ABOUT HELEN

Meet Helen

Helen Clinkscale
MSc, PGCE, BSc, RGN, Executive Coach 

I have over 38 years of NHS experience in internal and external coaching, mentoring and line management roles. This includes responsibility for Training and Professional Development at NHS Borders and as a Senior Lecturer at Edinburgh Napier University for the last 14 years.

Through my various roles within the NHS, I have acquired considerable knowledge and understanding of the organisational systems and networks within the NHS and Higher Education.

As a qualified Executive Coach, in the last 4 years, I have coached over 50 managers, clinicians, academics and CEOs from a wide range of public services such as Scottish Government, Care Inspectorate, NHS territorial and special Boards and third sector.

I am a qualified Practitioner of Myers Briggs Step I and II Type Indicator which I frequently use to support individual and team development. I also utilise Transactional Analysis principles and tools to support clients to better manage professional relationships in the context of attitudes and behaviours.

And the lighthouse?  Helen means "shining light".  A lighthouse can symbolise various things, such as overcoming challenges and adversity.  It is most commonly used to symbolise a way forward and help in navigating through the world. 
Read more
Helen Clinkscale
"Helen is a very diligent and professional coach who has extensive breadth and depth in Executive and Business coaching.  Her background in psychometrics give her a specialist edge that many of her clients have appreciated. Helen is a consummate professional and approaches her position as a coach with great integrity.  She delivers an approach that is morally and ethically sound in accordance with the codes of practice of the professional associations in the industry."
Peter Hill
Managing Director
CFM Consulting Ltd (consultancy, coaching and development)

Background and experience

Helen has held a full spectrum of roles in a range of specialities including Acute Medicine and Intensive Care Nursing and has had a particular interest in staff support and development throughout these various roles. Her clinical background is in acute care nursing, which extended into specialist stroke care as a senior clinical research nurse on a major CSO research project and subsequently into stroke service redesign as Project Manager of the Design Healthcare Initiative Stroke Project, a Scottish Government initiative.  

As Head of Service of the Training and Professional Development function Helen supported an NHS Board to deliver their Corporate Objectives by identifying and responding to statutory, mandatory, national, and regional priorities. Helen provided evidence based learning and development, specialist advice and appropriate solutions which enabled staff to deliver safe, effective and high quality care to patients, underpinned by effective governance.

In addition Helen supported change and innovation initiatives such as development and delivery of a Clinical Skills Simulation Laboratory, an eLearning Computer Suite and a refreshed Library Service. She was also responsible for the quality assurance processes, interpretation of national policy and legal frameworks to align education programmes to legal and professional standards. In her Senior Lecturer joint appointment with Edinburgh Napier University Helen led the development and delivery of clinical academic strategies with our Higher Education Institution Partners.

Through her various roles within the NHS, Helen has acquired considerable knowledge and understanding of the organisational systems and networks within healthcare and higher education providers, not only locally but nationally. She has used this knowledge to seek out, research and build business cases and project proposals to obtain funding and expert resources. 

Qualifications

I have the following qualifications:

 2015 ILM (Institute of Leadership and Management) Level 7 Diploma for Executive Coaches and Leadership Mentors – Coaching For More
 2010 PG Cert in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education - Edinburgh Napier University
 2008 Ben Renshaw Success Intelligence Coaching Programme - NHS Borders
 2008 Kings Fund Athena Executive Leadership Development Programme - Exec’ Women
 2002 MSc in Forensic Medicine with Distinction - Edinburgh University
 1998 BSc in Nursing & Health Studies with Distinction - Edinburgh Napier University
 1995 Diploma in Healthcare Management - Borders Health Board
 1994 Extended Counselling Skills Edinburgh - Napier University
 1984 English National Board Intensive Care Nursing - Sheffield School of Nursing
 1983 Registered General Nursing - Scottish Borders School of Nursing

Professional development

 2016 Myers Briggs Type Indicator Step II Practitioner 
 2015 Transactional Analysis 101 Foundation Course, Physis
 2014 Myers Briggs Type Indicator Step I Practitioner
 I am a full member of the Association for Coaching UK
 I receive regular 1:1 supervision on my coaching practice

Career summary


 April 2003 - June 2017 Head of Training & Professional Development / Senior Lecturer NHS Borders / Edinburgh Napier University

 March 2010 – April 2011 Strategic Lead for Patient Safety & Quality Strategy, NHS Borders

 March 2007 – March 2008 Practice Placement Reviewer, NHS Education for Scotland

 April 2003 – March 2010 Lead Nurse CPD / Senior Lecturer, Edinburgh Napier University/ NHS Borders

 July 2002 – April 2003 Clinical Service Development Officer - Stroke Services, NHS Borders

 July 2002 – April 2003 Clinical Advisor - Electronic Clinical Communications Project, NHS Borders

 July 2001 – July 2002 Project Manager Design Healthcare Initiative - Stroke Project, NHS Borders

 August 1998 – July 2001 Clinical Research Nurse – CSO Stroke Incidence Study, Scottish Borders

 August 1979 – August 1998 Clinical nursing roles from student nurse to Charge Nurse, Scottish Borders
Share by: