Clinical Nurse Specialists
Edith Aimiuwu
Edith Aimiuwu joined the Whittington Hospital NHS Trust in 2006 as a Roald Dahl haemoglobinopathy clinical nurse specialist. She has also worked in various capacities as a registered general nurse, a qualified paediatric nurse and as a sickle cell community nurse. As a sickle and thalassaemia nurse Edith has provided support for patients and their families within their home environments and with minimal disruption to school and family life.
Nkechi Anyanwu
Nkechi Anyanwu is a registered general nurse, family planning certified nurse, a registered midwife, certified haemoglobinopathy counsellor and student facilitator. She joined the team at the Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Centre, based at the Northern Health Centre, in August 1998 as a full time member of staff for Camden and Islington PCT. Her work involves providing advice, genetic counselling, education and support for children and adults with sickle cell and thalassaemia disorders and facilitating training on haemoglobinopathies. Nkechi also holds a BSc honours in Nursing Ethics and Law, is a trained PEGASUS frontline educator and is currently the professional development lead for STAC (Sickle and Thalassaemia Association of Counsellors) in the UK.
Matty Asante–Owusu
Matty Asante-Owusu qualified as a RGN in 1991 and worked as a clinical nurse specialist at University College London. She has recently been appointed to the Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Centre as the first community nurse matron in sickle cell in the NHS. This pioneering post offers support to our multidisciplinary team as we try to move more care into the community. Her holistic approach to haemoglobinopathy problems and her previous training in nutrition are proving invaluable in helping people with sickle and thalassaemia to stay well and to remain in the community.
Dr Lorna Bennett
Dr Bennett trained as a nurse and health visitor and is a certified counsellor, clinical service manager and clinical governance developer (haemoglobinopathies) at Islington PCT. She is responsible for a range of community services provided by the Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia Centre. Lorna is very interested in users’ engagement and has overseen the sustainability of a local support group since 1989. She is the national lead for the NHS PEGASUS specialists’ training programme; holds a master’s degree in Health Service Management and a doctorate degree in Strategic and Policy Development. She is currently the chair of the Sickle Cell Society UK, co-founder and board member of the Pan-European Blood Safety Alliance.
Emma Prescott
Emma Prescott is a clinical nurse specialist with a special interest in both haemoglobinopathies and hepatitis C. The interest in hepatitis arose because of the frequency with which people with thalassaemia were infected with the virus in the past. Highly respected by all of those who work with her, her consultant colleagues consider her the only individual they would allow to do a liver biopsy on themselves! Emma heads the Thalassaemia Unit, which has successfully improved patient autonomy; provided more flexibility for thalassaemia and sickle cell patients to access out of hours personalised care and created an in-house forum for patient support and education.
Last updated04 Mar 2008