Dr Helen Wharam

My role

I am a quality improvement facilitator. My role is to facilitate delivery of the Trust’s Quality Improvement training programme and support staff across the Trust to develop quality improvement skills and knowledge.

My responsibilities

I am responsible for ensuring the Quality Improvement training programme is delivered and meets the needs of our staff. That means I am constantly reviewing and evaluating how we support and work with our staff and trying to find ways to improve things. I also work alongside the teams participating in the training to enable them to put what they learn into practice by working on quality improvement projects of their choice. I see a large part of my job as championing quality improvement across the Trust so that we develop an ever growing culture of continuous quality improvement and, for me, that particularly includes championing data and measurement!

My background

I am an occupational therapist, specialising in mental health, by background. Whilst working for Solent NHS Trust as an occupational therapist I secured a studentship with the National Institute for Health Research to study for a Masters degree in Clinical Research and that led to my PhD which focused on quality improvement. My initial position in the Research and Improvement team was as a Senior Clinical Audit Facilitator but the opportunity to become the Trust’s first Quality Improvement Facilitator quickly followed.

Why I love my job

I thrive on being able to constantly learn and develop myself and so it is a great pleasure to be in a job where I spend a large part of my time supporting others to do the same.  It’s such a rewarding moment to watch clinical teams struggling with their initial improvement project ideas and then witness the “light bulb” moment when they suddenly understand what they are trying to achieve and how to achieve it.

More about me

On my days off work I can often be found with a map in one hand and camera in the other exploring the beautiful countryside around me. I am seeking that ever elusive stunning landscape photograph! I also enjoy horse riding. Pottering about at home you will find me growing vegetables or sitting doing some embroidery or sewing.

Publications

I have published and presented, both nationally and internationally, work from my PhD.