Michelle Turner

Forum Chair

RGN NMP Dip IBLM/BSLM

Michelle works as a community diabetes specialist nurse working mainly with people living with type 2 diabetes. She has been a general practice nurse (GPN) for many years before this.

Michelle works for AWRC at SHU (formally OHID) as a Midlands Physical Activity Clinical Champion delivering as part of the Moving Health Care Programme. She became an non-medical prescriber in 2020 and in 2022 has become a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional with the IBLM under her membership of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine.

Michelle is studying for her PgDip in Diabetes Clinical Care and Management at King's. She completed the NHSE QI programme in 2021. She volunteers with Learn with Nurses where together they won a Burdett nursing award for supporting resilience in nursing during COVID 19. She is writing an inequalities position statement with BSLM and IHPE.

Michelle became an RCN Diabetes Forum member in January 2023 and has taken on the chair role. She plans to help nonspecialist nurses to gain the knowledge and support they need to care for patients with diabetes and to gain member's support in the 'End diabetes stigma and discrimination' campaign.

Contact Michelle michelle.turner@reps.rcn.org.uk

Amanda Williams

Deputy Forum Chair

Lead Diabetes Nurse, East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust

Amanda Epps is the lead diabetes specialist nurse at East Kent hospital university NHS foundation trust. Amanda is a non-medical prescriber and an advanced nurse practitioner; she has recently completed an MSc in Diabetes at Kings College London.   

Amanda is also the founder of the diabetes specialist nurse forum UK, an online support group for diabetes specialists that now has over 2000 members. The forum won the prestigious QIC healthcare professional of the year award in 2018 and were invited to meet the prime minister at downing street for their work improving diabetes specialist HCP networking across the UK.  

She is a committee member for the DISN UK group and a healthcare professional advisory board member for action for diabetes and Help Madina charities. Amanda has a personal interest in type 1 diabetes care as her son was diagnosed aged 7 and recently, she was also diagnosed later in life with the condition.  

Amanda is currently a committee member of the Diabetes Forum at the Royal College of Nursing.

Tamsin Fletcher-Salt

Clinical Diabetes Nurse Specialist

Diabetes and Endocrine Nurse Team Leader

Tamsin is currently the team leader for the inpatient DSN team, the role encompasses both inpatient and outpatient responsibilities and is very clinical in nature. She is also a non-medical prescriber. who completed her MSc in Diabetes at King’s College, London in 2023.

Tamsin has a special interest in Type 1 diabetes, diabetes technology, and transitions, she has also been instrumental in setting up online support groups using social media for people living with diabetes in the local area. 

Tamsin is a director for the DSN Forum UK Ltd and is part of the Diabetes 101 team who have won 2 Quality in Care awards 2021. Tamsin has been a speaker at national and international conferences. 

Tamsin’s interest and enthusiasm for diabetes is very personal as she has lived with Type 1 Diabetes for the last 45 years. She was very proud to be nominated and progress to the final in the Diabetes Professional of the year QiC Diabetes awards 2020.

Tasmin is currently a committee member of the Diabetes Forum at the Royal College Of Nursing.

Debbie Holder

Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurse NNUH and Lead Diabetes Nurse School Lane, Thetford

Debbie qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1992 at Ipswich Hospital working in elderly medicine; this led to her developing an interest in diabetes. She joined primary care as a Practice Nurse in 1996 which included diabetes care as part of her job role. Progressing on to Lead Diabetes Nurse in Thetford. In 2019 Debbie joined Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as a Diabetes Specialist Nurse Facilitator supporting Norfolk Primary Care Practices. During covid Debbie was moved to Diabetes Inpatient Specialist Nurse supporting patients in the hospital, being part of the team that won Excellence in Patient Care award 2021 and continued with that job role.

She is passionate about individualised care, the participation of patients in their treatment choices, patient safety and improving care.

She is a committee member of DISN UK, NDISA and is participating in JBDS guidelines. Debbie is a former committee member of Primary Care Diabetes Society and the Central Norfolk Integrated Diabetes Management Group. She is currently Co-Lead of Norfolk Health Professionals Diabetes Forum, and part of a Changing Labs team with Diabetes UK which was tackling inequality. Debbie has been involved in regional diabetes education events, contributed to glucose meter research, and taken part in podcast on BMJ learning. 

Helena Petrisor

Helena is currently a Year 2 Adult Nursing student at Solent University and serves as a Senior Healthcare Assistant in the A&E department at General Hospital Southampton. She has a personal connection to diabetes care, being the mother of a 13-year-old daughter who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 2. 

This unique perspective allows Helena to bring both professional knowledge and personal experience to her work. She is dedicated to enhancing diabetes education and support for patients and their families, while also promoting a deeper understanding of diabetes management within healthcare environments. 

As a committee member of the RCN Diabetes Forum, Helena actively advocates for improved care and resources for individuals living with diabetes.

Marie Presgrave

Lead Diabetes Nurse – South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Marie is currently the Lead for Diabetes Specialist Nurse (DSN) Team, the role encompasses both inpatient and outpatient care and is very clinical in nature. She is currently leading in Front of House initiatives around admission avoidance, Reducing Length of Stay and Early discharges for patients living with diabetes. She is also a non-medical prescriber. She is currently studying her MSc in Diabetes Care at Warwick University.

Marie has been a DSN for 12 years and has been instrumental in moving services forward for people living in Cleveland with Diabetes.

Marie was previously the Transitions Lead DSN for South Tees and covered all aspects of young person’s care. This role involved working with the children’s PDSN team building MDT working relationships in order to assist a smoother more robust of follow up and continuity for children moving to adult services. Marie Won a nightingale award for this work in 2023.

Marie has lead the Advanced Technology Services at South Tees since 2019 she has a special interest in Type 1 diabetes and diabetes technology.

Marie is currently a committee member of the Diabetes Forum at the Royal College of Nursing.