What is your main area of expertise?
Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC) regulatory requirements including ISO 15189 the FSR Code and FSR guidance, but my background is in ISO 17025 and ISO17020 quality management systems.
How do you help the FCN’s stakeholders in policing and beyond?
I have been the SARC accreditation support national lead for the past 3 years, project managing a large portfolio of national projects to support SARCs and Policing in improving the quality of their forensic services whilst also testing, risk assessing and influencing the SARC regulations.
Which piece of work delivered in the FCN are you proudest of?
Most proud of the SARC national validation studies I have led which have resulted in a single national approach to demonstrating that the SARC consumables and processes are fit for purpose, saving policing, SARCs, Charities and the NHS a huge amount of time and millions of pounds.
What is your favourite part of your role?
Working with experts and specialists in the different fields of forensics to solve complex accreditation challenges.
What was your first job in policing or forensics?
My first job in police forensics was as a Quality Officer in the Joint Scientific Investigation Unit in South Wales Police. This was a very exciting opportunity for me to support a large portfolio of forensic provisions and be involved in the development of new accreditations.
How did you get into a career in forensics?
I moved from Quality Management to Project Managing new accreditations and this is what I found most challenging and rewarding. For example working on the accreditation of SARCs to ISO 15189 which has not been achieved before, this has been a huge learning and development opportunity for me, opening up new challenges and different approaches to problem solving.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I love exploring, trekking mountains and just being outdoors, I also really enjoy growing my own fruit and veg at my allotment. I am extremely passionate about learning, I spend a lot of time outside of work working on my PhD on the ‘Validation of the Recovery of Forensic DNA Evidence from Victims & Suspects of Sexual Assault & Rape’.