Meet the team
NWNODN Team Structure
+Director, Senior Lead Nurse and Clinical Leads
Louise Weaver-Lowe
Director (currently on secondment to NHS England)
Louise joined the NWNODN in September 2019 as Network Director, and is currently on secondment with NHS England. Prior to this, Louise had been a nurse since the age of 18 and is both a registered nurse and midwife. She has held a number of roles in Neonatal services including Lead Nurse of a large tertiary Neonatal Unit and Head of Nursing for Neonatal , Gynaecology, genetics and obstetric theatres. Louise is the BAPM representative for Networks and has participated in a number of NICE guideline committees.
When not working Louise is a keen walker and spends much of her time on days off walking her Border Collie or enjoying a yoga class. This exercise allow her to enjoy another favourite pastime of eating out!
Nicola Marpole
Interim Director
Nicola is an experienced Network Manager with a strong background in leading and developing healthcare networks across the region. Alongside her role within the neonatal network, she also leads the Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) Network, offering valuable insight into managing complex pathways and working across organisations to deliver shared priorities.
While Nicola does not come from a neonatal clinical background, she brings significant expertise in leadership, coordination and system-wide improvement. She is particularly focused on building strong relationships, supporting collaborative working, and ensuring networks are well positioned to deliver high-quality care for patients and families.
Kelly Harvey
Acting Director (currently on maternity leave)
Kelly took on the role of Senior Lead Nurse in April 2022, having joined the NWNODN in 2018. She is currently on secondment as the Acting Director for the Network. She has 20 years experience as a neonatal nurse, educator, manager and advanced nurse practitioner. Since coming into the network she has been lucky enough to join the NNA as an Exec committee member, take the role of GIRFT nursing advisor for the National Neonatal GIRFT project and is a member of the BAPM quality collaborative. She is passionate about all things neonatal and understanding the impact of neonatal care on babies and families.
She is married with 3 beautiful daughters and is a keen walker – a hobby enhanced by her new dog Archie.
Catherine Nash
Senior Lead Nurse
Catherine has been a Quality Improvement Lead Nurse with the North West Neonatal ODN for 7 years and is currently acting up as the Senior Lead Nurse for a 12 month period. Prior to this role she worked at both an LNU & NICU as a nurse and Ward Manager in the Lancashire & South Cumbria locality, where she was also part of the LSC transport team. As well as being the lead nurse for GM, LSC and all things data, for the past 4 years she has worked closely with the MatNeo SIP leads to roll out the optimisation care bundle across the region. Catherine also supports the surgical SIG and recently formed Nano preterm SIG and over the years has led on the implementation of various initiatives across the region.
Anand Kamalanathan
Clinical Lead for Cheshire & Merseyside
Dr Anand Kamalanathan is the Clinical Lead for the Cheshire and Meraeyside Neonatal Network and is a Consultant Neonatal paediatrician at Arrowe Park Hospital.
Career History: I qualified in India (1996). I pursued my paediatric training (DCH and Diplomate of National Boards) in India before relocating to the UK. I trained across England, with my tier 2 placements being in Merseyside.I was appointed as a consultant at APH in 2011. I have been the clinical service lead for neonates at APH. I then took over the responsibility of Clinical Director for Children’s service at APH till 2024.
Specialist Areas: My area of interest include Medical education, Clinical governance, Respiratory physiology and Simulation.
Amitava Sur
Acting Clinical Lead for Lancashire & South Cumbria and Medical Lead for Education
Dr Amitava Sur is the Clinical Lead for the Lancashire and South Cumbria Neonatal Network and is a Consultant Neonatolgist at Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre
Specialist Interests: Neonatal respiratory research, use of POCUS in clinical practice and perinatal optimisation . I co-lead the Respiratory SIG for the ODN. Dr Amitava Sur is a member of the BAPM national quality steering group and NNAP data group.
Ajit Mahaveer
Clinical Lead for Greater Manchester
Dr Ajit Mahaveer has been appointed as the Clinical lead for the Greater Manchester Neonatal network. Ajit is a consultant neonatologist working at St Mary’s Hospital in Manchester and also is the Clinical Director for Paediatrics and neonates at North Manchester General Hospital.
Qualifications: MBBS, MD, MRCPCH
Background: Dr Mahaveer graduated from India in year 2000. He had further specialist training in Cambridge, Liverpool and Manchester in neonatal medicine and was appointed as a neonatal consultant at Saint Mary’s Hospital in 2012.
