Marie Smith

Hello, my name is Marie and I have been a Registered Learning Disability Nurse for 25 years. The majority of my career has been working in Forensic Services, high secure care. During my time within this setting, I have worked across various care streams; learning disability, personality disorder, mental health and women’s.

At present, I work as a deputy matron within the National High Secure Learning Disability Service. I am extremely passionate about working with individuals who have a learning disability – always have been and as my career has progressed over the years this passion to delivery high quality care has not waned.

As a service, we aim to provide a quality and innovative clinical service to patients with complex presentations that include a learning disability, autism, personality disorder and/ or a mental health diagnosis with a primary of learning disability.

The main aims of the service are to offer a care pathway to reduce patient risk, in a least restrictive approach and for patients to have an enhanced quality of life, basing out philosophy of care around the principles of Positive Behavioural Support.

My role as a deputy matron is to provide operational and clinical support to the wards and the ward mangers within the service, ensuring that not only patients are supported and cared for but staff are too, making them feel valued and supported to be the best that they can be within their roles.

For me I feel it is important to create a positive culture within the workplace, and I always strive to do this and I am keen to share my knowledge and experiences with others, and this would be an perfect opportunity to do so.