The International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) is governed by a board elected by its members. We are pleased to announce that several individuals have joined our International Board of Trustees. Their addition to the board will help to continue to position the organisation as a leader in pediatric palliative care, achieving the vision of living in a world where children’s palliative care is acknowledged and respected as a unique service. This is an integral part of universal health coverage (UHC).
ICPCN board members serve a 3-year term and volunteer their time and energy to directly impact the community and our organisation. The board aims for both diversity of perspective and depth of expertise. We welcome the new board members as well as extend a heartfelt thanks to Directors past, present, and future for their contributions and dedication to ICPCN’s mission.
We are grateful and excited to have this group of individuals join the board and bring their unique talents, expertise, and perspectives to the work of the organization. Below we introduce you to some of our new Board members.
Dr. Nafula W. Esther is a Palliative Care Specialist based at the Kenyatta National Hospital where she heads the Pain & Palliative Care Unit. She is very passionate about palliative care and is actively involved in making services and education available in Kenya. She has volunteered for Coast, Kakamega, and Nairobi Hospices in Kenya. She holds a Master of Science and Diploma for Higher Education in Palliative Care from Oxford Brookes University. She also holds a Certificate in Teaching and Learning for Higher Education from the same University and a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from the University of Nairobi.
Her roles include clinical care of patients and families, teaching in various palliative care programmes for health care providers, and advocating for the availability of opioid analgesics. She is passionate about making palliative care services available to vulnerable groups including children. Her motivation in serving as a trustee on the ICPCN board is to be part of the team advocating for the availability of skilled palliative care services for children and the much-needed education for health care providers around the world.
Dr. Michael Tatterton is an associate professor and the professional lead for children and young people’s nursing at the University of Bradford. He is a children’s nurse, health visitor, independent prescriber and advanced nurse practitioner, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. In addition to his role at the University, Michael is an Editor of the Journal of Child Health Care (Sage) and a Specialist Advisor to the Care Quality Commission.
He has extensive clinical, teaching, research, and leadership experience. Prior to joining the University of Bradford, Michael was a consultant nurse in children’s palliative and end-of-life care in a regional children’s hospice. Michael has worked as a director of nursing, consultant nurse, community specialist practitioner, and NHS Commissioner.
He has worked in the hospital, hospice, and community setting, caring for babies, children and young people, and their families in critical care and those with complex and palliative care needs. In 2010, Michael was awarded the Queen’s Nurse title in recognition of his commitment to children’s community nursing.
Michael has a Masters in public health and a Ph.D. in palliative care, where he used interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore how grandparents experience the death of a grandchild. His research interests include children’s palliative care, family-centered care, grief, and loss, advancing nursing practice, and nursing leadership. He has published and presented his research widely, working in collaboration with practitioners, organisations, and academics in other institutions.
Michael’s research has been recognized by numerous awards, including Researcher of the Year (International Journal of Palliative Nursing) and Commitment to Carers (Royal College of Nursing Awards), for his work with bereaved grandparents, and Enhancing Patient Dignity (Nursing Times Awards), for his work on supporting bereaved families of children who donated organs. Most recently he was awarded The Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother Award for Outstanding Service Award by the Queen’s Nursing Institute, in recognition of his practice, leadership, and research in community-based palliative care for babies, children, and young people.
‘I am absolutely delighted to join the ICPCN board, and play a role in supporting the development of palliative care for babies, children and young people, and their families around the world. As a children’s nurse, I have seen the difference that good palliative care can make to children and families. I appreciate that not everyone has access to the palliative care they need. I am honoured to be part of the ICPCN, playing a part in supporting, advocating, and enabling better children’s palliative care to all of those who need it.’
Rob Jones is currently working in Government, his career background is in finance and governance in the not-for-profit sector, whereas his mission background is in Children’s Palliative Care, as a dad, whose daughter attends a children’s hospice and as a former CEO of a children’s hospice in the UK.
“ICPCN to me, combines excellence in education in children’s palliative care, with global reach, where the mission is to spread understanding and advocacy in compassionate clinical practices. It is a privilege to join a truly diverse and experienced global board.”
Another article will follow soon introducing more board members.
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