The team

Claire is a Senior Trainer in Communication Skills and has been teaching advanced communication skills since the 1990's. She originally trained under the direction of Professor Peter Maguire and delivers the full range of courses.

She has been involved in the 'Connected' programme since its commencement as a trainer, assessor, mentor and as a zonal advisor for cancer networks.  She has research experience in the following areas: efficacy of different styles of workshops; identifying predictors for depression in patients diagnosed with cancer; conversation analysis (identifying behaviours which inhibit and facilitate patients' disclosure) and evaluating training models for breaking bad news to cancer patients.

Nicola is a senior trainer in Communication Skills and has been involved in the 'Connected' programme since its commencement as a trainer, assessor, mentor and as a zonal advisor for cancer networks. She originally trained in facilitation skills under the direction of Professor Peter Maguire and now regularly delivers all courses.

Nicola has been involved in various research studies undertaken in the unit, especially studies of conversational analysis which looked to clarify the verbal micro skills and behaviours (facilitative and inhibitory) of doctors and nurses when communicating with their patients. Her background is in psychology and she has worked in the areas of psychosis, substance use, and psychological medicine.

I have worked as a counsellor, supervisor and trainer in palliative care since the mid 1990's, specialising in teaching psycho-social aspects of care and communication skills at all levels from introductory to Masters level.

I trained as a facilitator with The Team in 2005 and have been involved in the CONNECTED programme since it's conception both as a facilitator, mentor and assessor and representing the National Association of Palliative Care Educators in the CONNECTED expert reference group.

My research interests are in curriculum design and assessment and in particular, developing formative and summative assessment tools to define and assess competence and to support learning application and continuing development in practice.

I  recently joined the team as a Senior Trainer. I am involved in teaching communication skills at all levels and in training, mentorship and assessment of trainee facilitators with the National CONNECTED programme.

I trained as a nurse at Addenbrook's Hospital, Cambridge, and subsequently completed a degree in nursing at the University of Hull. I started working with Peter Maguire, in Manchester, in 1990 and subsequently became involved in both communication skills training and teaching others to facilitate courses.

I have completed research into optimal methods of communication skills training, including my PhD study looking at the role of supervision in the transfer of training. I have led the development of a system of analysing communication within cancer care and am integrally involved in the European initiative in creating a pan European system of assessing communication and defining communication practice for health professionals. I am currently the National Clinical Lead for Development of the NHS Connected Advanced communication skills programme, and am part of the National End of Life Care Programme.

I deal with all the administration for the Unit, as well as the whole of the admin for the workshops, from delegate registrations, preparing the delegate packs to ensuring the Facilitators have all the equipment they need for the workshops.

I also work closely with the Greater Manchester and Cheshire Cancer Network in the administration of their workshops at Wigan and Leigh Hospice and St. Luke's Hospice in Winsford. I am also the point of contact for other Zonal Networks throughout the country. My background is as a Research Secretary with Cancer Research UK and Professor Peter Maguire,