March: Spotlight On An Expert - Louise Passey

I qualified as a mental health nurse at Glamorgan University, South Wales in 1998. After qualifying I initially had a job offer to work at Broadmoor Hospital. However, I decided to return home to Sutton Coldfield; my first post was as a staff nurse at Reaside Medium Secure Unit in Birmingham. Many of the patients were placed on section 37/41 with home office restrictions due to the severity of their offences. I worked on the intensive care ward and rehabilitation ward. After three years it was time for a change, as I always wanted to move into community work, my first post was as a drug and alcohol nurse completing community alcohol and heroin detoxes. I used motivational interviewing techniques to help people consider the changes needed to help combat their addictions. In 2003 I gained a post as a prison in-reach manager at Stoke Heath Young Offenders Institute in Shropshire. I helped to set up the service as this was a new initiative and the model was to replicate a community mental health team in a prison setting. The work was very interesting but also quite challenging, some of the prisoners were only aged 15; the work provided a real insight into the difficulties young people can encounter. I worked with an exceptional and dedicated psychiatrist and psychologist also eager to make a real difference. I married in 2004 and following the birth of my first son in 2005, I decided to move back to the community and gained a post as a clinical nurse specialist in substance misuse within CAMHS in Birmingham. I then concentrated on raising my family and had a career break. I returned to nursing in 2019 and worked as a senior mental health nurse in the young adult ADHD service and as a dialectical behaviour therapist after completing foundation and intensive training. In December 2021 I gained a full-time post as a dialectical behaviour therapist. In this role, I work with high-risk/suicidal patients, those with severe mental health conditions and high emotional dysregulation, I completed my postgraduate diploma in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy from Bangor University in July 2023 and also gained my accreditation. As a dialectical behaviour therapist, I provide 1-1 individual sessions and also complete group therapy. I have to be a registered mental health nurse to be in this role and have a robust understanding of risk assessment and management.

I have always been interested in law and many moons ago had aspirations to be a solicitor, but due to my love and passion for being a mental health nurse, I never pursued this route. In 2019 I decided to contact Somek and Associates never believing it would lead me into such a fascinating world! I enjoy my expert witness work and I challenge myself to deliver the very best in every report that I write. The learning curve is well worth it, although on occasion can be steep! The training and support from other experts have been amazing and very inspirational. I potentially have 3 upcoming trials to attend later in the year, which although daunting provides the opportunity to increase skills in a different area of expert witness work. In my other life, I am a mum to four children, one of my sons is autistic and has ADHD so being an expert by experience helps me immensely in my work. I have a 4-year-old dachshund named Lottie and I love taking her for a walk after a busy day, when I do have some free time, I enjoy cooking and listening to opera. An occasional packet of kettle chips can also be a delight, but not too often!

Louise Passey, Mental Health Nurse specialises in Risk Assessment, Medicines Management, Forensic Mental Health, CAHMS, MHA, MCA. 

If you are a clinician looking for a new challenge, why not explore our recruitment pages to find out more about us.