Consultant Admiral Nurse Services and Health Inequalities Team

Kirsty Dallison-Perry is a Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) and Non-Medical Prescriber (NMP) with extensive experience in senior nursing leadership across the NHS and charity sector.

As Head of Consultant Admiral Nurse and Health Inequality Services at Dementia UK, she leads nationally on the operational, clinical and quality standards of these services, helping to ensure families affected by dementia receive expert and equitable support.

Kirsty joined Dementia UK in 2024 after 15 years in an NHS mental health trust, where she worked across inpatient and community services, primarily in older people’s mental health. She previously held trust-wide leadership responsibilities for non-medical prescribing and the Professional Nurse Advocate programme.

Kirsty holds Level 7 qualifications with distinction and a first-class honours degree in professional practice. She is currently completing the Florence Nightingale Foundation Established Strategic Leaders Scholarship and is working towards developing a national Admiral Nursing career pathway.

Kerry Lyons is a Registered General Nurse with extensive experience in senior clinical leadership across acute, community and specialist services.

As Deputy Head of Consultant Admiral Nurse and Health Inequality Services at Dementia UK, she supports national leadership of these services, helping to reduce health inequalities and ensure families affected by dementia can access specialist, culturally responsive support.

Kerry joined Dementia UK in 2021 as a Consultant Admiral Nurse for Acute Care and became the charity’s first Consultant Admiral Nurse for Frailty and Physical Health in 2023. She previously held senior roles including Nurse Practitioner, Matron and Consultant Nurse, leading service developments and strengthening care pathways for people living with dementia and frailty.

Kerry is committed to continuous professional development and is undertaking postgraduate leadership study to strengthen her strategic practice. She has received national recognition, including the RCNi Commitment to Carers Award and UK Dementia Practitioner of the Year.

Rachel is Consultant Admiral Nurse for Lewy Body Dementia, funded by the Lewy Body Society and employed by Dementia UK. She has worked as a nurse across a range of settings for over 35 years and became an Admiral Nurse in 1999. She was previously the Practice Development Lead for Admiral Nursing and, before that, the Dementia Lead at the Royal College of Nursing.

Rachel is a Visiting Professor at the Geller Institute for Ageing and Memory at the University of West London and Co-chair of the British Geriatrics Society (BGS) Dementia Special Interest Group, and contributes to national steering groups.

Rachel has been involved in delivering education and training and leading practice development. She has also published a number of articles on education and best practice in dementia care, and also co-authored the book ‘Dementia: Support for family and friends, (second edition, 2019)’.

Rachel is a Registered Mental Health Nurse, graduating from the University of Birmingham in 1997.  She works in the Lewy Body Dementia Admiral Nurse team at Dementia UK.

Rachel has been a Registered Nurse for 32 years, with a varied career across both hospital and community settings. She has always had a passion for dementia care and in 2014, joined the Kirklees Admiral Nurse Team as a community-based Admiral Nurse. She later moved to work on Dementia UK’s Helpline and in virtual clinic appointments, before joining the Lewy Body Dementia Team in 2024.

Rachel is continually inspired by the families Dementia UK supports and values the opportunity to guide and advise them as they navigate the complexities of Lewy body dementia. She is a member of the Lewy Body Dementia Community of Practice, collaborating with professionals across the sector to share and develop best practice.

Rachel’s professional interests include psychoeducational group work and exploring the relationship between Lewy body dementia and Parkinson’s.

Sue qualified as a Registered Mental Health Nurse in 2006, after 10 years of working in dementia care. Her career has included both inpatient and community roles, beginning as a Staff Nurse before moving into the Older People’s Community Mental Health Team as a Community Psychiatric Nurse. Sue later joined her local Community Admiral Nurse Team and then the Dementia UK Helpline. She is currently seconded to the Lewy Body Dementia Team.

Sue is passionate about working alongside carers, helping them to make sense of complex clinical, emotional, and practical challenges, such as changes in behaviour, accessing support, and planning for the future. She has a particular interest in Lewy body dementia and is committed to supporting carers through times of uncertainty, transition, and end of life care.

Sue values compassionate, evidence-informed practice and strongly believes in helping families feel listened to, informed, and supported. She also enjoys contributing to education and training to improve understanding and promote best practice in Lewy body dementia.

Dr Francisca (Fran) Mada is the Consultant Admiral Nurse for Young Onset Dementia, providing expert clinical leadership and advocacy for people living with young onset dementia and their families. Fran has been an Admiral Nurse since 2020 and brings more than 30 years of nursing experience. Dual registered in General and Mental Health Nursing, Fran has worked across NHS acute and mental health services, community teams, care homes and dementia research. As a Research Therapist, she contributed to the UK’s largest care home dementia study, and has consistently identified gaps in support for younger people living with dementia.

