Meet the Speakers
(Subject to change)
Nick Deal
Nick Deal was called to the Bar in 1989 and had a mixed common law practice. He has trained for Bond Solon since 2003 and is now lead trainer within the expert witness group, developing programmes and qualifications as well as continuing to deliver training courses.
Mairéad Skally
Mairéad Skally is a Surveillance Scientist at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, where she specialises in monitoring and analysing healthcare-associated infections to support safer patient care. She is an active member of the hospital’s Infection Prevention and Control Team (IPCT) and has recently completed a PhD through the Irish Research Council’s employment-based postgraduate programme, where her research focused on using real-life data to drive improvements.
Mairead’s work bridges frontline hospital data with and academic research as well as advocating for the patient voice. She speaks on topics including infection surveillance and the value of research–practice partnerships in healthcare. Her topic today explores how we can capture patient experience of IPC interventions and what are the considerations on how best to progress IPC policy with meaningful Patient and Public Involvement.
Elaine Cloutman-Green
Professor Elaine Cloutman-Green is a Consultant Clinical Scientist working within Infection Prevention and Control and as Lead Healthcare Scientist for a world renowned paediatric hospital. She holds an Honorary Professorship with UCL and was awarded the British Empire Medal as part of the New Years Honours in 2021 for services to healthcare.
She started her Clinical Scientist training in 2004 in Microbiology and, during her training, she completed an MSc in Clinical Microbiology. In 2007, after completing her training, she specialised in Infection Prevention and Control. As part of this work she has undertaken a PhD whilst on the NIHR CSO Doctoral Fellowship scheme on ‘The role of the environment in transmission of healthcare associated infection’. Her research on prevention of healthcare associated infection also includes the development and implementation of rapid typing schemes in order to identify transmission. In 2016 she was awarded an NIHR ICA Clinical Lectureship in order to continue this work. In 2015 she successfully attained Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists and was appointed the first UK based International Ambassador for the Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America. In 2016 she became a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and was appointed as a NICE Expert Advisor in Infection Prevention and Control. She became a Consultant Clinical Scientist and Deputy Director of Infection Prevention and Control in 2021.
She is the Chair of the Environmental Network, a project she is especially passionate about as it is related to her PhD. She is a member of the Science Quality Assurance Group for the Health and Safety Executive, a member of the ACB Microbiology Professionals Committee, and Country Ambassador for the American Society of Microbiology. She also holds strategic positions as a member of the NHS England AMR Programme Board and membership of the London Clinical Senate Council, as well as sitting on a number of groups for the Healthcare Infection Society. Follow @girlymicro on Twitter if you’d like to get in touch.
Michelle Stafford 
Michelle Stafford is the Head of Safety and Learning. She joined NHS Resolution in 2020 and has worked in the London, South, Midlands and East regions within the Safety and Learning team. She is a registered Patient Safety Specialist and co-authored the Being Fair 2 report and Medication Errors resources.
Michelle holds a BSc (Hons) in Podiatric Medicine, a Master’s in Management and a Diploma in Diabetes Management in Primary Care. Her podiatry career has predominantly been within diabetes and vascular lower limb care. She has presented her research papers at national and international conferences.
Michelle started her career in East Kent, and continues to work clinically at Kings College Hospital. She has been a Clinical Network Lead for Diabetes Foot (NHS England South East) since 2019, implementing national guidance and providing regional leadership in delivering best practice in patient care.
Ron Finlay 
Ron specialises in helping organisations manage their reputation, through strategy and implementation. He has over 35 years’ experience in corporate communications, including 10 in chief executive and Board roles. Sectors in which he has particular expertise include health, financial, business and professional services, digital and culture, transport and environment and education.
After many years in top London PR consultancies, including as chief executive, Ron established ‘Ron Finaly Communications’ in 2010.
Ron is an accredited trainer in copywriting, public relations and crisis management, working with the University of the Arts London and the Media Trust.