Ms Helen Smith

About me:

Helen joined the Academy of Nursing in September 2019 as an Administration Assistant working in the Academy of Nursing. She has now taken on the role looking after the students on the Time For Dementia Programme in an Administrative capacity and has also joined the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre as their Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Administrator as well as continuing as the PPIE Administrator of the Academy of Nursing.

She trained as a Medical Secretary and gained the AMSPAR (Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Administrators and Receptionist) Diploma. Helen started her career working in a large London NHS Hospital which serviced Heathrow Airport, for a Senior Consultant Physician and dealing with the anticoagulant clinic. She then moved to the private sector to work at Glaxo Pharmaceuticals as PA to three research consultants, working on Ranitadine. During this time she continued with her qualifications to become a fully qualified Theatre Dance Teacher where she became an Associate, Licentuate and is now a Fellow of the International Dance Teachers Association. Helen became Principal of her own Theatre Dance School for 30 years, where she train students to professional careers and trained future dance teaches. When Helen moved she therefore closed her school however she still continued to teach dance in a Primary School, teaching dance across the curriculum and work with children with special educational needs. Her main area of interest is how dance, using core stability exercises, may help improve children’s coordination, particularly in children with Dyspraxia and how it may improve their handwriting. When Covid stopped all teaching of dance Helen decided to concentrate solely on working at the University of Exeter and is enjoying being part of the team of the Acacemy of Nursing.

Since being at the University, Helen has taken on further roles. She now works on the Time For Dementia Programme as the Administrator looking after both Nursing and Medical Imaging students. Within the Academy of Nursing she is part of the Academy of Nursing and Medical Imaging PPIE Advisory group, again as Administrator. She has also taken on the role of Administrator for the INHR Biomedical Research Centre for their PPIE group.

Qualifications:

Fellow of the IDTA (International Dance Teachers Association) (Hons)

AMSPAR (Distinction)

FDA Dance Teaching and Coaching (Distinction)