Hi, my name is
Lorraine.
Hello — I’m Dr. Lorraine Kelly, a nurse, leader, and passionate advocate for compassionate care. My nursing journey began in the early 1980s, driven by a desire to make a difference in people’s lives. Like many of us, I was drawn in by the profession’s mix of humanity, challenge, and camaraderie — and I’ve never looked back.
I Work With . . .
Nurses
Hospital Managers
Senior Leaders in Healthcare
Allied Healthcare Professionals
Home & Community Care Providers
Healthcare Education Providers / Universities
At the heart of everything I do is a belief that compassionate leadership transforms care — not just for patients, but for the people delivering it. I work with a wide range of healthcare professionals and organisations to help them lead with heart, improve outcomes, and create healthier, happier teams.
As a Senior Nurse Leader I can help you with...
For Nurses (NHS and Independent Health Care)
Whether you’re a newly qualified nurse or a seasoned senior sister, my services are designed to support, develop and inspire you.
How I can help?
• Personalised career coaching and leadership
development tailored to your goals.
• A safe, supportive space to reflect, recharge and build resilience in a demanding profession.
For Hospital Managers (NHS and Independent Health Care)
Managing busy services comes with daily challenges. I provide practical, evidence-based consultancy to help you lead high-performing, compassionate teams.
How I can help?
• Support with accreditation readiness, inspection
preparation and clinical service reviews.
• Proven strategies to tackle staffing challenges, patient
safety concerns and quality improvement projects.
For Senior Leaders in Health & Social Care (NHS and Independent Health and Social Care)
Leadership at system level demands a focus on people, strategy and safe, sustainable care. I work alongside health and social care leaders to drive cultural and operational transformation.
For Allied Health Professionals (NHS and Independent Health Care)
Physiotherapists, pharmacists, operating department practitioners, - radiographers and other allied professionals are vital to patient care. I offer multidisciplinary leadership support and team development services.
How I can help?
• Insight into compassionate leadership, retention strategies and staff wellbeing initiatives.
• Organisational assessments that identify risks, opportunities and improvement actions.
How I can help?
• Facilitation of interprofessional collaboration and team-building sessions.
• Support with service development, patient pathway reviews and community care integration.
For Care Home & Community Care Providers (NHS and Independent Health and Social Care)
Compassionate leadership isn’t exclusive to hospitals. I support care homes and community providers to improve care culture, leadership confidence and compliance outcomes.
How I can help?
• Support with regulatory compliance and inspection readiness.
• Practical, actionable quality improvement strategies for resident care.
For Healthcare Education Providers & Universities
The future of healthcare leadership starts with education. I collaborate with training providers to shape compassionate, confident, and resilient nurse leaders.
How I can help?
• Guest lectures, CPD workshops and keynote talks on leadership and compassionate care.
• Mentoring programmes for aspiring clinical leaders and educators.
My Credentials
Academic Awards
PhD in Nursing, Middlesex University (2010)
Thesis: ‘Using the patient experience to develop a model of follow-up’
Published: European Journal of Oncology (2006), ‘Involving Users in Service Planning: A focus group approach.’
Higher Award, Middlesex University (1999)
BSc (Hons) in Professional Practice, Middlesex University (1998)
Clinical & Professional Practice
Ethics in Professional Practice, Middlesex University
(1997)Counselling Skills, Middlesex University (1995)
Stoma Care Course, St Bartholomew’s (1992)
Advanced Breast Care Course, Royal Marsden (1991)
District Nursing Qualification, North London
Polytechnic (1988)Registered General Nurse, Barnet General Hospital
(1985)
Leadership & Governance
• Level 5 Leadership & Management ILM (2014)
• Professional Nurse Advocate Qualification (2025)
• Safeguarding Level 4 (2024)
• Liverpool Business School (Part of John Moore’s University Liverpool) (2021)
Words from happy clients
Over the last 10 years I have reached out to Lorraine regarding multiple opportunities and support requirements. The range has been vast and reflects the expertise, knowledge base, and experience which Lorraine has — from clinical staff engagement and clinical governance to incident management, root cause analysis, continuous improvement, patient safety, and consultant engagement. Lorraine flexed her approach depending on the scenario — sometimes it was one-to-one coaching, or running workshops, or coaching for clinical managers, both backroom and on the floor.
