Ruth Dawson
Byfleet ,Surrey
Summary
A dedicated Advance Nurse Practitioner in Sexual Health with strengths in STI screening and contraceptive services. Navigates complex safeguarding cases, ensuring vulnerable populations receive tailored support. Leads multidisciplinary meetings to enhance team collaboration and improve patient care pathways.
Although management experience was gained some time ago, I have actively contributed to training and development of junior colleagues. I'm dedicated to ongoing personal growth and eager to expand my skills further in my current and future roles.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Advance Nurse Practitioner in Sexual Health
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
London , London
04.2019 - Current
- I work as part of the SHIP team as a Advance Nurse Practitioner - Sexual health Innformation and Protection Team.
- My role involves providing proficient STI screening, diagnostic examinations, and pharmacological management of sexual health conditions.
- Provide a full range of contraceptive services, including LARC; I am just starting my IUT insertion training.
- Navigating complex safeguarding cases, ensuring support for domestic abuse and sexual violence, as well as supporting young people and assessing for sexual exploitation, county lines exploitation, and criminal exploitation, and actioning when appropriate through trauma-informed care.
- Referred patients to external agencies for specialist support, providing accurate, up-to-date records for care continuity.
- Providing support to patients with complex partner notification.
- Within the team, we run multiple MDT meetings, rotating responsibility for leading them; these include young people, vulnerable adults, and complex syphilis results.
- I have been responsible for the team rotas and allocations, supporting and inducting new colleagues within the team.
- I'm involved in various steering groups in the clinic and North West London, improving pathways and processes, as well as networking with VAWG charities and support.
- Last year, I became the BASHH SIG nurse and secretary for domestic abuse and sexual violence.
- I've assisted in audits within the clinics, including a PEP pathway from patients who attended A&E.
Specialist Nurse in Sexual Health
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
London , London
09.2017 - 04.2019
- My role involved providing STI screening, diagnostic examinations for simple symptomatic patients, and working under PDG to provide treatment for sexual health conditions.
- Line managing lower band staffing, which involved carrying out six weekly one-to-one meetings, professional development reviews, and sickness management in line with policy.
- Nurse in charge - managing reallocation of staffing if required, ensuring daily checks of the fridge and incubator, and supporting doctors with chaperoning and treatments.
- Providing contraception, including LARC.
- Kept unit and stations well-stocked with necessary supplies for timely clinical care.
- Assigned staff workload based on patient requests and priorities, maintaining smooth-running operations.
- Supervised, trained and mentored new nurses on nursing requirements and procedures.
Staff Nurse in sexual health
Ashford and St Peter's NHS Trust
Chertsey , Surrey
04.2015 - 09.2017
- Assessing, testing, and treating asymptomatic patients for STIs.
- Training and development in venepuncture, microscopy, and cervical screening.
- Issuing treatment under a doctor's prescription for STIs, and other sexual health conditions.
- Chaperoning doctors for procedures, including IUT insertions and examinations.
Staff Nurse for School Nursing
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Windsor , Berkshire
04.2009 - 09.2015
- Delivered health promotion sessions in schools, emphasising topics on sexual relationships and personal wellbeing.
- Facilitated health promotion drop-in sessions for middle schools to enhance student awareness of healthy lifestyle choices.
- Collaborated closely with a multi-professional team to enhance safeguarding measures for children and young people.
- Directed nocturnal enuresis clinics across Windsor and Ascot to ensure efficient patient care.
Sexual Health outreach nurse (secondment)
Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS foundation trust
Wokingham , Berkshire
06.2014 - 06.2015
- Oversaw outreach sexual health initiatives and coordinated c-card programme for West Berkshire while working part-time in school nursing.
- Coordinated sign-up and training of youth workers at various C-care distribution locations across West Berkshire.
- Facilitated confidential drop-in sessions at schools and youth centres.
Provided a safe space for young people to discuss sex and relationships.
Distributed condoms and offered health promotion resources while ensuring safeguarding of young people.
Surgical Staff Nurse
Basingstoke and North Hampshire NHS Trust
Basingstoke , Hampshire
12.2005 - 09.2009
- Organised and delivered pre and post op evidence-based nursing care.
- Took charge of the ward and managed beds when required, in the absence of management.
- Safe and efficient discharge planning, alongside the multidisciplinary team.
- Supported new and junior staff on the ward.
- Was the diabete's link nurse on the ward enabling me to support and train colleague.
Education
Non-Medical and Supplementary prescribing
Kings College London
London 01-2024
Bachelor of Science - Professional Practice in Health and Social care specialising in sexual health
University of Greenwich
City of london01-2021
PGCE in providing sex and relationship education
University of Roehampton
City of london01-2010
Mentorship for Health and Social care practitioners
University of Southampton
Southampton01-2008
Diploma of Higher Education - Adult Nursing
University of Southampton
Southampton 01-2005
NVQ Level 3 - Health and social care
St Mary's Redcliffe and Temple Sixth Form
Bristol 01-2001
GCSEs -
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School
Bristol 01-1999
Skills
Certificates of Training
- NHS Cervical Screening: Cervical Sample Taker Training (2016)
- BASHH STIF Foundation Training, 2016
- BASHH STIF Intermediate Course, 2018
- FRSH Diploma in Contraception and Letter of Competence for implant insertions, 2018
Due to funding and staffing pressures on the team, it has been difficult to continue with training
Specialist interests
I have been the BASHH Nurse Representative and Secretary for the Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Specialist Interest Group since 2024
I have contributed to various pathways within the clinic for
- PEP follow-up pathway if a patient attends A&E
- Chemsex training in A&E, and providing a pathway to connect with sexual health services
- Domestic abuse IDVA pilot working alongside IRIS and DA services to have an in-house IDVA within sexual health services (ADViSE)
I am a part of the Harmful Practices Operational Group for North West London, working with other agencies on training and raising awareness of violence against women and girls
Management training
- Managing people well - 2025
- PDR training
Timeline
Advance Nurse Practitioner in Sexual Health
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
04.2019 - Current
Specialist Nurse in Sexual Health
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
09.2017 - 04.2019
Staff Nurse in sexual health
Ashford and St Peter's NHS Trust
04.2015 - 09.2017
Sexual Health outreach nurse (secondment)
Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS foundation trust
06.2014 - 06.2015
Staff Nurse for School Nursing
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
04.2009 - 09.2015
Surgical Staff Nurse
Basingstoke and North Hampshire NHS Trust
12.2005 - 09.2009
Non-Medical and Supplementary prescribing
Kings College London
Bachelor of Science - Professional Practice in Health and Social care specialising in sexual health
University of Greenwich
PGCE in providing sex and relationship education
University of Roehampton
Mentorship for Health and Social care practitioners
University of Southampton
Diploma of Higher Education - Adult Nursing
University of Southampton
NVQ Level 3 - Health and social care
St Mary's Redcliffe and Temple Sixth Form
GCSEs -
St Mary Redcliffe and Temple School