Fran’s experience as a Discharge Liaison Nurse deepened her understanding of the challenges younger families face during transitions from hospital to care homes. Her Doctorate explored spouses’ experiences of this transition, strengthening her commitment to improving systems and delivering meaningful, whole-family support. She also brings personal insight through caring for her mum, who had vascular dementia.

Sophie is an Admiral Nurse within the Young Onset Dementia Consultant Admiral Nurse Service. With more than 16 years’ experience in health and social care, she is a skilled specialist nurse dedicated to supporting families affected by dementia.

Sophie has experience working within a specialist dementia palliative care service and leading a primary care Admiral Nurse service, as well as working across acute and community settings throughout her career.

Sophie’s role is varied, from delivering young onset dementia Admiral Nurse clinics to presenting at national conferences. She is passionate about raising awareness of young onset dementia. She is currently completing the final year of her Master’s degree in palliative care, focusing on the benefits of palliative care in young onset dementia. She is also supporting a co-produced research project on advance care planning and young onset dementia as part of her role.

Hannah is the Consultant Admiral Nurse for Children and Young People at Dementia UK, leading work to improve support and awareness for children and young people living in families affected by dementia. She works to ensure their voices are reflected in policy, research and clinical practice, while shaping education and promoting best practice across sectors.

A Registered General Nurse with more than 20 years’ experience, Hannah has supported families affected by all types and stages of dementia, including rarer forms. Her previous roles include Dementia Lead Nurse, working in Dementia UK’s clinical services, supporting families through Rare Dementia Support and working in a local hospice service.

Hannah is an Honorary Senior Associate at Bangor University and is involved in research to develop peer support groups for young dementia carers. Her commitment is also personal, inspired by her late mother’s diagnosis of young onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Melissa joined Dementia UK as Consultant Admiral Nurse for Frailty and Physical Health in 2025. She qualified as a Registered General Nurse at De Montfort University in 2005 and has since built a rich and varied nursing career. Her early roles included Staff Nurse positions in surgery and community hospitals, where she developed strong clinical skills and a passion for person-centred care. She later progressed to become a Lead Admiral Nurse in acute care, providing specialist dementia support within complex hospital environments.

Melissa has a particular clinical interest in delirium, recognising its significant impact on people living with dementia and the families and carers who support them. Her extensive experience working alongside families continues to shape her commitment to improving care, strengthening understanding and promoting best practice. She brings compassion, expertise and a strong dedication to improving outcomes for people affected by dementia.

Marie is the Admiral Nurse for Frailty and Physical Health at Dementia UK. A Registered General Nurse, she qualified at Coventry University in 2014 and has since built experience across acute, community and specialist services.

Marie became an Admiral Nurse in 2019, working across hospital and community teams, and later progressed to Lead Admiral Nurse, establishing a new Admiral Nurse service within a hospital setting.

Marie has a particular interest in surgical pathways and dementia education, recognising their impact on people living with dementia and their families. She joined Dementia UK in 2024 as an Academy Admiral Nurse, supporting the professional development of Admiral Nurses, before joining the Consultant Admiral Nurse Team in 2026. She brings specialist expertise and a strong commitment to improving outcomes for families affected by dementia.

Joe is the Consultant Admiral Nurse for Sport and Dementia. He is a Registered Mental Health Nurse with extensive experience in dementia care across NHS organisations and the charity sector.

Joe leads and works within our Admiral Nurse clinics in professional sport, including the Professional Footballers’ Association Admiral Nurse clinic and the Rugby League Cares Admiral Nurse clinic.

In his role, Joe provides clinical support and advice to families affected by dementia where there is an association with sport. He acts as a resource for Admiral Nurses, offering training, learning and development on sport and dementia to support best practice. He also contributes to research and strategy, providing clinical leadership in this developing field.

Collaboration and networking are key components of Joe’s role. This includes building relationships, creating partnership opportunities, and offering clinical consultancy on dementia to a range of organisations.

Safia is an Admiral Nurse for Black African and Caribbean communities, with extensive experience supporting families from diverse backgrounds.

In her role, she focuses on addressing the specific barriers faced by Black, African and Caribbean communities, including stigma, late diagnosis and limited engagement with dementia services. She works to improve access to meaningful support by providing culturally responsive dementia advice and guidance through the Black, African and Caribbean communities Admiral Nurse clinics at Dementia UK.

Safia also partners closely with community, voluntary and faith organisations to strengthen awareness and understanding of dementia, helping families feel more confident in navigating care. In addition, she supports health and social care professionals to develop cultural competence, ensuring services are more responsive to the needs, strengths and experiences of the communities she works alongside.