Meet the Team

Doris Corkin

Forum Chair

Doris is delighted to be in her second term of office with the RCN, as a forum steering committee member and appreciates opportunity to highlight the Northern Ireland perspective. Doris has both adult and children’s training and has specialised in neonatology for over twelve years. Doris worked in an acute medical / surgical ward for six years and was instrumental in establishing a new community children’s nursing service before accepting her current teaching position in 2003.

Doris' higher education teaching commitments include pre-registration and postgraduate nursing including masters level, with specific interests in the nursing care of young people with critical / complex / palliation needs, encouraging service user / carer involvement within the curricula.

As a module coordinator, Doris makes every effort to develop her clinical skills within the field of children’s nursing through facilitation of inter-professional education and has presented her teaching, research and travel awards at national and international conferences.

Doris is lead editor of a unique care planning textbook, invited to write numerous chapters and articles with nursing colleagues and students and contributed widely to RCN Documents including Congress fringe events. Has held a number of external examiner university appointments, member of professional committees /organisations and continues to actively inspire students and motivate healthcare professionals in relation to life-long learning.

Lucia Ashton

 Information coming soon

Danielle Edge

Danielle has developed a broad knowledge and practical experience through roles in both clinical and educational settings. She has worked predominantly in general paediatrics within the NHS and has held roles within the private sector and overseas.

Recently joining the University of Plymouth as a lecturer in Children’s nursing, Danielle continues her passion for nurse education. Having worked at a London South Bank University for five years before moving back to the South west.

Danielle has recently completed her Masters in practice education and has gone on to share her dissertation findings to explore student nurses experiences of support strategies to improve retention. She is a registered NMC teacher and a fellow of HEA.

Danielle is passionate about nurse education and ensuring the children’s nurses of the future are equipped to deliver high quality care to children, young people and their families.

Lucie Planner

Lucie is Lead Children's Nurse in the Children’s Transformation Team for the South East, NHS England. They support the Integrated Care Systems across the South East on key deliverables to improve children’s outcomes. 

One of Lucie's focus’ has been on children’s nursing workforce and challenges with delivery of care. She has an extensive multidisciplinary network that helps support the transformation programme outcomes and she collaborates with interdependent teams.   

Previous roles have included working in the independent sector in a national lead nursing role. Prior to this, roles included nurse practitioner in children’s orthopaedics, children’s infectious diseases team and nursing roles in orthopaedics and high dependency. 

Lucie's career began as a nursing assistant before undertaking my nursing degree. She is a current committee member of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) CYP professional issues forum.

Her hobbies include time with my husband and children and creating outdoor adventures together. She is passionate about sustainability and empowering others to tackle our health emergency of climate change. She is driven to improve outcomes for children and young people (CYP) as well as whole population and the planet. She believes in collaboration over competition and harnessing opportunities together incorporating the representative voice of service users and care providers to best deliver outstanding results. 

Susie Wilkie

Lecturer in education in Queen’s University Belfast

Susie attained her nursing degree in Scotland and worked on a paediatric ward in a general hospital before moving back to Northern Ireland. Here she took up a post in the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice and worked complex needs in the community. During her time at NICH she completed her MSc in Caring for Children and Young People with Complex Health Needs in Queen’s University Belfast.

Susie Wilkie is now a lecturer in education in Queens University Belfast within the Children’s nursing team and teaches into the undergraduate programme and post registration courses in palliative care.

Susie has a special interest in neurodiversity and is passionate about professionalism and high standards of care for children and families. She has been involved in publications for children’s nursing.