Helen O’Connell, Registered Nurse

Professional Experience

I qualified as a Registered Nurse in 1999 and an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) in 2010 and have since worked in a busy GP surgery, managing patients across all age groups with undifferentiated health concerns. My responsibilities include clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, prescribing, and referral to secondary care. I am an independent nurse prescriber and routinely manage acute and chronic conditions within primary care.

Prior to this, I gained broad clinical experience across multiple settings. I began my career on an acute surgical ward, followed by a paediatric ward, before relocating to Canada. There, I worked on a surgical unit and later in the emergency department, where I completed the Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support qualification. This enabled me to take on a role as a nurse with P&O/Princess Cruises, delivering care in remote environments with limited resources.

Upon returning to the UK, I worked as an agency nurse in various A&E departments across London, then transitioned into community nursing. I subsequently took a permanent role in general practice, completing the necessary training to become a practice nurse. This setting aligned with my clinical interests and led to my pursuit of advanced practice.

In 2020, I founded Treacle.me, a community interest company addressing the gap in social prescribing resources. Treacle provides a service directory for patients requiring non-medical support and is now commissioned in two UK regions. This initiative led to my recognition as a finalist in the Royal College of Nursing’s Community and Primary Care Nurse of the Year award in 2023.

Professional Development

I hold an advanced practice degree and have consistently pursued further training to maintain clinical competence and expand my scope of practice. In 2020, I was awarded the title of Queen’s Nurse by the Queen’s Nursing Institute, recognising my commitment to high standards of community care and leadership.

My career has been shaped by a proactive approach to learning and service improvement. I have led initiatives to improve patient access to social care resources and continue to contribute to service development within primary care.