Jane was the first nurse in England to obtain a the MSc degree in travel medicine. She is a leading figure in the UK in this field of practice, was Chair of the RCN Travel Health Forum 2000 - 2006 and lead author on the RCN guidance: Travel health nursing, career and competence development. She was Director of Education of the Faculty of Travel Medicine at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow in an honorary capacity from July 2015 - December 2016 and still runs a travel clinic in a primary care setting in Bedford. Jane started training healthcare professionals 17 years ago and is passionate about teaching and developing tools for healthcare professionals to use in a travel consultation.
Today travel health medicine is my work and passion, but I began nursing in 1973 at St George's Hospital in London and undertook subsequent post graduate training in neurosurgery and neuromedicine at one of the world's leading centres, The Atkinson Morley Hospital, London. I went on to complete midwifery training at the West Cheshire Maternity Hospital, but eventually returned to hospital medicine and ended a busy career in this field back in my training hospital as a medical ward sister.
Following a break to have a family, I became a Practice Nurse in 1990 when my interest in travel health first began. In 1995 I undertook a distance learning travel health medicine course at the University of Glasgow. Being in the inaugural multi-disciplinary group of this course, the first of its type in the world, was both exciting and challenging. At that time I didn't even own a computer or have any internet connection and e-mail - the learning curve was a steep one! The hard work was worth it though as I graduated with a Master of Science degree in Travel Health Medicine in 1998.
Since that time my career has developed in travel medicine and I've held a number of positions some of which are listed below, many in an honorary capacity. I also set up my training business, Travel Health Training Ltd. in 2000 and continue to teach around the UK and speak at national and international meetings. However, I've also continued to work part time in a GP surgery seeing travellers in a dedicated travel clinic.