Dr Patricia McNeilly

Co-Chair of PCEP

I am a Senior Lecturer in children's nursing and am passionate about the provision of quality care for children, young people and their families.  I have a particular interest in caring for children with complex and palliative care needs and lead on associated undergraduate and post graduate education in the School.  I believe that it is vital for students to develop the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills to fulfil their roles in partnership with families.  Understanding the family journey  is a vital part of care provision and so the inclusion of service users within the classroom is invaluable.  I have also worked with PCEP members as advisors on research in this area and I believe that their input is essential from the outset to completion of such projects.

John McKee

Steering Committee & Forum Member

I have a long experience in Learning Disability and Mental Health in the voluntary sector and in the statutory sector.  Contributing to different reviews and evaluations in particular “The Bamford Review”. I am a parent of a son with a learning disability and a Service User myself within Mental Health Services.

Maria Somerville

Steering Committee & Forum Member, Honorary Lecturer QUB

I am Maria Somerville.  I am the carer for my 20 yr old son who has a rare genetic disorder "angelman syndrome". He is severely learning disabled & has complex health needs.  I feel it is very important that the parent voice is represented & heard within health & social care. I believe the way forward is partnership working & therefore I am very excited about being involved with the School of Nursing & Midwifery in the PCEP forum. I believe it is a true model of inclusivity.

Mary Duffin

Co-Chair of PCEP & Honorary Lecturer QUB

I care for my daughter Emma who has a rare brain condition called Acaridi Syndrome I feel that it is very important to involve carers and service users in all development of services.

Trevor Wightman

Steering Committee & Forum Member, Honorary Lecturer QUB

Having been a carer for my late wife during her cancer journey I became involved and played an active role on the QUB website Cancer Caring Coping. This site is a resource for those entering a caring role. On the back of this I became a member of this group.

Susan Abraham

Steering Committee & Forum Member, Honorary Lecturer QUB

I have expertise in Severe Brain Injury, understanding trauma and recovery experiences to regain cognitive mental, emotional and physical wellbeing through reprogramming intellectual processes developing knowledge in learning and physical disabilities’.  The impact of Patient and Carers Education Partnership engages support to shape and strengthen design and co-production tools for meaningful delivery of teaching sessions throughout the School of Nursing and Midwifery. 

Dr Paul Gallagher‌

Committee Member

I have been a regular user of a range of health and social services since I was seriously injured in 1994.  I am a member of the WAVE Injured Group which successfully campaigned for a special pension for victims of the Troubles.  As part of WAVE Trauma Centre, I am involved as a Citizen Educator and have contributed to the education and training of our future nurses, social workers, doctors, counsellors, and journalists at QUB and beyond.

Professor Kevin Gormley

Committee Member

Dean of the College of Nursing & Midwifery, Mohammed Bin Rashid University (MBRU)

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Dr Scott Peddie

Steering Committee & Forum Member, Honorary Lecturer QUB

I am a Consultant EMDR Psychotherapist, Director of The Viktor Frankl Centre at the Mirabilis Health Institute, and a former Mental Health Advocate. I am a Fellow of the International Society of Psychotherapy and Counselling.  I became an Honorary Lecturer in the School and I teach at undergraduate and postgraduate level, as well as being a member of the Faculty Research Ethics Committee.  I have lived experience of Bipolar Disorder as a patient, and Autism as a carer.

Dr Janine Stockdale

Steering Committee & Forum Member

Dr Olinda Santin

Committee Member

Lecturer in Cancer Survivorship, School of Nursing & Midwifery, QUB

Peter Brown

Committee Member

Voices group facilitator and guest lecturer of School of Nursing & Midwifery.

Brian Fitzsimons

Committee Member

I am a retired secondary school teacher, and have lived with heart disease for the last 35 years.  More recently I have had a minor stoke and cataract surgery.  I also have experience caring for my wife who has dementia.  Over these years I have seen first hand the huge difference that nurses make to patient care and I am delighted to help in the education of the next generation of nurses as part of this partnership.

Gillian Higgins

Committee Member

Clerical Officer, School of Nursing & Midwifery, QUB

Secretary to Forum

Johanna McMullan

Committee Member

Director of Education, School of Nursing & Midwifery, QUB. 

I passionately believe in the importance of the patients and carers voice in all aspects of Education from selection, curriculum design and delivery to assessment and graduation. Only by listening to those who use the services can we ensure we produce Health Care Professionals fit to service the community.

Dr Lynne Marsh

Committee Member

Professional Lead Learning Disability, School of Nursing & Midwifery, QUB

Rosemary Peters

Committee Member, Staff Champion

I am a Lecturer (Education) in School of Nursing and Midwifery delivering nurse education to undergraduate and postgraduate nursing students. I am committed to promoting the work of the PCEP forum and appreciate the value this brings to nurse education. I have practised as a general nurse for almost 20 years across a range of adult clinical settings. My passion for delivering valuable nurse education led to my chosen career as Lecturer and my desire to enhance the student experience led to my involvement with the PCEP forum. Involving the PCEP in the Education of nurses, offers real life experiences of using health services and gives patients and carers a gateway to communicate with our practitioners.  

William Johnston

Committee Member & Honorary Lecturer

Ann Forbes

Steering Committee & Forum Member

Lee-Maria Hughes

Committee Member

Eileen Fegan

Committee Member

I am an expert in Mental Capacity law. I have cared for my mother with Dementia for 10 years. Negotiating the health care system on my mother’s behalf led me to study Advocacy. I then trained mental health Advocates and came to PCEP to discuss the potential impact of the Mental Capacity Act 2016 upon service users and carers. I now share my experiences with the Forum to inform curriculum development. 

