What inspired you to become a clinical scientist? The honest truth is that I didn’t really know what a Clinical Scientist job was when I applied for the role, I had never met a scientist who worked in healthcare.  It’s one of the many reasons I  consider myself so fortunate to have landed, almost by accident, into a job that I love so much.  It is also a reason why I’m passionate about raising the profile of the amazing Healthcare Science workforce, so that other people know these jobs exist and don’t have to find them via a fluke of fate.

• What does a typical day in your role look like?

Most of my friends and family will tell you that I’m not particularly good at routine, and it’s the fact that the day job is so varied that probably makes it work to well for me.  One day I will be lecturing at a university or a conference, the next I will be inspecting a theatre linked to ventilation requirements, and then I will be phoning results, making risk assessments, and advising on outbreaks.

"The key thing that links all of these components is communication and collaboration.  To be successful in Infection Prevention and Control I really do believe it is all about working together and breaking down silos."

• Why did you decide to become a member of the Healthcare Infection Society? 

I joined the society as part of starting my NIHR funded PhD in 2010.  As I started to develop the research aspects of my role, I became increasingly aware of the society, and how important it could be in both my development and sharing of my work.  As the only Healthcare Scientist I knew, at that point, who was working in IPC I was also really keen to build relationships and network with others in order to find inspiration and peer support.  It was only once I was a member that I truly understood the breadth of work of the society and how it could offer other support, such as event funding.

• How has being a member supported you in your role?

I gained by first grant from the HIS in 2010, although it wasn’t the first I applied for.  I mention this because I think I have learnt so much from applying to the society for funding, even when I’ve been unsuccessful.  Funding from HIS has been a mainstay of my career, to the point that one of my successfully funded HIS PhD students, Dr Sam Watkin, successfully completed his viva as recently as February.

"I was fortunate enough to be awarded the Early Career Award in 2023, and to be both the first woman and scientist to receive it.  One of the ways that the society has consistently supported me is in appreciating difference.  They have embraced the fact that as a Healthcare Scientist I bring something a little different to the IPC mix and have helped me work to raise awareness of IPC as a career option for others."

What society activities have you been involved in?

Over the last 15 years I’ve been involved in many different aspects of the society, from submitting manuscripts and reviewing those of others, to applying for public engagement funding to enable us to produce a play for children in order to help them understand Healthcare Science.  I’ve also been on the research committee for 5 years, reviewing grant submissions and contributing to the societies research strategy.  In recent years I’ve also sat on a number of HIS guideline committees.

"One of the mainstays of my membership of the society has been conference and event attendance.  I consider it a real privilege to have been asked to present, Chair and facilitate so many sessions, and as a result meet so many inspirational peers."

What’s the one thing you would tell people starting out in a career in infection prevention and control?

Understand that you will never know it all and that’s OK.  IPC is wonderful precisely because it is dynamic and ever changing.  The patients change, the organisms evolve, and environments are highly varied.  Therefore, every day is an opportunity to learn and improve.  Because of this it is also important to know how important multi-disciplinary approaches are to solving the challenges we face.  No one specialty will have all the answers, and so valuing what everyone brings to the table and building collaboration skills early will really help you to succeed.

Healthcare Science Week, 10-16 March 2025 brings together over 50 scientific specialisms and professional groups to celebrate and raise awareness of this diverse NHS workforce.