Why did she join the Society of Tissue Viability?

Linda first joined the Society of Tissue Viability in the early 1990’s when she was implementing the role of Clinical Resource Nurse in Skin & Wound Care (TVN) in a major trauma hospital in Saudi Arabia. She found the Society and its Journal of Tissue Viability a great resource and support when implementing this role in a foreign country with multinational teams and patients.

She particularly found her first conference in Blackpool a brilliant way to network and exchange ideas with clinical and scientific experts in the field – attending whilst on annual leave in the UK. She found it a great opportunity and so inspiring to hear presentations from independent and renowned leaders from the UK world of wound care.

She found the support from the Society of Tissue Viability helped her to lead and develop best evidence based care in a clinical organisation in Saudi Arabia. For that she will always be thankful.

Why did she become a Trustee / Chair of the Society?

Little did she know that when she repatriated to the UK she would become even more involved and eventually Chair of the Society. Settling in Scotland as a TVN and after being Chair & Committee member of the National Association of Tissue Viability Nurses Scotland (NATVNS), it became clear that the Society of Tissue Viability board of Trustees required representation from Scotland. Scottish peers nominated her and she became a Trustee and has never looked back. Providing a Scottish perspective was beneficial to the Society and also enabled her to provide UK national feedback re wound care to colleagues in Scotland .

Never did she think or even dream when she attended the Conference in Blackpool in the 1990’s that one day she would be Chair and that the Society in collaboration with the NATVNS, would hold their conference in Glasgow in 2022!

What has she learnt?

The level of skills, knowledge, professional development and quality of expert support and networking opportunities she has gained from fellow Trustees, members, representatives of fellow international wound care organisations and the Society’s marketing and events experts PINK, is unbelievable.

Here are just a few of Linda’s highlights:

• Introducing an international virtual conference
• Helping to plan a major international conference
• Learning the importance of branding, marketing and having a great website
• Gaining knowledge and skills from the Charity Commission
• Working with national leaders in wound care and science like Dr Una Adderley, Professor Jane Nixon, Professor Andrea Nelson and many more
• Walking more than 89 miles in France to fund raise for the Skin Care Champions programme

I would urge anyone with a passion for Tissue Viability and collaborative working to join the Society. If I can be a Trustee and Chair of the Society, so can you – believe me!