NIHR ARC Fellow

Email: hf365@medschl.cam.ac.uk

Background

Helen graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Occupational Therapy in 2020 from University of East Anglia, and later completed an MA in Leadership and Service Innovation in 2016 at University of Suffolk.   She has worked in London at the Royal Free Hospital, regional neurosciences unit, Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead and Mildmay HIV/AIDS hospice.  Helen joined St Elizabeth Hospice, Suffolk, in 2007 as Day Services Manager and is now Young adult care and transition lead.

Over the past 6 years Helen has led the development and delivery of a new transitional care service and the co-production of Zest- a young adult hospice care model, embedded within St Elizabeth hospice.  This has included the successful pilot a new short break service for young adults, considered the first of its kind in an UK adult hospice.

Helen chairs the East of England Palliative Care Transition Network and regularly teaches at the University of Suffolk undergraduate nursing programme on transition.

Research Interests

Helen’s main interests lie in the field of transition and young adult palliative care.  In particular, exploring the role of adult hospices supporting young adults surviving into adulthood with complex needs that challenge the traditional model of adult palliative care.

During the ARC fellowship Helen is completing a systematic review on the provision of short breaks for young adults in an adult hospice setting, and a service evaluation of a pilot of short break provision in an adult hospice setting.