Elsie is also one of seven Chief Nurse Fellows at the Trust.

The Chief Nurse Fellowships are designed to boost nursing careers in quality improvement and research, and to increase diversity in nursing roles.

The programme is designed around individual nurses’ ambitions and aspirations, and includes mentorship, coaching, formal training and experiential learning.

In this article, Elsie discusses her education, nursing career and pathway into clinical research.

How has your education pathway led you into your current role?

I began my nursing career in 2003 and worked in the private mental health sector for 17 years. In 2012 I was appointed Area Manager and was responsible for eleven forensic units in London.

In 2020, I joined Oxford Health and began studying for my Master’s degree in Professional Practice in 2022. I feel honoured and privileged to have been accepted to study at master’s level and I hope to complete my degree next year.

The module in Applied Healthcare Leadership motivated and compelled me to apply for a Band 6 Deputy Ward Manager role at the Trust, which I began in April 2024 on the Opal Ward at the Whiteleaf Centre.

I have a BSc in Biological Science, a BA in Professional Nursing, Advanced Diploma in Mental Health Nursing, Advanced Diploma in Psychotherapeutic Counselling, and the Registered Managers Award. I am amazed at the vast array of CPD courses and opportunities available for staff to develop themselves and gain degree qualifications in healthcare and research up to post-doctoral level within the Trust. I believe that Oxford Health is outstanding as a Trust in this regard.

When did you start working in research?                                               

Research intrigues me. An article about innovative trials and projects being carried out at Oxford Health caught my eye whilst working in a previous role. Reading about this work motivated me to apply for a nursing role at Oxford Health.

As part of my Master’s degree, I completed a module in Advanced Research Design which helped me to formulate a research question that I hope to use further in my studies.

In 2023, I was invited to join the SCEPTRE Feasibility Study as Principal Investigator (PI). This was a randomised, controlled intervention to support people stopping smoking and prevent relapse to tobacco use following a smoke free mental health inpatient stay.

I gained a lot of knowledge and experience from acting as PI on the study and have furthered my desire to continue to work in research.

When did you become interested in research?           

I became interested in research early on in my nursing career when I witnessed the detrimental side effects of antipsychotics on the health of service users. I have always had many questions about the health of female patients and want to create an awareness of issues faced in the assessments and documentation of this client group.

What are you working on at the moment?

Since 2024, I have been involved in an improvement project on Section 17 of the Mental Health Act with a team on the Opal Ward. Section 17 is where a patient who has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act is given permission to leave hospital for set periods, as part of their care to recover from their condition.

The aim of the improvement project is to see whether the current Section 17 Leave process works and if there are any improvements that can be made.

In 2024, we started a vegetable garden using a small outdoor space on Opal Ward with the aim of providing fresh organic produce to improve the wellbeing and quality of life for the service users. This came about when two service users refused to eat the prepackaged meals and wanted to cook their own food, and other patients requested gardening as an activity. It was very successful, and we had a good harvest of tomatoes, cucumbers, strawberries, beans, potatoes, spinach, lettuce, peppers and sweetcorn which patients enjoyed. This year, we plan to grow a wider variety of vegetables, fruit trees, and exotic plants like lemon and soursop. One staff member put up a notice in their village, and we received a donation of two greenhouses and an apple tree. This year, we are recording this as an improvement project with the aim of utilising non-clinical spaces to improve patients physical and mental wellbeing and quality of life.

For the Chief Nurse Fellowship, my improvement project will explore the effect of the menopause (pre, post, and perimenopause) on emotional dysregulation in female patients diagnosed with an emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD), which is also known as borderline personality disorder. The project aims to create an awareness of the impact of this condition on the lives of women on inpatient wards in mental health services.

What would you say to others about a career in research?   

I would say that ‘the world is your oyster’ when working at Oxford Health. This Trust works closely with the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University, and the National Institute for Health Research to bring about innovative practice in health care and links with national and international bodies.

The field of research is huge and invites exploration and achievement in so many areas. I am privileged to have been chosen as a Chief Nurse Fellow, which is a great opportunity to be part of this body of research. I will continue to be an advocate for continuing professional development and encourage my colleagues and student nurses to take advantage of these opportunities.

What are your plans for the future?

I thoroughly enjoy my role on the ward working with patients and want to bridge the gap between the world of research and that of mental health inpatient wards in the Trust. I am hopeful that as the Trust expands its vision for research and innovative practice, more research roles will be created in the future within the wards. I will continue to encourage and inspire my colleagues, student nurses, and service users on the ward to be part of this innovative and wonderful global dream.