Valerie Provan Consultant Nurse – Professional Head of Nursing MH & LD – Non Medical Prescribing Lead Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust Valerie took up her RMN training in Glasgow in 1984 and once qualified worked within acute admission, care of the elderly and then moved to the Day Hospital. She completed her degree in Community Psychiatric Nursing and worked in the community which she enjoyed. Valerie applied for a team leaders post in Ayrshire and was successful and moved down shortly afterwards. Once there Valerie was given the opportunity to do her Masters in Gerontology and was asked to take on the Clinical Effectiveness Coordinator for older adult services. At that time the organisation achieved the Chartermark standards as well as implementing the SIGN guidelines for mental health and dementia. Valerie missed her clinical role and was then asked to take on the dementia assessment , respite and continuing care unit and make it a centre of excellence for patients and carers. At the same time she was a link nurse advisor to the University of Glasgow Gerontology project and contributed to Scottish guidelines on nutrition in older adults and was the expert advisor on looking at depression for those moving into care homes. Valerie applied for the Nurse Consultant post in Cumbria for interview experience. Came out with the job, had no idea how she was going to manage the job, travel to Cumbria or manage her personal/work life. Eleven years later and she is still there travelling every week from Ayrshire! Valerie developed the first nurse led Dementia Assessment unit in 2004 and did her independent prescribing course to improve the service provided to patients by reducing medication and providing behaviour management and alternative therapies,. The second nurse led ward was developed five years ago and Valerie was nominated to do her Approved Clinican course which would allow her to manage detained patients on the ward. This has enhanced the job immensley and the Consultant Psychiatrist no longer has a role on the ward with the exception of covering Valerie’s annual leave and providing advice. Valerie is the only non medic sitting on the Section 12/ AC Approvals panel in the North of England, and the role is to review all applications coming in from medics and non medics and giving a non medical perspective on their suitability and capability to take on the role. Valerie is also the Non Medical Prescribing Lead for the Trust and took on the Professional Head of Nursing Post two years ago. She has an honorary lecturer post at the University of Cumbria and teaches on the Dementia degree and the student nurse courses. Valerie has spoken at numerous national conferences about non medical prescribing and developing Nurse Led Units and has showcased the model to many other NHS Trusts, however the unit remains the only Nurse Led Dementia Assessment Unit in the country. . RMN, Dip CPC (Clinical and Pastoral Counselling) BA (Community Psychiatric Nursing), MSc (Gerontology) V300 ( Independent Prescriber) AC/RC Approved Clinician under the MHA (1983, Amended 2007)