Meet Our Team
Robert Harrison - Network Chair
Rob joined South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in 2020 from Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, where he served as Chief Operating Officer for ten successful years. He holds a postgraduate diploma in Health Service Management, a bachelor’s degree in Applied Biochemistry and worked in pharmaceutical research prior to joining the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme. He subsequently held NHS management positions in Lancashire, Merseyside and Cheshire, prior to moving to Harrogate in 2010.
Rob has a wealth of experience working with and supporting Clinical Networks and Alliances and was Executive Lead for urgent & emergency care and stroke on behalf of the West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts (WYAAT), going on to be Chair of the Directors of Strategy and Operations Group in WYAAT, in this role and as a member of West Yorkshire Cancer Alliance Board, he worked with the network leads and providers to develop sustainable changes in non-surgical pathways across West Yorkshire.
David Fender - Network Clinical Lead
Consultant Spinal and Orthopaedic Surgeon, specialising in spinal surgery including paediatric and adult spinal deformity (scoliosis) surgery at Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Helena Roper - Network Lead Nurse
My name is Helena Roper and I am the Lead Spinal Triage and Treat Practitioner at South Tees NHSFT. I have over 20 years of clinical experience in inpatient and outpatient settings, and been working with patients with back pain since 2006 and have seen significant changes in treatment and management during that time. I was involved with the pilot site implementation of the National Back Pain Pathway, and feel that experience gained will be valuable for delivering further service improvements.
My experience allows me to have the ability to share best practice across the region and nationally. I have already spoken on this topic at various events including: Northern Musculoskeletal Collaborative Programme (#MSKNorth), Elective Care Transformation Programme, Academic Health Science Network for North East and North Cumbria. My team were also finalists at the Health Service Journal awards in 2018 allowing us to champion the innovative changes made to ensure equity of access to high quality care. For 4 years I also acted as profession representative on National Spinal Network.
I think when you work with patients in pain and see the benefits gained by clear consistent messaging, easy access to onward services and collaboration between healthcare professionals, it encourages us all to deliver the highest quality of care. I am looking forward to working with all of you to help deliver this and support quality improvements in the region.
Helen Ridley - Network Manager
Hello, my name is Helen! Let me tell you a little about myself – I started my working career, many moons ago, with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). From the CPS I went to work with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). I spent the majority of my FCO career overseas, working in some of the most challenging environments: Iraq, Afghanistan, Jerusalem, Syria, Nigeria and some not so challenging: New York, Austria and South Africa. After leaving the FCO I went to work for the NHS.
I have been working within the NHS now for over 11 years. During this time I’ve lead on a number projects and programmes across the region and on a national footprint: Implementing the AHSN funded project of the National pathway for patients who suffer back pain and radicular pain. The pathway, which complies with NICE guidance, crosses from the GP through primary care services (MSK), acute care and into secondary care. Lead the implementation of pathways of care for Falls and Fractures including the Bone Health Programme to maximise efficiency, improve timely access to appropriate treatments and improve patient experience and clinical outcomes. Worked collaboratively across the region on the National Programme ‘Getting it Right First Time’ (GIRFT) to improve the treatment and care of patients through in-depth review of services, benchmarking, and presenting a data-driven evidence base to support change.
Kerry Sykes - Network Administrator
I have worked for the NHS since 2005 in administrative and secretarial roles, initially in elderly community rehabilitation, then transitioning to stroke specific rehabilitation. After 15 years I was looking for a change, I have had a few different roles since leaving the stroke service, then the chance to work for the Spinal Delivery Network came up, which I felt was an opportunity too good to miss.