Regional Board

Jim Blair

Jim is an Independent Consultant Nurse Learning Disabilities, Associate Professor (Hon) Intellectual (Learning) Disabilities at Kingston University and St George's University of London, panel member of the NMC Fitness to Practice Panel, independent clinical reviewer, and advisor for learning disabilities at NHS England and NHS London Region. Jim is also Patron of Dance Syndrome and on the editorial board of Intellectual Disability. Jim has been the Learning Disability Advisor to the States of Guernsey and Jersey. Jim is a Past President of the Royal Society of Medicine’s council for Intellectual Disability and has been Vice Chairman of Special Olympics Great Britain. Jim has been an Expert Advisor to the Parliamentary Health Service Ombudsman as well as a specialist clinical advisor to the CQC, Clinical Lead Health Inequalities at NHS England, health advisor to the British Institute of Learning Disabilities and learning disability nursing lead at the RCN. 

Ellie Drake

Ellie has been a Registered Nurse for over 13 years, starting as an orthopaedic nurse and then working in outpatients, surgery, and urology before finding her passion in complex discharge planning. She has been an RCN member since 2006 when she represented her cohort as a student rep and attended RCN congress as a student member. She is an active member of the Outer South East London branch and has attended Congress as a voting member. She has been previously awarded a King’s Award for the passion she puts into patient care. Ellie is a strong believer that the RCN has the ability to affect change throughout the NHS and beyond. 

Laura Duffell (Inner South East London)

Laura has been a nurse for around 20 years and has worked in many hospitals across London, predominantly in child health. She was previously the chair of the Inner South East London branch and sits on the staff side committee at her organisation. She is currently working as a health and wellbeing manager and is hugely passionate about NHS workers looking after themselves, as well as nursing staff having a voice and an ability to demonstrate what an amazing profession we are.

Joyce Inoniyegha (Outer North West London)

Joyce is a Registered Nurse with a specialty in paediatric and neonatal intensive care nursing. She has been a community children's manager and has been an RCN member for 28 years, serving 12 of those as an RCN Steward. Joyce is currently Chair of Staff Side at London North West Healthcare Trust.  An active member of the policy development group, Joyce continues to promote the work of RCN and encourage recruitment at branch level. As a board member, she is keen to ensure the issues of front line staffing are addressed, particularly bullying and harassment in the work place.

Adele Petersen

Adele is a Registered Nurse with over 20 years of nursing experience including psychiatric and community nursing, and a qualified midwife. She has 10 years' experience as a specialist trained paediatric critical care nurse. Adele has also worked in the pharmaceutical industry for over 12 years where she gained extensive marketing experience. She came to the UK in 2018 as staff nurse in a care home and rapidly progressed. Adele holds an ILM 7 certificate in leadership from Belfast Business School. She is now a care home manager, passionate about caring for vulnerable adults. Adele is proud to be working in the care sector and would like to see more nurses embrace this sector as an integral part of the profession and society.

Karen Sanders (RCN Trade Union Committee Representative)

Karen is a Registered Nurse with over 35 years’ nursing experience. Prior to becoming a Senior Lecturer at London South Bank University in the Institute of Health & Social Care, Karen specialised in adult intensive care and neuroscience nursing and held management, practice development and education roles. Karen has been an RCN Learning Representative for over 15 years and was the Chair of the UK Learning Representatives Committee from 2014 – 2019. Karen has been the London Region representative on the Trade Union Committee since 2018 and as a result sits on the London Board. Karen is the Treasurer of the Inner South East London Branch. Karen has major concerns about the future of the NHS and of nursing education and training and is keen to work with the RCN, its members and relevant other parties to ameliorate the situation and address the challenges, problems and conflicts presently being faced.

Rabi Sani Santos

Rabi has an MSc in Nursing Management and Administration from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Enugu Campus that she obtained in 2014, and a Bsc (Hons) in  Midwifery Practices and Woman’s Health that she obtained in 2009 from London South Bank University. She also holds a Diploma in General Nursing from London South Bank University. Rabi has over 10 years’ experience of nursing in hospitals, over 6 years of nursing home experience and over 6 years of midwifery experience. Rabi has over 10 years’ experience of serving as chief executive of a charity organisation and as a health promoter.

