Who's Speaking?

Christine Beasley was appointed Chief Nursing Officer in October 2004 and is the Director General within the Department of Health for Professional Leadership (including Allied Health Professions) and for Children, Families and Maternity. She is also the lead director for Reducing Health Associated Infections and the Cleaner Hospitals Programme.

The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer is the professional lead for pharmacy both within the Department of Health and across Government. The post is a member of the senior management team of the Medicines, Pharmacy and Industry Group (MPIG). MPIG is part of the Medical Directorate of the Department of Health.

Janice was seconded to the Department of Health in 2005 to work for the Chief Nursing Officer and design and lead the Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAI) programme. The Programme, which included establishing a national improvement team, has supported Trusts to make real reductions in MRSA and CDI thus improving clinical standards outcomes and patient experience.

Kate started out life as a physiotherapist at Guys Hospital. After an early move into Physiotherapy management Kate has undertaken various roles in the NHS. She was the Director of Changing the Way We Work at Luton and Dunstable NHS Foundation Hospital Trust.

Murray Devine is the head of policy for patient safety at the Department of Health. His responsibilities include developing the safety aspects of policy on the clinical quality of healthcare, following through the recommendations in the Health Select Committee’s report on patient safety and coordinating a variety of departmental initiatives on enhancing safety for patients.

Suzette commenced her nursing career in 1979 at St Thomas’ Hospital London and specialised in paediatric intensive care, working at Guys’ Hospital London and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children. Suzette progressed into patient safety completing an MSc in clinical risk in 2000.

Since 2003 she has worked at the NPSA. She has expertise in all aspects of patient safety and more recently the science of implementation and large scale change methods such as social movements.

Suzette completed a Doctorate in Patient Safety in 2008. Her thesis focused on implementation strategies for patient safety. She regularly speaks internationally and has a personal column in the Nursing Times.