Helen Oakes

I qualified as a nurse in 2002 and subsequently I have gained considerable experience with all areas within medical nursing.  

I have specialised in the care of older people for the last ten years, including leading operationally on the hospital falls prevention strategy, working within the adult safeguarding team and leading the specialist discharge team, all within a large district general hospital in Berkshire. Through this, I have expertise in falls prevention, care of the older person, complex discharge planning, and adult safeguarding.  I have significant experience of working in acute NHS hospitals. 

More recently, I have been instrumental in ensuring the Government guidelines on patient discharge during the COVID-19 pandemic have been adhered to and worked to embed the good practice learnt during this time, into the hospital business as usual processes. I also gained experience in working with external stakeholders to ensure pathways for discharge were safe and effective.

In January 2021, I commenced work as the Deputy Head of Nursing for Medicine in a large district general hospital in Bedfordshire.  This role has enabled me to build on my expertise in nurse and ward management, incident investigation, patient support and clinical assessment.

In September 2022, I became the Head of Nursing for Medicine at the same Trust.  This role has developed my leadership skills and enabled me to further refine my expertise in provision of safe and effective patient care.

I accept instruction from both claimant and defendant solicitors and insurers. I have undergone formal training in the medico-legal process and am fully aware of my responsibilities under Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) pertaining to expert witnesses.