Pioneer Wound Healing and Lymphoedema Centres – Our Philosophy
We are committed to providing the highest standards of care. A blending of different disciplines and expertise has created our team, focusing on delivering excellent outcomes and contributing to advancing the field via research, innovation and practice development.
Our Board
Executive Nurse Directors:
Professor David Gray
Chief Executive Officer – Nurse Consultant Tissue Viability
David has been a nurse specialist in the field of wounds for 34 years developing clinical services both in acute and ambulatory care as well as multiple telehealth services across the UK. Having started his career in Aberdeen, David studied at Cardiff University in wound healing and tissue repair and has worked in the Highlands of Scotland and Sussex. David was the founding Editor of both the Wounds UK Journal and the British Journal of Nursing Tissue Viability Supplement. As a Professor of Wound Study at Birmingham City University he teaches on the Masters degree programme. David still practices as a Nurse Consultant and is involved in the care of patients with complex wounds each day.
Professor Jenni MacDonald
Chief Nursing Officer – Nurse Consultant Tissue Viability
Over the last 15 years Jenni has led and developed several Tissue Viability and Harm Free Care services for acute, primary and community care across both England and Scotland. Jenni continues to practice as a Nurse Consultant in Tissue Viability and holds many degrees in wound care and skin integrity and also a post graduate Darzi Fellowship for leadership in healthcare.
Jenni holds the role of Professor of Wound Healing at Brimingham City University, supporting the delivery of Masters degrees in wound healing and tissue repair for the next generation of wound healing leaders. Jenni is also the Skin Integrity Nurse Consultant for the UK Sports Institute.
Chief Medical Officer – Consultant Burns & Plastic Surgeon:
Professor Steve Jeffrey
Professor Steve Jeffery is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon, serving with the British Army for over 40 years including 4 tours of Afghanistan during his service. Steve is an active researcher in the field of wounds and a member of the Wound Healing Practice Development Unit at Birmingham City University. He is an Internal Clinician for BSI and advises many companies in the wound care space.
Research Director:
Professor Michael Clark
Professor Steve Jeffery is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon, serving with the British Army for over 40 years including 4 tours of Afghanistan during his service. Steve is an active researcher in the field of wounds and a member of the Wound Healing Practice Development Unit at Birmingham City University. He is an Internal Clinician for BSI and advises many companies in the wound care space.
General Practitioner (GP):
Dr Stuart Shand
Dr Stuart Shand worked as a Registered Nurse for six years before becoming a Doctor which is where his study into wound management began. Working as a GP, Stuart manages the complex medical needs of a busy surgery and he also supports Medics and Ship Captains offshore via telehealth and volunteers for the Ambulance Service.
Deputy Chief Nurse – Nurse Consultant Tissue Viability:
Siobhan Mccoulough
Siobhan is a Nurse Consultant in Tissue Viability with over 27 years of NHS experience across primary, community, and acute care settings in London and Devon. She is a strategic leader with a strong track record in quality improvement, patient safety, and system-wide transformation in tissue viability. She has played a key role in both local and national Academic Health Science Network (AHSNs) programmes driving innovation and clinical excellence. Siobhan holds an Executive MBA in Senior Leadership from the University of Exeter. Siobhan serves as Chair of the Neurodiversity Peer Network at Pioneer and is a committed advocate for neurodiversity inclusion.
Education Lead – Nurse Consultant Tissue Viability:
Trudie Clark
Trudie Clark is Pioneers Education Lead (part time). Trudie also works part time clinically as the Lead Tissue Viability Nurse for the Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff.
Trudie is active across several wound care organisations including serving as a patron and former trustee of the Lindsay Leg Club Foundation. She has been Chair of the Scientific Committee of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and also Chair of the UK Tissue Viability Society.
Nurse Director – Nurse Consultant Tissue Viability:
Carla Leca and Laura Russell
Carla and Laura have significant experience leading tissue viability services across all clinical settings across England. They hold Senior leadership roles at Pioneer and continue to practice as Nurse Consultants.
Board Advisor & Information Governance Lead:
Sue D’Ancey
Sue D’Ancey brings a depth of expertise to Pioneers leadership team, drawing on 20 years of experience as a Registered Nurse and 25-year tenure as a senior member of Pioneer Wound Healing & Lymphoedema Centres management team. Holding a Masters degree in management, Sue focuses her expertise on strategic leadership and operational excellence, supporting the Board to advance the organisation’s growth and mission.
Clinical Team:
All of our clinical staff are dual trained in both wound healing and lymphoedema, every person within the Pioneer network is committed to working together to improve wound healing and lymphoedema treatments. We are very fortunate to have leaders in the fields of Tissue Viability and Lymphoedema with over 20 Clinical Leads and Nurse Consultants leading and overseeing all clinical activities on a daily basis.
Clinical Administration Team:
The Clinical Administration Team are led by our General Manager and are vital to the effective flow of patients and in ensuring timely and safe care. Often as the first point of contact with the patient, either in communicating appointments or on welcoming patients to our centres, the Clinical Administrators recognise the impact of their work on the experience of patients and their families.