Anjella Skerritt

Anjella has more than 35 years experience as a Registered  Nurse, registered midwife and family nurse practitioner, working mainly in primary healthcare. She has an MBA from the University of Wales and experience in program management including cervical smear and HIV/AIDS/STI at national and regional levels in the Caribbean.  Anjella was born in Jamaica but lived most of her adult life in Montserrat. Anjella has been a practice nurse in the UK since 2013. She is keen to improve the representation and working conditions of nurses, with special focus on Practice Nurses in London.

Kadian Thomas

Kadian is a third-year adult nursing student at Roehampton University. Kadian was appointed the Race and Equalities Champion to work on the university's Re-imagining Attainment For All agenda, which aims at transforming the BAME student attainment gap. When time permits, between placements and studying Kadian works bank shifts as a mental health care assistant. Following her degree in Psychology and an MA in Criminology, she worked in Operations and Projects Management for 11 years.  Kadian is passionate about health and wellbeing. As a future nurse, she is happy to join the RCN London board to start having an impact on the nursing field.  

Paul Trevatt (RCN Professional Nursing Committee Representative)

Paul has worked in nursing and healthcare management for more than 30 years in a variety of roles, settings and organisations, which span clinical to operational, strategic to policy. He has contributed to a number of national work streams and policy initiatives, which focused on the nursing contribution to cancer care, inequalities, patient experience and end of life. Paul’s continued commitment to the nursing profession has resulted in high-profile work to drive forward improvements in the role of nursing leadership within healthcare, variations in practice, and the continually evolving role of the specialist nursing workforce. He has published and presented on many of these themes and remains passionate about clinical professional development and innovations in practice. In 2015 he was identified as one of Nursing Times Leaders. He has been a board member of a number of national and European nursing charities, UKONS (United Kingdom Oncology Society) and EONS (European Oncology Nursing Society). In 2015 he was awarded the NHS Mentor/Coach of the year by the NHS London Leadership Academy. 

Carol Webley-Brown (RCN Council Member)

Carol is our representative on RCN Council.  She brings a wealth of experience to her role on RCN Council, having 44 years of clinical experience. Carol has worked as a general practice nurse and in accident and emergency, primary care, and mental health nursing. She has an extensive track record in speaking up for nurses and patients, having worked as an independent patient liaison member on the General Medical Council, and as a trustee and non-executive member of four hospital and hospice organisations. Carol currently serves as an independent panel member on Lewisham and Greenwich councils offering her clinical experience to the fostering service. She has also held several lecturing positions throughout her career.

Patricia Yiggon (Inner South West London)

Pat is a Registered Nurse with 10 years' clinical experience working at St George’s University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London. She has clinical background knowledge in cardiology, gastro and liver. She is currently transferred to the Gynaecology Outpatient Department. Pat has been an active RCN Member since 2007 when she started as a student at Kingston University, and she became an RCN Learning Rep in 2015. Pat is a member of Staff Side and the Partnership Forum, as well as the chair of the Inner South West London branch of the RCN.

Noeleen Behan (Stewards Committee)

Noeleen is a Registered Nurse with over 27 years’ of nursing experience. Having commenced nurse training in 1987 at Barnet College of Nursing she completed a BSc in Nursing Studies in 2003 and recently completed an MSc Management course, both at the University of Hertfordshire. Noeleen was previously the Chair of the RCN Outer North Central London Branch. Noeleen was the Chair of staff side at Barnet and Chase Farm Hospital NHS Trust for over ten years. Noeleen has ten years’ experience as an RCN Steward and is an experienced negotiator as well as an experienced ACAS trained mediator.

Nancy Ghansah (Safety Representatives Committee)

Nancy is a registered nurse with over 29 years of nursing experience, including 17 years in operational management. Nancy trained to be a nurse in Ghana and has been working in the UK since 2002. Nancy was a lecturer at King’s College London teaching Ophthalmic Nursing. She is currently a Matron at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Nancy is both an RCN Steward and RCN Safety Representative. Nancy is very passionate about health and safety  of both service users and staff. Nancy promotes and leads in health safety initiatives and projects with good outcomes

Trudi Gibson (Students Committee)

Trudi is an MSc Adult nursing student from King’s College London. Initially training and working as a journalist, Trudi found a passion for healthcare and has worked on the clinical frontline for the last six years. In addition to her nursing studies, she is enrolled on the Principal’s Global Leadership Award and Associate of King’s College programme. When not on placement or studying, she can be found vaccinating or working in a central London A&E.