Other roles include Clinical lead for Research & Nutrition, Chair – St Mary’s Hospital Audit committee, Member of the Paediatric National Organ donation committee and Honorary Senior lecturer at University of Manchester
Special Interests: Neonatal Research, Parenteral nutrition, Undergraduate medical education, QI and patient safety education
Ian Dady
Clinical Lead for Connect North West (Neonatal Transport)
Consultant Neonatologist, NICU, St Marys Hospital, Manchester & Clinical Director for Neonatal Transport, Connect NW
I have worked as a Consultant Neonatologist at St Marys Hospital since 1997,and have interests in undergraduate medical education and advanced neonatal nursing practitioner training, respiratory physiology and neonatal transport. I have led the neonatal transport service for Greater Manchester since its inception 2005 and was the inaugural chair of the UK Neonatal Transport Group. I am currently Clinical Director for the newly formed Connect NW Neonatal Transport Service, which has combined the transport services for all three networks in the NW Neonatal Operational Delivery Network since June 2017.
+Quality Improvement Lead Nurses
Heather Martin
Quality Improvement Lead Nurse
Heather is the Quality Improvement Lead Nurse for the Cheshire and Merseyside locality. Her role involves facilitating and supporting governance within all three NWNODN localities. She has 25 years’ experience within the field of neonatal intensive care, with an enthusiasm for ensuring patient safety, quality care, sharing learning and good practice to enhance the care of babies and their families. She is a member of the Neonatal Nurses Association.
Heather is married with two daughters. She enjoys family time and meeting with friends which usually involves eating and relaxing!
Claire Arnold
Quality Improvement Lead Nurse and ROP Coordinator
As ROP Coordinator Claire leading the mobilisation of the new standardised, region-wide hybrid hub and spoke screening service, supported by nurse imagers and digital retinal imaging. The model will standardised clinical pathways, refine and strengthen safety and governance and improve equity of access to the babies and families across the northwest.
Claire qualified as an adult nurse in 2001 and transitioned into the neonatal world immediately. She has predominately worked within neonatal care for over 20 years, with a three year gap where she took on the role of a School Health Nurse in Manchester. Her most recent role was Ward Manager within one of the northwest NICU’s. Within her career, Claire has completed her QIS, Clinical Studies Degree and R23 Enhancing Neonatal Practitioner training as well as still being an NLS instructor.
Claire is married. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going on walks with her dog and she loves Pilates.
+Care Co-Ordinator Team
Sarah Fullwood
Lead Care Co-Ordinator
Samantha Parry
Care Co-Ordinator
Sam joined the NWNODN team in December 2020 as a Neonatal Care Coordinator. She is a midwife with 26years neonatal experience and worked at a level 3 Neonatal unit working in partnership with families, maternity and neonatal teams to deliver a high quality standard of care.
Sam is married with two grown up children and enjoys sewing and crafting in her spare time, and has an ambition to fly a plane.
Victoria Walsh
Parent Engagement Lead
Victoria joined the team in 2023 and has a deep and personal connection to the world of neonatal care.
As a mother to two children, Victoria’s own experiences have provided her with a unique perspective with her two children both being born prematurely.
Victoria is deeply passionate about involving families in their baby’s care and her personal experiences have fueled her commitment to ensuring that families receive the support, guidance, and empowerment they need during these critical times.
Beyond her professional life, Victoria enjoys the simple pleasures of life with her family. She has a lovable dog who adds joy to their daily routine.
+Workforce & Education Team
Amitava Sur
Medical Lead for Education & LSC Clinical Lead
Amitava is a consultant neonatologist at Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre and has a special interest in neonatal respiratory research, use of POCUS in clinical practice and perinatal optimisation . Amitava co-leads the Respiratory SIG for the ODN and is also a member of the BAPM national quality steering group and NNAP data group.
Karen Mainwaring
Workforce & Education Lead
Karen is a neonatal nurse with 20 plus years clinical experience across the range of neonatal care settings and joined the NWNODN team in 2014. Karen has a passion for involving families in their baby’s care and all things neonatal workforce and education.
As a Christian Karen is often found supporting church activities something she shares with the family she loves, along with being by the sea or touring around in her Campervan.
Natalie Anders
Senior Neonatal Network Educator
Natalie took on the role of Senior Network Educator in March 2024, having joined the NWNODN for a secondment in 2023. This opportunity allowed her to work on a service improvement project to develop, commission, and implement a robust and sustainable screening model for retinopathy of prematurity. She has many years of neonatal experience working in a variety of nursing roles from band 5 through to Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. She has an interest in research and has just completed an Early Careers in Research MSc module to complement her new role as a Senior ANNP Educator for the NNWODN. In 2023 she voted into the role of nurse representative on the BAPM executive committee and she is keen to grow the neonatal nursing voice nationally.
Charlotte Haycocks
Clinical Educator
Jenny Lowe
Clinical Educator- Currently on Maternity Leave
Jenny joined the NWNODN Team as Educator with the FiN programme, although she was worked with the programme for a number of years, having been seconded from Bolton Hospital.
