Polly Moffat is the editor of Journal of Health Visiting, the only monthly peer-reviewed journal that is dedicated solely to health visitors. The journal publishes evidence-based articles that provide the education and professional support health visitors need to improve standards of public health practice, and service the public health needs of their populations. Journal of Health Visiting promotes excellence in public health and is dedicated to providing health visitors with the latest evidence on advancing public health practice.
Laura joined Carers Trust in 2015. She leads on their policy, campaigns and public affairs work, ensuring that the needs of carers and local services are understood and acted upon by parliamentarians, government departments, NHS England, local government, and voluntary sector organisations. Laura led on work to support the sector in implementing the Care Act and Children and Families Act effectively for young carers and young adult carers, including co-writing a young carer friendly guide “Know Your Rights”. Laura led our work on the “Care Act for Carers: One year on” commission and authored the Commission report. In 2016, Laura undertook a secondment to the Carers Policy Team at the then Department of Health, supporting the development of the then Carers Strategy. Laura has worked for a variety of local, regional and national charities, including end of life and palliative care, mental health, advice and information, volunteering, older people, Sense (leading on their work on the Campaign to End Loneliness), and a local Mind. Laura’s Twitter: @LauraBWork
Helen Costa is a leading social innovator. She specialises in the deployment of new technology and models of delivery in children’s social care, working with service providers to improve their performance and ultimately improve outcomes for children in care. Helen has operated at Board level for a number of years in the public sector, roles include Non Executive Director for a major acute NHS trust, director at the Greater London Authority and London Development Agency and deputy director at the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy. Helen spent her early career in sales and marketing within the pharmaceutical industry and has degrees in Biochemistry and in Psychology. Helen is married with 2 adopted children.
Patrick Myers is an Assistant Director (Commissioning and Partnerships) in Children Services at Dorset Council seconded to the Department for Work and Pensions to support the national Reducing Parental Conflict Programme. Patrick has 20 years of public sector experience in the NHS, University and Local Government, mostly working with and for children and young people by focusing on outcomes that help children and young people to be the best that they can be. Helping parents to change behaviours that impact on children and young people is at the core of his current work.
As a qualified Registered Nurse, Midwife and Health Visitor, Pamela works in education and clinical practice as a Practice Educator/Health Visitor. Pamela Shaw has published articles in national nursing journals and has contributed to NHS Choices, Department of Health policies/pathways and has reviewed books/articles for nursing journals. Pamela has presented at conferences in the UK and at international nurse’s conferences in Trinidad and Antigua on public health and clinical leadership. In October 2019, Pamela was awarded Inspiring Diversity/Inclusion Lead by National BAME Health & Care and a finalist in the Journal of Health Visiting Award 2019 for her contributions to health visiting education. Pamela received the title of Queen’s Nurse in 2014 for her ongoing contributions to patient care, staff training/development and service delivery. In November 2013, Pamela was selected by a panel on to the inaugural Health Service Journal Top 50 Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Pioneers list 2013. The list celebrates people who, through their exceptional leadership, passion and outstanding abilities, are helping to create and deliver excellent care for all. In 2012 Pamela was awarded the title of Health Visitor of the year by the Community Practitioner and Health Visitors Association (CPHVA). In 2009, Pamela was also successful in being awarded a Mary Seacole Development Award and produced an inspirational DVD which captured the life stories of successful BME professionals. The DVD delivers a positive message of BME contributions to the NHS and how they are in charge of their own destinies.
Founder and Co-Chair, The Foundation for Mother & Child Health family (FMCH). Responding to the serious political crisis in Indonesia in 2001, Barbara worked with Indonesian and expatriate healthcare professionals to establish FMCH charity in Jakarta. The charity works to improve maternal and child health in Java, West Timor and other islands in Indonesia and Barbara remains closely involved supporting and advising Indonesian staff. In 2006, Barbara visited Mumbai to offer support to a colleague as she set up FMCH India, which has now become a specialist NGO in the field of child malnutrition in India. After two years working with expatriate mothers and UNHCR registered refugees in Baku, Azerbaijan, Barbara returned with her family to the UK. She was awarded an MBE for services to women and children in Indonesia. Attending Kings College London, Barbara completed her SCPHN-HV and MSc - writing her dissertation on Perinatal Mental Health. Her interest in this field continued and she became one of the Executive Producers of drama film ‘Beyond Baby Blue’ and more recently, the animation ‘Perinatal Positivity’, both of which won the Innovation in Health Visiting award from the JHV.
Honorary Doctor of London South Bank University , Winston Churchill Fellow , Fellow of The Royal College of Nursing , Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts , Fellow of The Institute of Health Visiting , DIVAS of Colour Health Professional Woman of The Year 2019 , International Midwifery Expo 2019 – Commendation for International Inclusion Award , Finalist National Diversity Awards 2019 – Positive Role Model for Gender Award , CA Awards Best Mentor/Coach 2018 , We Are The City Rising Star Champion Award 2017 , Women4Africa Recognition Award 2017 , Nigerian Achievers Award – Outstanding Entrepreneur of The Year 2016 , Named on Nursing Times Leaders List 2015 , Named on Health Service Journal BME Pioneers List 2014 , QNI The Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mothers Award for Outstanding Service 2014 , The Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association Community Practitioner of The Year 2014 , Finalist Journal of Health Visiting Awards 2017, 2018 , Finalist Black British Business Awards 2016 , Finalist Precious Awards 2016 , Finalist Women Inspiring Women Awards 2014
Professor Helen Bedford is a Professor of Children’s Health at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health