Meet the Team

Paul McAleer

Lecturer in Education in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen's University, Belfast

RCN NI Board Member, ESC-Belfast Board Member, Southill Outreach (Limerick) Board Member

Past roles

My previous experience includes community, inpatient forensic and criminal justice services, holding a range of specialist practitioner roles such as forensic practitioner, personality disorder practitioner, and health facilitator for people with learning disabilities. My clinical experience has been focused on supporting the biopsychosocial needs of offenders with learning disabilities and mental health disorders, through specialist risk assessment and management systems, forensic psychotherapy, delivery of structured psychotherapeutic/psychoeducational groups and staff training.

Highlight of your career or recognition

Winning the 'inspiring excellence in mental health and learning disability' category at RCN NI's nurse of the year awards...and joining the Nursing in Justice and Forensic Health Care Forum.;

Why did you join the Forum committee?

I wanted to pay it forward. When working in the prison environment, the forum helped me to connect with and learn from members in other custody settings. These connections were invaluable in helping to set up and deliver a screening programme for people with learning disabilities on committal to prison. The forum helped me to understand that we are not alone...we're 'standing on the shoulders of giants'.

Abi Bartlett

RGN, MSc, BIA PGCert, NMP, ACP

Head of Clinical Services - Oxleas NHS Trust

I have had a varied career - mostly in primary and community healthcare. Roles have included:

• Clinical Lead – Prison Services Bristol Community Health
• Advanced Clinical Practitioner- Community Healthcare team Bristol Community Health
• Dementia Voice Nurse- End of life care for people with dementia 

Emma Firth

Registered Nurse (adult), Non-Medical Prescriber, trainee Professional Nurse Advocate

Regional Primary Care Lead for Prisons in Yorkshire, Practice Plus Group

Past roles

Prior to custody I worked in an acute surgical and gynaecology setting. 

Since coming into prisons I have worked in both female and male sites ranging from Cat A, Local Remands through to open prisons across the country. I started my prison career as a band 5 working up to my current role.

Highlight of your career or recognition

Becoming a member of the committee was a great achievement for me. Equally being published in Nursing Standard around the support and learning opportunities for nursing students in prison environments was great.

Why did you join the Forum committee?

From first starting in prison it was early on that I realised the phenomenal work going on within and felt I wanted to be part of a like-minded team to broadcast and promote this work. Being on the committee 12 months has already given me a platform to encouraging student uptake in our field as well as encouraging and developing registered nurses too. 

Helen McNally RMN, PGDip, BSc Hons Specialist Nursing practice - Forensic Health Care

Clinical Service Manager, Community Forensic Mental Health Team (Northern Health and Social Care Trust).

Past roles

Previous roles include Lecturer in Nursing (Mental Health), Mental Health and Addiction Lead Nurse (Healthcare in Prison -Northern Ireland), Towards Zero Suicide Service Improvement Manager in prison, Community Mental Health Team Leader, Senior Nurse Mental Health in Prison, and Discharge Liaison Coordinator for Healthcare in Prison.

Highlight of your career or recognition

Having a successful nursing career. Being accepted onto the Forum Committee.

Why did you join the Forum committee?

Following on from the RCN industrial action in Northern Ireland (2019/2020), I became more interested in the RCN. When looking at how I could contribute, I came across the forums. Having spent most of my nursing career within a prison setting, I am aware of the pressures faced by nurses in justice but also for the patients who find themselves living in prison. I hope to be able to shape the future of these services, share knowledge and learn from others.

Deanna Mezen BSc Hons (RNA), Msc, NMP

Advanced clinical nurse practitioner, Complex Care Coordinator, Palliative Care Lead, Veterans in Custody Lead and Transgender Lead, Practice Plus Group. HMP Oakwood, Wolverhampton.

Past roles

Respiratory unit,  Medical assessment unit, Rapid assessment clinic for urgent medicine.

Highlight of your career or recognition

Embedding the dying well in custody charter leading to me being awarded our company's nurse of the year 2020 and a Butler trust award 2020-2021.

I have recently been given one of two international human rights nursing and ethics awards.

Why did you join the Forum committee?

The role was explained during a clinical forum and I felt that I would be able to help highlight the differing roles of a Health in Justice nurse to promote to others our specialist roles, but also to ensure that Health in Justice have the same access to information.

Simon Newman RN FRCN

Director of Nursing of the central Integrated Health Community for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board

Past roles

I have worked across a number of criminal justice settings in a variety of roles since 1994. I have worked in secure children’s homes, the young people’s estate, the women’s estate and a number of male prisons of varying categories. I led the operational and clinical delivery of health and wellbeing services at HMP Berwyn in North Wales when it opened in 2017 - which was then the largest and newest prison in the UK. I am currently Director of Nursing of the central Integrated Health Community for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

Highlight of your career or recognition

Being awarded the Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing (FRCN) in 2022 in recognition of my work in prison nursing.

Why did you join the Forum committee?

I have been active within the RCN since early 2000s. I have been an RCN steward, Health and Safety steward and Agenda for Change lead. I have held treasurer and chair roles in my local branch. I wanted to join the committee to share my experience of the criminal justice sector, promote our work, increase Forum membership and recruit new nurses to the sector.

Meet the Team