Importance of Measurements: How and What to Measure

My clinical role is as a Lymphoedema Specialist in an out-patient clinic which is housed in a Hospice in Central Scotland where I have been based for nearly 20 years. I provide leadership for the lymphoedema service for the health board, which includes the support and management for anyone living with lipoedema and lymphoedema of any cause as well as service development and education.

My other role is as a part time lecturer at University of Glasgow where I am programme lead on the Graduate and Postgraduate Specialist Lymphoedema programmes offering accredited education from keyworker to specialist level along with an online introductory course. I am very proud to be Co – Vice Chair of the British Lymphoedema Society as well as being a very active member of the Scottish Lymphoedema Practitioners Network and a teacher with Casley Smith Lymphoedema Education UK.

My special interests lie in supporting a rehabilitative approach to these long term conditions including promoting supported self management and tailoring individual treatment through goal setting. We have developed a strong patient support group locally who are consulted in any service development or new project for their views. I am passionate about involving our patients in decisions and actively in our management plans as well as providing timely information and education to all health care professionals to enable a better understanding of lymphoedema and lipoedema.

I qualified as a nurse in 1989 and have experience in infectious diseases, oncology, disabilities and community nursing. I joined the British Lymphology Society in 2009. I completed the Graduate Certificate in Lymphoedema Management and Casley Smith Manual Lymphatic Drainage at the University of Glasgow in 2010. In 2011 I gained the Community Practitioner Nurse Prescriber qualification which helps provide seamless lymphoedema care and management for patients. I am a shared team lead for Bath and North East Sommerset community Lymphoedema Service.

I find the treatment of Lymphoedema endlessly fascinating and I love to work with patients to improve their quality of life and help them manage their condition.

With the help of my husband, we have designed a software tool to help speed up the calculation process for practitioners when measuring limb volumes. This is owned by the British Lymphology Society and is made available to society members for their use.