Tim Buck
East London NHS Foundation Trust & City, University of London
I initially began working with people with learning disabilities and autistic people when I left school. I was attending Art College during the week and supporting people in their own home on evenings and weekends. I loved the variety of the job and the relationships I was able to build with the people that lived there. I soon realised that I was looking forward to my support work shifts much more than college, so I left my course to work full-time in that role. I have never looked back.
In 2022 I completed a master's degree in Contemporary Nursing with the University of Hertfordshire, with a focus on research, clinical & strategic leadership and change management. I have also had the opportunity to work in a senior safeguarding role. These experiences took me out of my comfort zone but allowed me to experience different ways of working and develop my skills as a clinician and a nurse leader.
I now work jointly for an NHS Trust providing learning disability, mental and physical health services in community, inpatient and forensic settings and a local University. My roll, like many other consultant nurses, is to work strategically whilst focussed around the four pillars of advanced practice, although my joint role with the University allows me to focus attention on nurse education, research and workforce development.
I can’t put enough emphasis on the importance of communities of practice. The role of the registered nurse in learning disabilities is ever evolving to meet the needs of the people we support. This can sometimes present a challenge, but it’s rare that there isn’t someone out there going through the same experience. I’m keen to support the development of colleagues through shared learning, supervision and supporting professional networks. It’s important to maintain a healthy work/life balance and I have an interest in music, running and cycling outside of work.
I love my job, no two days are the same and there’s still lots of opportunity to use my creative skills when supporting people.
Darren Savarimuthu
Consultant Nurse
Barnet, Enfield and Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust
I entered the NMC register as a learning disability nurse in 2003 after completing a Dip HE (Nursing) at the University of Hull. After brief employment in East Yorkshire, I moved to London to work in the specialist services for my current employer.
I have since worked in various settings and progressed my career to become a ward manager and have been involved in nurse education. I am currently a Consultant Nurse whose role is to develop and lead on organisational strategies to reduce restrictive interventions. While this role covers a wide range of services, I have a particular interest in the care of individuals who have a learning disability and/or ASD.
I support nurse education at pre and post-registration levels through my work with local Universities to increase awareness of learning disability, ASD. And evidence-based practices in these areas. Some of my areas of interest are research, Positive Behaviour Support and trauma informed approach.
I am proud to be a learning disability nurse!
Steve Hardy
Independent Consultant Nurse
https://www.stevehardyldn.com
I started socialising with children with learning disabilities when I was six or seven years old in a large home in south east London. As soon as I was 18 years old, I became a support worker in a residential home for adults with learning disabilities. A year later I was seconded to become a student learning disability nurse.
Socialising and supporting people with learning disabilities has been ‘normal’ to me. I worked in a variety of settings like homes, day services, forensic and inpatient units. I am well known for my work at the Estia Centre, where I published lots of academic texts, journal articles and was editor of Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities journal.
More recently I have been greatly involved in ensuring the human rights of people with learning disabilities are met and developing a variety of platforms for people to speak up and be heard. I am very interested in supporting student nurses so please contact me through my website.
Karina Marshall-Tate
Consultant Nurse | Learning Disabilities Maudsley Hospital
I first started to work with people with a learning disability when I was 16 years old - volunteering in a SEN school. I was instantly amazed by the strengths of the kids and drawn to working out different ways to communicate and find creative solutions to aid their learning and development.
"I was clear that this was something that I wanted to do for a career but didn't really know where to start. By chance I came across an advert for learning disability nursing and the rest is history!
"Since registering as a nurse, I have worked in specialist mental health services both inpatient and community. Latterly I have moved more into training and research and love the opportunities that my current job as consultant nurse brings. I continue to specialise in mental health but I have moved my focus to supporting colleagues who don't work in the field to improve their knowledge, skills and confidence to provide the best care that they can to people with a learning disability.
Jonathan Beebee
Professional Lead for Learning Disabilities, Royal College of Nursing, Chief Enablement Officer/Nurse Consultant, PBS4
I discovered learning disability nursing after a severe head injury when I was 19 years old that could have resulted in me requiring support in all aspects of my life. I always look at the support people with learning disabilities receive and ask myself “if I was in a position where I was receiving this support, would it be good enough for me?” I think this is an important question we all should ask ourselves.
I qualified as a registered nurse in learning disabilities in 2002 and I have worked in community and inpatient learning disability services in the NHS and had management roles where I have developed new services. I have worked in Child and Adolescent Mental Health inpatient services and Youth Offending Teams. I have had senior positions in national social care services. I have done project work for the Department of Health exploring the needs of people with learning disabilities who come into contact with the criminal justice system. I have also worked for the Care Quality Commission. During my time in the NHS I was supported to get a Masters qualification in Positive Behaviour Support.
In 2021 I was appointed as the Professional Lead for Learning Disabilities for the Royal College of Nursing. I see my key responsibilities in this role as being about ensuring learning disability nurses are heard and that the profession gets the recognition that it deserves.
I am also Chief Enablement Officer/Nurse Consultant for PBS4, a not-for-profit social care provider for people with learning disabilities and complex needs. My main interests include Positive Behaviour Support, offending behaviours, profound and multiple learning disabilities, and social care. However, I am passionate about all aspects of health and social care for people with learning disabilities. I think the opportunities for learning disability nurses are endless and provide hugely rewarding career opportunities.y you tell your story online can make all the difference.