Our work
The GEP has taken an innovative and adaptable approach to education in order to reach a diverse and busy healthcare workforce. Watch our animation to get a sense for the importance of genomics in healthcare today and the scope of our work to ensure that NHS professionals have the knowledge, skills and experience to embrace the extraordinary potential of genomics.
Key initiatives
The GEP has instigated, led and contributed to a number of major education and training initiatives since its inception in 2014, some of which are highlighted here.
Collaborations
The Genomics Education Programme collaborates with leading educational and healthcare groups to ensure that genomics is embedded in patient care and treatment across the UK, helping us succeed in our aim of supporting the delivery of a Genomic Medicine Service for the NHS. Read more about our collaborations below.
Meet the team
Ben Armstrong
Assistant Editor
Ben supports the content development team in curating, editing and publishing the programme’s wide range of educational content, as well as assisting with the team’s communications activity. Having previously worked as a technical author, magazine editor and content writer, Ben brings a variety of writing and editing skills and experience to the GEP. He holds a BA in English Literature from the University of Warwick and is a published author of poetry.
Dr Michelle Bishop
Education Development Lead
Michelle provides educational and clinical expertise through resource production, leading curricula development for specialist workforce training and driving wider NHS workforce transformation in genomics. Michelle has spent more than 15 years in genetics and genomics education, previously working at the NHS National Genetics Education and Development Centre. She has a background in molecular biology and genetic counselling and a PhD in the field of genetics education, and also sits on the council of the British Society for Genetic Medicine.
Claire Healy-West
Project administrator
Claire provides administrative and operational support for the programme on a job-share basis. Claire has more than 18 years of financial services and business administration experience within the private sector. She is now extremely proud to be working for the NHS within Health Education England.
Áine Kelly
Managing Editor
Áine leads the programme’s content development team, overseeing the commissioning and production of a wide range of educational and creative projects, from articles and guides, animations and infographics, to comprehensive e-learning courses, as well as supporting the programme’s communications activity. Áine brings two decades of editorial experience to the team, having previously worked as managing editor on several business-sector magazines and websites.
Kathleen Lynch
Project Manager
Kathleen project manages a range of initiatives in the programme, most notably the genomics Master’s framework, extracting data and undertaking analysis for various national and regional reports. She works closely with wide networks of stakeholders across the NHS and higher education. Kathleen has worked in the NHS and public health for the past decade.
Amelia McPherson
Editor
Amelia manages the production of a variety of educational resources for the programme, with a particular focus on multimedia content. An editor and producer by background, she has varied experience of commissioning and developing content for different audiences, and brings a passion for film and animation to the team. Amelia works closely with both external subject matter experts and production companies, as well as in-house educationalists and scientists, to develop online courses, films, animations and other content for a variety of different workforce groups.
Dr Ed Miller
Senior Education & Development Officer
Ed provides scientific and educational support for the development of resources and works closely with the programme’s educational and content development teams. He also supports the programme with its wider NHS workforce transformation work. Ed has a research background in molecular biology and holds a PhD in DNA damage and repair from the University of Birmingham. During this time, he also gained valuable experience in science communication and public engagement.
Charlotte Murray
Communications & Engagement Officer
Charlotte co-ordinates the programme’s communications and engagement activity. She promotes our work across HEE and the wider NHS, raising awareness of the courses, resources and funding available for all healthcare professionals keen to learn about genomic medicine, and has created a Genomics Communications Network to share information relating to personalised medicine in the NHS. Charlotte has more than 10 years’ experience managing PR and communications activity, previously within the social housing sector and later with a trade association.
Alison Pope
Programme Manager
Alison leads the team in the delivery of key objectives in genomics education for HEE. During her 25-year NHS career, Alison has worked across a range of healthcare organisations in both acute and primary care sectors and at national, regional and local level in the field of health education and workforce transformation. In 2009, she joined the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority to lead on a strategy to embed technology-enhanced learning across the region. Alison later led the award-winning ‘Come Back to Nursing’ campaign to encourage former nurses back to the profession.
Dr Anneke Seller
Scientific Director
Anneke leads the Genomics Education Programme and is an honorary consultant clinical scientist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. Before joining HEE, Anneke was consultant clinical scientist director of Oxford Regional Genetics Laboratories and lead scientist for Oxford NHS Genomic Medicine Centre. Anneke’s contribution to genomic education and training includes work on the genetics pilot for the implementation of Modernising Scientific Careers and the development of the assessment framework for the National School of Healthcare Science.
Dr Siobhan Simpson
Senior Education & Development Officer
Siobhan supports the development and evaluation of educational resources for the programme, providing scientific expertise and analytical skills. She works closely with educational development colleagues, as well as the content development team. Siobhan has a research background in genetics with Master’s degrees from the University of Edinburgh and the University of Kent, and a PhD, ‘Comparative Molecular Characterisation of Inherited Disease Models of Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease’, from the University of Nottingham.
Charlotte Szczepanik
Project Administrator
Charlotte supports operational tasks across the team on a job-share basis, and is responsible for monitoring the financial budget for the programme. Charlotte has more than eight years’ experience of administration, including the Department of Work and Pension’s welfare-to-work programme, a local authority and now part of the development of the GEP’s groundbreaking work in genomics education and training of our healthcare workforce.
Contact us
Get in touch with the programme team by post, email or social media.
Genomics Education Programme
Health Education England
St Chads Court
213 Hagley Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B16 9RG
United Kingdom
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