester. Her prime area of interest is supporting people with inflammatory arthropathies in order that they might better manage their disease, particularly focusing on helping them stay in work and supporting family life. She has been an active member of the Rheumatology Open Forum Northwest serving on their committee for 10 years. Whilst working at Wrightington Hospital she became involved in the ARMA Local Networks project.

As a life long member of the RCN, Vicky joined the forum's steering committee in 2009, taking over as chair in October 2010. She looks forward to supporting nurses working in this challenging field in order that they can provide the best care possible for their patients, as well continuing to raise the profile of rheumatological conditions both locally and nationally. She also hopes that the forum can highlight the complexity and importance of the role of nurses in this specialty, working together to ensure ongoing professional development and a strong evidence base for our members.

Lisa Howie

Lisa Howie Lisa qualified as a RGN in 1984, in Swansea, Wales and has worked in the area of musculoskeletal care for most of her nursing career, starting in 1986, after successfully completing her orthopaedic nursing certificate in Cardiff.

After this, she worked on the trauma and orthopaedic (T&O) Unit at Morriston Hospital in Swansea for 6 years. Since 1992, she has been a rheumatology clinical nurse specialist, which she still feels very passionate about, as she feels the role is uniquely and importantly placed to make a significant difference to the standard and quality of care given to the patients and families/carers and to patient outcomes and satisfaction. Her interests include:

osteoarthritis, rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis
rheumatology drug treatments
advanced practice per se including prescribing etc
nurse-led clinics
holistic, MDT based-patient care
patient education
self-management
clinical governance
telephone advice line
clinical informatics per se, but in particular in relation to finding ways in which the CNS's role, responsibilities, activities and their worth can be captured in a meaningful, qualitative, quantifiable yet user friendly way
teaching, especially clinical skills such as history taking, consultation, assessment, examination and diagnosis, and patient management and treatment.
standard setting

Her personal professional drive/aim is always to:

continually strive to develop and deliver best practice that is evidenced based and standards driven
provide high quality patient care that is clinically effective, efficient and safe.

She hopes that with her level of knowledge, skills, experience and expertise in rheumatology, personal attributes and willingness to listen to and learn from others, that she will be able to make a valid and meaningful contribution to the forum and its development. But most importantly, to the development of its members, standards of practice and the care and service provided to patients.

Ruth Slack

I have worked in Rheumatology nursing for 20 years and have acquired a solid knowledge of the speciality. I believe I am acknowledged as an expert in rheumatology nursing. I have given lectures on Rheumatology nursing, nationally & internationally, including this year's Royal College of Nursing ( RCN) Rheumatology forum conference & a Satellite Symposium at the British Society of Rheumatology annual meeting.

I have been involved in several pharmaceutical advisory boards & have been invited by the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society to be a member of a sub group of the East of England Strategic Health Authority, on commissioning of rheumatology services.

I believe, that my expertise & enthusiasm for rheumatology nursing will allow me to contribute to the forum committee, in particular shaping future policy & practice. I have experience of collaborative working & a good grasp of the current & future political issues in nursing.

In the next four years, I would like the forum to publish additional advisory/guidance documents, possibly assessing & monitoring Methotrexate for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Louise Parker

Lead Nurse - Inflammatory & Connective Tissue Disease
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Diana Finney

Diana trained at King’s College Hospital in London and has a 30-year career in nursing. She was a rheumatology nurse specialist for 10 years at Worthing Hospital and came to Brighton and Hove as a consultant nurse in 2008. She is an honorary consultant for Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust where she is a visiting lecturer at Brighton and Sussex University Medical School.

She is the Clinical Lead Nurse responsible for the MSK ICATS (Musculoskeletal Integrated Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service) in Brighton and Hove. This integrates working across primary, secondary and community services.

She is passionate about patient centred integrated working, and committed to improving the quality and effectiveness of care.