Meet the team
Dr Helen Jones - Committee Chair
Lead Nurse for the Clinical Research Workforce, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Dr Helen Jones has spent much of her nursing career working as a Clinical Research Nurse (CRN) across various clinical areas. She has held various management roles and is currently the Lead Nurse for the Clinical Research Workforce across Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust where she oversees the research delivery workforce. Her career as a CRN has spanned 30 years. In 2017 she completed a Doctorate in Healthcare at Kings College London. Her research thesis is titled 'Exploring the experience of Clinical Research Nurses working within acute NHS trusts and determining the most effective way to structure the workforce'.
Helen also works as the CRN NMAHP Lead across North London and works to support raising awareness, engagement and networking to drive an increase in research capacity and capability.
Helen has a national presence within research nursing. This includes links with the NIHR and she currently sits on the Centre for Engagement and Dissemination Project Management Board and is Chair of the RCN Research Nurse subcommittee. She is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee overseeing the RCN International Nursing Research Conference. She has published and presented on aspects of the CRN role and workforce.
Gail Mills
Lead Nurse for Research and Development, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS FT (STH)
Gail has management and professional responsibility for all Clinical Research Nurses and non-medical research delivery staff across the Trust. Gail is also currently the Executive Nurse Midwife and Allied Health Professional Lead for the Yorkshire and Humber Clinical Research Network where she is leading the development and implementation of a strategy for the research workforce across the region.
Since qualifying as a Nurse, Gail gained broad experience within Spinal Injuries, Emergency Admissions, Critical Care, and the Community setting prior to working within clinical research.
Gail represents Clinical Research Nursing nationally as Chair of the UK Clinical Research Facility Network (UKCRFN) and as Deputy Chair and Secretary for the Royal College of Nursing Clinical Research Nurse sub-committee (RCN CRN SC).
Jayne Goodwin
National Head of Research Delivery Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals (NMAHPs) in Wales
Jayne promotes and directs research NMAHPs, both their professional development and the development of the services they are providing to ensure excellence in clinical research delivery.
Jayne is a Registered General Nurse with a wealth of clinical experience and knowledge having working in the NHS since 1987 and completed postgraduate studies in Professional Practice and Health and Social Care Leadership.
Jayne has held honorary lecturer roles alongside working within the clinical research delivery setting since 2000. Her various management and leadership roles have supported the continuous development and improvement of research capability and capacity building in Wales.
Tracey Camburn
Tracey has worked as a clinical research nurse initially in oncology for the past 30 years and has a wealth of experience as she has worked at both R&D Director Level and as a Lead Research Nurse.
Tracey has had the privilege of establishing research teams both in London and in Essex and she is passionate in developing staff and the research workforce. More recently she has been working with community and primary care research teams and has had to problem solve various challenges working in non NHS areas, GP practices, Hospices and Schools.
Tracey is passionate about developing research within the local community, as following the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a national drive for patient choice and that patients wish to be reviewed and treated within their local community wherever possible.
Sonia McKenna
Senior Staff Manager
Sonia McKenna RN, RM, BSc (Hons), PGDip is the Senior Staff Manager of the Northern Ireland Clinical Research Network. Throughout a 35-year nursing and midwifery career, Sonia has gained extensive clinical skills and knowledge throughout numerous clinical areas. Sonia’s research career has seen her co-author several peer reviewed research papers. Sonia has continued to avail of opportunities for postgrad education, including completing the ILM Level 7 Leadership and Management Certificate.
As the Lead Research Nurse / Midwife, Sonia is a working Group Member on the United Kingdom and Ireland Clinical Research Nurse and Midwife Census Group. Currently representing Northern Ireland on several national platforms including the Royal College of Nursing, Research Society Subcommittee and AUKLRN (Association of UK Lead Research Nurses). Membership of these committees equips Sonia with experience in valuable research leadership and expertise. With a focus on research workforce, strategies and structures to support clinical research Nurses, Midwives and Allied Health Professionals, this experience allows more staff to have capacity, capability and confidence to lead and conduct research for patient benefit.
