I wanted to describe myself in 3 words, but could only come up with "friendly, creative, and...?" (Knocks the 'creative' element down, I must admit!) So I made my best friend tell me who I am, and he went with "caring, colourful, and Countdown-y." (Personally, I think I'm more Pointless.)
My sister has Down syndrome, so I've been around people with learning disabilities my whole life. It's been a common thread in shaping who I am as a person and why I've chosen this as a profession.
My career's taken me through quite a few different areas - from working internationally in public health, to third sector operations, to commissioning - which has given me lots of different perspectives on how support systems work (or don't!). I've always been drawn to a mix of hands-on projects and strategic thinking, which suits me well in my current role.
Lots of people drawn to this work also have disabilities ourselves, which can affect various aspects of how we function day-to-day. I've tried to capture my own needs here as a snapshot to make working with me easier. If comfortable, do feel free to reach out to discuss anything I can do to make working life easier for you, too!
Energy & Flexibility
I have a genetic condition that requires me to manage my health proactively to stay consistently effective and prevent larger issues. This includes being strategic about energy levels - I work 0.8 FTE which helps ensure there's a base level of flexibility week-to-week. I can absolutely step up for urgent deadlines and busy periods, but I might need recovery time afterwards to look after my health needs. I try to do this by taking TOIL where it's needed for balance.
I have flexible working hours but always prioritise meetings in my diary. I distribute my working hours in a way that works for me, which means I might be active outside of normal business hours. This is just my own scheduling preference, so please don't read into timings.
I work from home frequently as it's easier to control my environment there, but I love being out in the community (desks, less so). I appreciate understanding if something flares up unexpectedly, though I have good strategies for managing day-to-day variability.
Communication
I find written summaries after meetings extremely helpful - the transcribe function on MS Teams is brilliant for this (though I understand not everyone is comfortable with recording).
I'm great at seeing how things connect and form wider systems, but I need to talk ideas through before I can write them down clearly. I enjoy working through problems from all angles this way. I work best with lots of autonomy and I'm good at pulling people together around shared goals.
I'm pretty direct and enthusiastic about my work (hazards of being American!) - please do let me know if I need to adjust my approach for different situations. I present myself quite informally because I work with people with learning disabilities and in the community, and this really helps build rapport with people with lived experience.
I'm aware I can talk for England (er, Wales?) - do redirect me if needed; I won't take it personally!
Physical & Environmental
I can't see low-contrast or distanced items well, even with glasses. I'll usually be able to adapt on my own or speak up if I've realised there's an additional need in the moment. I like to sit near the front during presentations.
I get frequent migraines. Some triggers worth bearing in mind are fluorescent or bright lights, weather changes, and repetitive noises. Usually I can take medication and carry on, but sometimes I'll need to log off and make up hours after it lifts. I get a really severe one that lasts a few days around 3-4 times per year.
I can't drive due to my visual impairment, so I rely on public transport and Ubers (though I'm always grateful for lifts if people are comfortable offering!). I live near Cardiff city centre.
My joints won't let me carry heavy objects (just objectives?).
Project Management
I juggle multiple workstreams and do my best to keep track of everything, but sometimes things may slip through the cracks. I appreciate gentle reminders and check-ins if something is outstanding.
A lot of my work is done relatively independently, meaning this carries the risk of project information living in my head rather than in accessible tracking systems. I've got strategies in place to track progress and share with stakeholders, but sometimes these fail. If you ever need to check in about something, send me a diary invite and I'll talk you through it.
About Me
I am friendly and I care about people. I like to be creative.
My sister has Down syndrome. People with learning disabilities have always been part of my life. This is why I love my job.
I work for the NHS. I like being helpful and planning ahead.
I have worked in many other jobs. I worked in health services in other countries. I worked for charities. I worked for councils. This has taught me a lot about different services.
A lot of people with learning disabilities need support to be healthy. These supports need to work together more. My job is to try to fix this.
I make plans for NHS learning disability services. I create new rules and ways of working. I want learning disabilities to be more important in healthcare.
I wrote this website to help people know my needs. This makes it easier to work with me.
How I Work Best
I have a health condition. I need to look after my health carefully. This helps me work well every day.
I work 4 days a week. This gives me time to rest when I need to. I can work extra hours when lots of things need to be done at once. But I might need time off after to rest.
I can choose my working hours. But I always try to go to meetings that are in my diary. Sometimes I work outside normal office hours. This is just how I like to plan my day.
I work from home a lot. This helps me control things like lighting and noise. I like going out to meet people in the community. I do not like being in an office very much. But I like the people I meet in offices!
Communication
I like to have notes written down after meetings. The recording function on Microsoft Teams is very helpful for this.
I am good at seeing how things connect. But I need to talk about my ideas.
I like to think about all different parts of problems. This helps me find the right way to fix things.
I speak quite directly about my work. I get excited about the work I do. Sometimes this is different from what people expect.
I know I can talk a lot. Please tell me to stop if I am talking too much. I will not be upset.
My Support Needs
I cannot see clearly even with glasses. I am usually OK. But sometimes I have to ask for help.
I get headaches a lot. Usually I can take medicine and keep working. Sometimes I need to stop work until the headache goes away.
I cannot drive because of my eyesight. I use buses and taxis to get around. Sometimes people offer me lifts. This always makes my day!
I need help to carry heavy things.
Managing Work
I work on lots of different things at the same time. I try to keep track of everything. But sometimes I forget. Please remind me if I have missed something.
I do a lot of work on my own. This means information about projects might only be in my head. I try to write things down and share them with people. But sometimes this does not work well.
If you need to check something with me, ask me for a meeting or send me a message.