Imelda Smyth

Steering Committee & Forum Member, Honorary Lecturer QUB

My name is Imelda and I am delighted to be a member of the PCEP forum.  I strongly believe the partnership of patients and carers with the School of Nursing & Midwifery is vital in shaping the future talent of nurses and midwives.  Supporting the school with my personal experience of midwifery services, I hope to shape the education and have this applied in clinical practice to enhance the service provided.  

Leslie Altic

Committee Member

I have been a service user representative in maternity services for 8 years. I have lived experience of babyloss and mental health issues after my first baby was stillborn; I am also an antenatal teacher and doula and have years of experience supporting expectant parents through pregnancy and birth. I am very passionate about improving maternity services and ensuring that parents get the compassionate, individualised, evidence-based care they need. 

Nicola Dynes

Steering Committee & Forum Member

I have worked within the health care sector as a care worker for over 10 years. I am now a full time career for my son Mason who has ‘Charge Syndrome’ and 5 other siblings.  I have multiple dealings within different sectors and departments of the health and social care trusts. I have various types of training to Makaton signing and First aid.

Shannon-Marie Kelly

Committee Member

I am Shannon-Marie Kelly, and I am currently a student nurse on the GEMS programme here at Queen’s. Since the age of six, I have been a carer for my mother who has a complex health history which includes kidney and heart failure. I am very passionate about helping to increase the awareness of the needs of carers, in particular to their own physical health, and have completed research in this area during my previous studies. I wholly believe that by including carers and service users in the development of the healthcare service, the gold standard of care can become more achievable. 

Emma Fraser

Committee Member

My name is Emma Fraser, I’m mum to Caitlin born in 2012 and Elliott born in 2016. I have been involved with maternity services as a user representative since 2015 and in the time since have been involved in local maternity services, regional Home Birth guidelines, QUB midwifery curriculum update and more. I’m also a doula and antenatal teacher so have regular contact with parents currently going through maternity services.

Dr Derek McLaughlin

Committee Member

I have been a Mental Health Nurse for many years, I came to Queen's University Belfast in 2017 as a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing.  I had the privelege of being Chair of this Forum for three years and I am delighted to see the Forum developing and very pleased to remain part of this.

Jai Hunter

Committee Member

My name is Jai Hunter. I am mum to two boys, Frank born in Australia and Jack born in Northern Ireland. I want to be able to empower individuals throughout pregnancy and birth and be a voice for all the women.

Catherine Riley

Committee Member

I am a 41 year old mum of 2 who is severely sighted impaired, a hidden disability as other than wearing glasses you wouldn’t know.  I welcome the opportunity to be part of this forum so I can take you into my world so for a few minutes you can understand my daily challenges, future prognosis and my journey so far.  I want everyone to understand more about what a hidden disability can be and what impact there can be.  

Paul Collins

Committee Member

I've been a regular user of health and social services as a result of being seriously injured in the troubles during 1972. Also as a carer for my son who was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in 2002.

Currently, I am involved with the Wave Trauma Centre as a citizen's educator contributing to the training of our current and future doctors and nurses.

Brendan Fay 

Committee Member

I am an engineer during the week and a ‘tries hard’ golfer at the weekend. I am a Covid Survivor. I was critically ill during March and April 2020 and was admitted to ICU during April. Very soon into my stay in ICU (<24 hours) I was enrolled in REMAP-CAP trial, a worldwide trial investigating multiple possible treatments for COVID-19. The study showed that the regimen that I received was very beneficial. Involvement in the trial formed my education about innovative and groundbreaking research.

I am excited to be part of the PCEP and to contribute to the education of nurses.

Marianne Tinkler

Committee member

I am a Macmillan Palliative Care Nurse currently undertaking a PhD Fellowship at Queens University Belfast.

I have been a qualified nurse for the past 28 years and half of that has been within palliative care. My MSc in Supportive and Palliative Care involved persons with schizophrenia in the last days of life in 2018, alongside grounded clinical observation, it has brought me to this point in tackling inequalities within palliative care and mental health for persons with serious mental illness via the vehicle of a PhD Fellowship with the Co-design of and evidenced informed service model of palliative care for persons living with serious mental illness.

Within the PCEP I hope to be a voice from student/research and lived experience of mental illness. I hope also to bring a voice of bereaved caregivers of severe mental illness which is lost within the area of palliative and end-of-life care generally.

Alfred Penn Milton

Committee Member

I am a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran of 22 years, currently attending the MSc Psychology conversion course in QUB. Born in Miami, Florida to Bahamian immigrants, my profile includes Autism, ADHD, PTSD, TBI and mobility restrictions. I am also a carer for 2 ADHD daughters who are on the autism spectrum: Carolyn, born in North Carolina and Danielle born in Seoul South Korea. My wife, Becca, is a Texas rose and undiagnosed ADHD. My service user experience involves the U.S. healthcare system. As a former active-duty military member, I have experience moving in and out of care services across national and international borders; moving with a neurodiverse family; late diagnosis ASD/ADHD and navigating the American school system regarding classroom accommodations. I am on the road to mental health advocacy, collaboration and education. My hope is to influence service and policy reform on behalf of veterans and underserved ethnic minority communities.

Anne Mallon

Committee Member

Anita Mallon

Committee Member

I am delighted for the opportunity to be a member of this Forum and share my experiences as a carer and service user. I have a background in nursing, nurse education and research and believe that if the person is to be at the centre of health and social care, the education of all health care professionals should be informed by the lived experience of people they are caring for.  

Bethany Connaughton

Steering Committee & Forum Member, Honorary Lecturer QUB

I am a mummy to three boys aged 5, 4 and 1. I have been a service user of both mental health services and maternity services including the perinatal mental health service over the last 6 years. I was a staff nurse for 9 years prior to the birth of my youngest son and a previous midwifery student at Queen’s.