Kate Lippiet
Chair of Research and Education Sub Committee
Dr Kate Lippiett (BA (Hons), MSc, RGN, PhD) has worked in the NHS since 1999, first in general management, completing the NHS management training scheme in 2003. Kate was awarded an MSc in Health Management from the University of Birmingham in 2005. She re-trained as a nurse and specialised in respiratory nursing. In 2020, Kate completed a full-time PhD, identifying and characterising patient experiences of burden of treatment in lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).
Kate is a clinical academic with a joint role. First, as Senior Research Fellow at the University of Southampton, working on a multi-site study aiming to provide person-centred care for patients with multi-morbidity on primary care. Second, as Treatment Programme Manager at the Wessex Cancer Alliance. Kate has a particular interest in treatment burden and Long Covid.
Aleksandra Gawlik-Lipinski
Vice Chair of Research and Education Sub Committee
Aleks works as an Advanced Nurse and Paramedic Practitioner with clinical focus on respiratory at two busy surgeries in London. With a background in education and holding an MA in Education and German Linguistics Aleks subsequently undertook a BSc in Public Health & Paramedic Science. In this capacity she has gained experience in a wide range of emergency medicine settings including work in A&E, Ambulance Services, remote mountain and wilderness rescue, as Flight Paramedic, and as Clinical Supervisor and Auditor for NHS 111.
Aleks re-trained as a nurse at King’s College and started her nursing career at King’s College Hospital A&E and in Acute Medicine in 2015 before moving into Primary Care in 2016. In that setting she completed her MSc in Nursing, developed an interest in Respiratory Medicine, completed her PgDip both in Respiratory Medicine and Advanced Clinical Practice and focused on the management of chronic respiratory conditions.
Aleks is very enthusiastic about training and education of primary care nurses and puts her education background to good use by providing respiratory training for the local Training Hub and private companies. Additionally, Aleks works as Respiratory Nurse Specialist for a respiratory hublet in West London.
Debbie Duncan
Debbie has worked as an ANP and non-medical prescriber in Primary Care for over 20 years. She has a special interest in long term conditions, namely, respiratory disease. Debbie has worked as a lecturer in nurse education since 2010 and presently runs the postgraduate respiratory course and Specialist practice respiratory pathway at Queens University Belfast.
Debbie is passionate about education and wants it to be accessible, especially for those based in primary care. As a writer, Debbie has had over 50 articles published in the nursing press. She has also written two textbooks. One of which, the respiratory textbook, was made free online during the first surge of Covid 19.
Laura Rush
Laura is a respiratory specialist practice nurse lead and independent respiratory nurse specialist in Somerset. She is also the Respiratory Champion in her local PCN. A large part of her clinical role involves the diagnosis and management of complex patients with respiratory conditions with the aim of providing accurate and timely diagnosis, management in line with best practice and reducing referrals to secondary care.
Laura sits on the Association of Respiratory Nurses (ARNS) Education and Research subcommittee and is a core member of the Asthma Right Care team. Prior to this she sat on the Primary Care Respiratory Society (PCRS) Education Committee for 4 years. She was a contributor to the PCRS Fit to Care document which acts as guidance as to the skills, knowledge and training required by healthcare professionals working with patients with a respiratory condition, something she is passionate about and would like to see standardised.
Laura’s passion for improving care for respiratory patients including early diagnosis and appropriate management prompted her to share her knowledge and enthusiasm through an educational role to motivate and inspire other healthcare professionals to deliver optimum care. She runs her own respiratory training company, LR Respiratory Training & Consultancy delivering education nationally as well as working with many ICB’s and PCN’s.
Lucy Speakman
Lucy has worked as a community respiratory and home oxygen nurse in Oxford since 2002. Originally having a background in district nursing, Lucy is passionate about patients being cared for in their own environment and reducing the gap between secondary and primary care.
She is the "end of life" lead for the service in Oxford, with a special interest in supporting respiratory patients with refractory breathlessness. She has set up and facilitates support groups for patients with COPD in her local area and has promoted peer support for people living with COPD.