Katy McKie
Clinical Educator
+Allied Health Professionals and Psychology Team
Jo Marks
Phillipa Ranson
Speech & Language Therapist
Jo has over 32 years of experience as a Speech and Language Therapist, with more than 25 years specialising in Paediatrics and Neonatal care. She is passionate about developing the Speech and Language Therapy workforce across the Network and is committed to ensuring the highest standards of clinical care.
Jo is married with 2 grown up boys. She loves shopping , especially for shoes & handbags
Neonatal Physiotherapist
Phillipa a Neonatal Physiotherapist with over 20 years of initially paediatrics and then acute neonatal experience; she is still practicing clinically. Currently she sits on the APCP Neonatal Committee, which she has been a member of since 2016.
Phillipa’s Special interests are Developmental Care and FiCare, highlighting the importance of “Parents as Partners” from day one on.
Rebecca Hinton
Neonatal Pharmacist
Rebecca has worked as a qualified pharmacist across three large teaching hospitals; the majority of her clinical practice has been within women’s and children’s services. Over the last 10 years she has led the neonatal pharmacy service at 2 large teaching hospitals. Rebecca has a passion to improve pharmaceutical care for neonates and ensure the availability of quality medicines resources for those caring for neonatal patients.
Rebecca is keen to develop a national network for ODN pharmacists and engage in provision of neonatal education.
Alongside this role Rebecca continues to lead the pharmacy service for neonates in Manchester Foundation Trust.
Lynette Forsythe
Dietitian
Lynette has worked for 20 years as a paediatric dietitian and the last 7 years of these specialised in neonates. She is passionate about supporting babies’ nutrition to achieve optimal growth and development. Lynette has a special interest in neonatal nutrition post gastrointestinal surgery and promoting breastfeeding.
Lynette is married, enjoys running and making cakes when not being taxi for her 2 sons sporting activities.
Sarah Tandy
Neonatal Occupational Therapist
Sarah is a Specialist Neonatal Occupational Therapist at Royal Preston Hospital and has joined the network after over 15 years of working with children and families. She has a specialist interest in sensory integration and the role it plays in the development of children. Sarah is excited to help grow the Occupational Therapy workforce across the network.
Sarah loves to spend time with her husband and son. She enjoys swimming, spending time with friends and planning new adventures.
Ruth Butterworth
Clinical Psychologist
Ruth is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with a specialist interest in parent, infant and family mental health and in developing psychologically informed ways of working that support staff and families alike.
She is really excited to be able to develop the confidence of our staff teams to use psychological principles in their work, as well as increasing the number of neonatal psychological professionals supporting families and units across the North West.
Ruth is also a mum of three who loves listening to books and podcasts as she ferries children around! Recommendations always welcome…
+Business Administration & Projects
Romi Eden-Murphy
Business & Projects Manager
Romi is the Business & Projects Manager for the NWNODN, being a new edition to the team in 2023. Romi has worked in the NHS for 9 years in a mixture of administrative, operational and project management roles.
Romi was recently married in Ibiza and enjoys spending time with her young son & husband and their cockapoo Arne. She enjoys going to the gym, watching her son play football at the weekends, spending time with her family and likes to get away on holiday/weekends away as much as possible!
Laura Kearns
Governance and Project Manager
Laura is the Governance and Project Manager for the NWNODN, having joined the team in 2015 originally as Team Co-Ordinator. Laura has worked for the NHS for over 12 years in various roles including administration and project roles.
Laura is married and a mum to two young boys, she enjoys spending her free time at her Caravan by the seaside enjoying outdoor fun and fresh air.
Rosie Milbourn
Education Project Manager
Rosie has worked in neonates for the last 30 years since qualifying as a RGN/RSCN from Gt Ormond St Children’s Hospital. Over the years she has worked clinically on level 2 and 3 units and also as a clinical educator and as a ward manager. She has also lectured at the University of Central Lancashire.
She has recently taken on a new administration role as the Education Project Manager for the NWNODN.
Rosie is married with 2 grown up children and loves nothing better than a night at the theatre!
Carrie Fagan
Project Coordinator
Carrie has recently joined the team after working for the NHS for 5 years with a mixture of management and administration roles.
Carrie is married, has three children and enjoys spending time with her family, socialising and going to concerts but also likes to relax and curl up with a good book.
Brooke Lee
Team Co-Ordinator
Brooke has recently joined the team after 7 years working in the NHS with significant experience in Nursery Nursing and Management, throughout her career Brooke has developed a passion for supporting children and families to make a positive difference in their lives.
In her free time she enjoys long walks with her dog Tass as well as painting, baking, cooking and exploring new hobbies that involve anything creative!