Donna Souter

Programme Lead for the Manchester Burns Course, Donna has an extensive background in burns nursing and has spent the last 23 years working for the Manchester Burns Service; firstly, as a Staff Nurse on the Burns Ward, then as a Scrub and Anaesthetics Practitioner in Burns Theatre and currently as a Burns Trauma and Rehabilitation Specialist Nurse.

Donna supplemented her practical and specialist knowledge with a Post Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice and now enjoys facilitating the modules of the Manchester Burns Course because it is a place to share knowledge and develop with other professionals.

Michaela Grimes

Michaela is the Paediatric Burns Course Educator for the Manchester Burns Course. She worked on the Paediatric Burns Service at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital for 13 years prior to this role. Michaela started working at RMCH when she was newly qualified and has had numerous roles within the Burn Team from Staff Nurse, Sister and Burns Clinical Educator.

Michaela has a special interest in burns education and is currently undertaking the Post-Graduate Certificate in Higher Education in order to gain additional knowledge and skills to supplement those gained in practice.

Michaela enjoys facilitating the Burns Course as it enables her to gain an understanding of burn care throughout the whole of the UK and Ireland and allows her to share her knowledge of her favourite subject.

Helen Ankers-Brailsford

Programme and Learning Support Manager for the Manchester Burns Course, Helen has worked in the NHS for 27 years, her first role being at the Christie where she ran a research team in Cancer Genetics as well as supporting affiliated students. She then moved on to Leighton Hospital, working in Histopathology and then to the first of her roles at Wythenshawe in General Surgery. Following the first of many restructures Helen moved to Women and Children's to provide Divisional Admin support and, when the hospital began to feel the financial pinch, moved over to PMO as a Project Manager, assisting in guiding the Trust through turnaround. Following the merger into MFT, and relocation of PMO to MRI, she took a role with MacMillan as a Service User Involvement Facilitator with the Recovery Package (living with and beyond cancer). Helen now works with the Manchester Burns Course whilst providing Admin Support to the Burns Service and managing the Admin Team.

Helen's advice to students on the course is simple; enjoy learning, stay in touch, engage with us and ask if you aren't sure, that's what we are here for.