She has an advanced certificate of palliative care from Oxford Brookes and is currently studying for her professional doctorate. The focus of her research is the experience of community Respiratory Nurses supporting patients with breathlessness. She is due to submit her thesis in early 2023. She has published several papers regarding refractory breathlessness, the challenge of being-with at end of life and Bearing witness to breathlessness.
Lucy is motivated by the opportunity to work both clinically and academically. She feels this has enhanced her clinical skills and given her a credible voice to challenge clinical practice when it needs to be challenged and support evidence-based practice.
In 2006 she joined ARNS. In May 2022 she was asked to join their research and education committee. She is keen to encourage other Respiratory Nurses to continue their experience in higher education and further research into the nursing role of supporting patients with refractory breathlessness.
Leanne-Jo Holmes
Leanne, qualified as a nurse in 1998 and in her 25 years experience has worked in many respiratory specific areas including respiratory oncology, thoracic surgery, general respiratory and severe asthma.
Leanne has recently taken up the position as the first UK severe asthma nurse consultant within the Manchester severe asthma service. Prior to this she has spent the last 14 years working as the lead severe asthma clinical nurse specialist in the Manchester severe asthma service, seeing many advancements in patient care and leading nationally in the delivery of specialist treatments and care, leading in service change and implementation of care pathways. Leanne is dedicated to promoting the delivery of high-level standards of care to individuals living with with severe asthma and respiratory disease.
Leanne chairs the northwest severe asthma regional MDT and nationally has had the experience of working with other respiratory organisations including, the severe asthma nurse network and the British thoracic society as part of the education and training committee, the asthma specialist advisory group and nurse specialist advisory group. Leanne leads nationally in the care of severe asthma and has spent many years providing respiratory education in many guises including teaching and organising national training events. Leanne has chaired both nationally and internationally at conference and led and co-authored upon publications within severe asthma.
Leanne works passionately as her patient advocate to provide the best care possible for patients affected physically and psychologically by severe asthma. Leanne’s special interests include adherence, the care of the young adults with severe asthma, promoting shared decision making, patient empowerment, and nurse led research. Leanne’s research interest and journey really began when undertaking a NIHR supported master’s in research (MRes) where she undertook the first empirical study exploring the impact of severe asthma upon intimacy and relationships. This provided a valuable insight into an important yet rarely discussed topic in asthma identifying that living with severe asthma can impose a significant emotional burden alongside physical limitations. Leanne is now in her first year of her PhD exploring outcomes, experiences, and support needs of young adults with severe asthma.
Leanne’s greatest job satisfaction comes from working face to face with patients and fervently believes respiratory nurses can make a significant positive impact for their patients and quality of life.
Kayleigh Brindle
Kayleigh has worked in the field of respiratory medicine at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust since qualifying as a registered nurse in 2009. She started her career working in an acute respiratory support unit before becoming a respiratory research nurse within the respiratory clinical trials unit in 2014. This was driven by a desire to be at the forefront of respiratory research in order to improve outcomes of those living with respiratory diseases. This role sees her lead studies locally in a number of respiratory specialities.
Kayleigh’s specialist interest is chronic cough. She has worked in the Hull Cough clinic alongside Professor Alyn Morice since 2014 and runs a weekly nurse led clinic. Such is her passion in educating others in this often under recognised and debilitating respiratory condition, she commenced a part time PhD in Health Sciences with Hull York Medical School in January 2022, exploring the patient experience of chronic cough. She published a book chapter on the pharmacological management of cough in 2021 and her first qualitative publication on the patient experience of chronic cough was published in April 2023. She has co-authored publications in numerous other respiratory conditions including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, cystic fibrosis and sarcoidosis.
In line with the academic requirements of her role prior to commencing her PhD Kayleigh has gained a number of post graduate qualifications including a BSc in Health Professional Studies and has a PGCert in both Leadership in Health and Social Care and Research Training. She has completed numerous respiratory courses throughout her career and regularly submits abstracts to local and international conferences.
Kayleigh is passionate about research becoming embedded within respiratory nursing practice, enabling all respiratory nurses to be actively involved in research. Joining the ARNS research and education committee in April 2023 she hopes to champion respiratory nurses becoming research active.
Our Team
Executive Committee
Respiratory Disease
Sub Committee
Diagnosis & Therapy
Sub Committee