About Dame Sarah

Dame Sarah’s impressive career in the field of health visiting and community practice development spans over several decades. Her dedication and expertise have had a significant impact on both national and international levels.

With a decade of experience as a health visitor and practice teacher in Eastbourne, Dame Sarah’s passion for the field led her to pursue doctoral studies. In 1992, she joined the academic staff at King’s College London, where she made remarkable contributions.

During her time at King’s College, Dame Sarah led a pioneering program that integrated health visiting and district nursing qualifications. Her expertise in community practice development led to her appointment as Professor of Community Practice Development. She focused on advancing education and research at the master’s and doctoral levels.

International influence

Dame Sarah’s research on needs assessment has gained international recognition. Her valuable insights have influenced studies in countries such as Brazil, Australia, Japan, Ireland, and New Zealand. Notably, her work on the distribution of health visiting services in relation to indicators of deprivation resulted in a funding model widely used for workforce planning, commissioning, and strategic planning.

Organisations

Beyond her academic achievements, Dame Sarah actively contributes to the field through her involvement in various organizations and initiatives. She serves as a trustee for the Institute of Health Visiting and the charity Foundation Years Information and Research. Additionally, she is a patron for DorPIP (Dorset Parent Infant Partnership) and MECSH (Maternal and Early Childhood Sustained Home Visiting program) in the UK.

Publishing

Dame Sarah’s contributions extend to the realm of academic publishing as well. She has served on various editorial boards and has published extensively, with a particular focus on her research interests in health visiting, child, and family public health. In collaboration with Marion Frost, she co-authored a revision of ‘The Principles of Health Visiting: Opening the door to public health’ in 2006. Her most recent work includes a comprehensive edited book titled ‘Community Public Health in Policy and Practice: a Sourcebook,’ co-authored with Dr. Karen Whittaker. This book, published in 2020, presents a framework based on Dame Sarah’s final program of research, which identified key concepts embedded in health visitors’ ‘orientation to practice.’

Dame Sarah’s dedication, expertise, and remarkable contributions have shaped the field of health visiting and community practice development. Her work continues to inspire and inform future generations, making a lasting impact on public health and the well-being of children and families.