Helen is an arrhythmia and syncope PhD nurse fellow with over 30 years’ experience in the NHS, with the last 20 years supporting people with a variety of heart conditions. Following a completed NIHR MRES at Coventry University in 2019, Helen was awarded a BHF nursing PhD fellowship this year, developed with Professor Kate Seers from the University of Warwick, supported by Coventry University and colleagues at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, including the Research and Development department and cardiologists. The original project synthesised the PoTS research evidence base in an evidence map with a focused review on fluid intervention in PoTS. A pilot focus group on exploring the experience of PoTS was also undertaken.

Helen has been supporting arrhythmia patients for the past ten years, with a MSc in advancing nursing practice, setting up a fainting (syncope) and POTS clinic. It is from this clinical work Helen has developed a keen interest in improving and developing support for people with POTS, many of whom overlap with a diagnosis of hEDS/HSD.

Helen has a variety of publications in nursing journals for which she regularly peer reviews; is a council member for the British Association of Nursing in Cardiovascular Care (BANCC) since 2016, being the current president-elect; is a nurse advisor to POTS UK and has presented at a number of conferences, including patient education days.

Helen’s ResearchGate profile