Contact email: sonia.mckenna@nicrn.hscni.net
Marie Nelson
R&D Head of Nursing and Professions, University Hospital Southampton NHS FT
Chief Nurse, NIHR CRN Wessex
Marie is a registered nurse for over 30 years and has worked in a variety of settings including gynaecology, in the community, and a specialist head and neck unit at Queen Alexander Hospital in Portsmouth.
After gaining a BA (Hons) in Health and Care at Portsmouth University, Marie started her career in clinical research delivery in 2007 at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust. Gaining an MSc in Evidence Based Practice in 2013, Marie undertook her own piece of research with patients in ophthalmology. With experience as a Co-investigator and Principle Investigator on a range of studies and supporting protocol development within ophthalmology, Marie was invited to act as Advisory Consultant for Roche Pharmaceuticals UK National Advisory Committee for the UK Lampalizumab Clinical Trial Programme.
As R&D Head of Nursing and Health Professions, Marie has responsibility and oversight for the research delivery team across the Clinical Research Facility, Trust wide and cancer teams. Her role involves professional and clinical leadership, driving the integration of research throughout the Trust, development and delivery of the R&D and trust strategies and to promote connection and joint working with nurses, care teams and the University of Southampton to deliver research opportunities to patients and staff.
Regionally as Chief Nurse Marie’s role involves developing capacity and capability for nurses and midwives to deliver research across a range of health and care settings.
Marie has presented both nationally and internationally on developing and supporting the role of the creation of innovative new roles for nursing and healthcare professionals within research delivery.
Eleanor Hoverd
Eleanor Hoverd is a clinical academic with over 23 years of working in the NHS as a registered adult nurse. She is a National Institute for Health and Care Research Clinical Doctoral Research Fellow.
From September 2022 to March 2024 she worked as a national Research Lead in the Chief Nursing Officer for England's Policy and Strategy Unit. Eleanor has worked in most areas of Cardiology and Coronary Care nursing from 2000-2011 at UHCW NHS Trust. From 2011-present she has worked as a Clinical Research Nurse with the Primary Care team in the Clinical Research Network West Midlands, based in inner-city Coventry.
She has extensive experience of working with patients and members of the public serving as Patient Public Involvement Engagement Lead with the primary care team for 5 years and is currently supporting the development of modules on PPI for undergraduates and postgraduates at Warwick Medical School.
Eleanor's current PhD research focusses on developing an inclusive health and social care research system with Black African Diaspora Communities through undertaking a realist evaluation and co-production approach.
Steve McSwiggan, Scotland representative
RGN, BSc (Hons), PhD.
Steve qualified as a RGN in 1991 in Manchester and has been involved in clinical research for the past 25 years. He is currently the Senior Research & Development Manager in NHS Tayside with professional and line management responsibility for multi-disciplinary research and innovation teams across the Health Board. He was, for six years, the Deputy Director of Edinburgh Clinical Research Facility, managing three NHS phase 1 MHRA accredited research facilities and was the Scottish Lead on the UKCRF Network. He represents National Research Services Scotland on various UK wide research committees.
With a background initially as a clinical research nurse in cardiovascular medicine and connective tissue diseases, Steve developed his role in a Senior Research Nursing Fellow post in the University of Dundee, where he was Principal Investigator, co applicant and grant holder on both CTIMP and non CTIMP trials and worked for two years as a Commercial Research Manager.
Steve completed a PhD in 2014 whilst working in a dual role as a Senior Research Nursing Fellow in The Institute of Cardiovascular Research (Dundee) and Senior Trials Manager in Tayside Clinical Trials Unit (TCTU). He enjoyed a lead role in the set up of the TCTU in 2010 and has extensive experience in regulatory submissions and demonstrating regulatory compliance, alongside mentoring and supervising research staff.
His particular interests are workforce development, increasing public engagement in clinical research and ensuring we develop sustainable careers for nurses and associated staff in clinical research. He has delivered training and lectures to both professionals and the public on clinical research and teaches regularly on the National GCP course. He has been on the RCN Clinical Research Nursing Sub Committee since 2019.
