Cathy Dorrian

Service Development Manager

Cathy has been working in the NHS for over 20 years. She qualified as Registered General Nurse in 1976 before moving to Glasgow to complete her ITU training at the Glasgow Western Infirmary. She then went on to train in mental health nursing gaining her RMN in 1981.

After living and working in the Middle East for a number of years she returned to the UK to work as ITU nurse and spent 3 years working in further education as a Lecturer in Health & Social Care.

Cathy joined NHS Grampian in 2001 after graduating from Aberdeen University with a BSc (Hons) in Health Science. Her first post was with the Department of Public Health as research and evaluation officer for the 'Healthy Hoose'.

After this Cathy moved on to take up the position of Project Manager for the E-Consultation Project with Grampian Local Health Council. This project was undertaken in collaboration with Aberdeen University and British Telecoms and conducted a survey using paper and web-based questionnaires to enable the public to feedback their views to the NHS. The study was published in 2003.

Returning to the Department of Public Health she took up the position of North of Scotland Network Co-ordinator working with the 5 Northern Health Boards to develop a Network and identify the priority health issues for the North of Scotland. The Network made extensive use of VC technology to support its regional working.

To gain further experience in Public Health, Cathy applied for and accepted the post of Public Health Co-ordinator, with the Aberdeen City Community Health Partnership (CHP). During this time Cathy was responsible for the development of Public Health capacity and practice within the CHP and the Local Authority areas.

In 2004 Cathy was appointed as regional Network Manager for the North of Scotland Managed Clinical Network (MCN) for Epilepsy. This was a Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) initiative to improve epilepsy services across the North of Scotland covering Grampian, Highland, Orkney and Shetland. Improving patient access to epilepsy services was a priority for the Network and the group were aware that Dr. Victor Patterson, a Consultant Neurologist in Belfast had done this using Teleneurology. In 2005 the MCN applied to the Centre for Change and Innovation (CCI) for funding to pilot teleneurology in collaboration with Dr. Patterson and Dr. Jim Ferguson's Telemedicine Team in Aberdeen. The bid was successful and teleneurology was piloted in Aberdeen and Orkney. The new service model of care was evaluated as safe, effective and acceptable to patients and staff and continues to be used today by clinical staff in Aberdeen and Orkney.

Outside work Cathy loves to spend time with her family and friends, mess around in the kitchen with her cookery books, and is happiest when climbing local hills or stripping the willow on the dance floor!