At a time of major leadership change, Lorraine brought clarity, compassion, and structure. Her leadership brought renewed structure, accountability, and cohesion. Staff felt supported and more engaged — every morning she would attend our team huddle and listen to any of our concerns. She empowered both senior and junior staff, improved communication between departments, and helped resolve long-standing challenges. The result was improved workflow and a more positive, collaborative team atmosphere.
Lorraine is very approachable, compassionate, wise, and understanding. She always made time for me, whether I was facing work or personal challenges — especially when dealing with difficult consultants. Her advice was always to stay calm but strong and take time to reflect before acting. She empowered me, boosted my leadership skills, and helped create a calm, positive environment for safe patient care. I will, without any reservation, recommend her. A wise, mature lady with so much to give.
I’ve known Lorraine professionally for over 10 years. She is a compassionate, high-energy senior nurse who applies the highest standards to everything she does. Always patient-centric, approachable, and constantly seeking to improve care pathways and patient experience — she goes the extra mile and is fun to work with.
We engaged Lorraine during the building of a new private hospital for advice on clinical systems, protocols, and reporting. She was a great sounding board — helping us shape a safe, caring, patient-focused but commercial hospital. Lorraine gave clear guidance, strong advice, and was always at the end of the phone. She’s the best in the business — a true inspiration with a passion for patient care, safety, and commercial balance. A real professional with high standards and a great sense of humour.
I have had the privilege of being supported by Lorraine for over five years, first as my line manager and more recently through professional coaching. Her ability to listen deeply, ask the right questions, and offer calm, clear, and insightful guidance has helped me make confident decisions in challenging situations. Lorraine’s rare blend of wisdom, emotional intelligence, and compassion inspires you to aim higher. She leads with integrity and empathy, and I would recommend her without hesitation to anyone seeking meaningful leadership or personal development support.
When Lorraine retired as Director of Clinical Services, we wanted to keep her extensive experience within the Group. Since joining us on a bank basis, she has led key projects, including implementing Martha’s Rule and Compassionate Care within the Circle Operating System. Lorraine’s work has significantly improved patient care and safety, while providing strong clinical leadership. I would recommend her without hesitation — she is an experienced, credible senior clinical leader with excellent communication skills, able to lead both strategically and operationally
I reached out to Lorraine to help with work and health-related anxiety. She helped me gain perspective, gave sound and relatable advice, and encouraged me to seek further support from my GP. Lorraine boosted my self-care by helping me identify issues and create my own solutions. If you cut Lorraine in half, patient-centered care would be at her core! She knows what she is doing, genuinely cares, and is utterly impossible to dislike — exactly what you want in a colleague, consultant, or coach.”
I’ve worked with Lorraine for many years; she has always been a source of inspiration, an absolute professional and superb leader. She works through problems with support, empathy, and good humour. Her vast healthcare and leadership experience enables her to coach others in a knowledgeable and creative way. Lorraine’s passion for excellence and people is infectious. Anyone choosing to experience her coaching will benefit enormously. She has helped me clarify strategies and plans, especially in people management and leadership. Anyone would be lucky to work with her.
Lorraine has the highest standards and was always patient centered. She was my go to for solving issues with patient focused solutions. Lorraine helped improve our Care Quality Commission rating from Requires Improvement to Good and ensured smooth transfer of Oncology Services. She supported clinical improvements, developed senior management, and boosted patient satisfaction with an open door policy. Her work earned a Daisy Award for nursing excellence. Lorraine is an invaluable asset to any senior health team.