University Campus Suffolk (UCS) lecturer for Health Visiting and Specialist Community Public Health Nursing has been named a fellow in the Institute of Health Visiting’s Fellowship programme.

Christine Gordon has been made a Fellow in the scheme that recognises the professional achievement of exceptional health visitors – creating a new country-wide group of expert and confident health visitor leaders who make a real difference to the health outcomes of children and their families.

Christine had a varied career in nursing before completing the health visiting programme in 1990 at the University of Reading and working within the health visitor services in Berkshire.

She joined the Community Team at UCS as Pathway Lead for Health Visiting in January 2010.

In the last five years she and the team have developed the specialist community public health nurse programme with the challenge of the Health Visitor Implementation Plan 2011.

This required the training of a further 250 health visitors to meet the requirements of the local workforce in Norfolk and Suffolk.

Christine has enhanced the experience of the students by developing online learning and innovative methods of formative assessment including a public health forum held at the Campus each year. Student innovations and developments have been celebrated through her delivery of presentations at a number of conferences nationally and internationally.

As a new Fellow, Christine is invited to undertake a four-day leadership development programme and will be awarded her certificate at a celebration event in March 2015.

Christine said: “As an academic in the field of health visiting I have always worked in partnership with my practice colleagues and their employing organisation. This award gives me further recognition in the field and I hope to promote the advances being made in Norfolk and Suffolk which inform best practice and the delivery of our Specialist Community Public Health Programme. The award will open up opportunities that will be shared with my team and practice colleagues for the benefit of the service to children and families.”

Jane Day, Head of Department for Health Studies at University Campus Suffolk, said “I am extremely pleased that Christine has been recognised for her contributions to health visiting by being made a Fellow of the Institute of Health Visiting. In the five years that she has been involved in delivering the Specialist Community Public Health Nurse Programme at University Campus Suffolk, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership qualities. Her wide knowledge and understanding of research and evidence based practice is imparted to the students and shared with practice teacher’s; mentors and managers in partner organisations, developing a sound clinical network. I wish her every success in the opportunities that will evolve from her attaining this prestigious award.”

Dr Cheryll Adams, director of the iHV, said: “We are delighted to appoint a further 21 Fellows to the Institute to strengthen leadership in the health visiting profession and to help develop the next generation of health visitors. There is immense talent in our profession and our Fellows lead the way in pushing the boundaries to ensure excellence in practice.”

Fellows and the Institute of Health Visiting will develop the next generation of health visitors; integrate new policy and research into practice; whilst ensuring that they and their colleagues continue to make a real difference to the health outcomes of children and their families.