ACP symposium speakers
Linda Havard
Key speaker
Linda Havard is a recently retired Chief Nursing Information Officer (CNIO) for the University Hospitals Liverpool Group, bringing over 30 years of experience spanning clinical practice, advanced nursing roles, and digital healthcare leadership.
Originally qualifying as a Nurse Clinician, one of the early roles that helped shape today’s Advanced Clinical Practitioner profession, Linda has remained at the forefront of evolving nursing and clinical practice throughout her NHS career. Her work reflects a long-standing commitment to innovation, patient-centred care, and professional development.
Over the past 15 years, Linda has become a prominent voice in clinical informatics and digital nursing. In her role as Group CNIO, she championed the integration of digital innovation into patient care, helping to bridge the gap between frontline clinical practice and rapidly advancing healthcare technologies.
Linda is deeply passionate about supporting the development of nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals. She has consistently advocated for their vital role in shaping modern healthcare delivery and ensuring their voices are influential within the digital healthcare agenda.
In 2024, Linda was recognised as a Digital Leadership Scholar with the Florence Nightingale Foundation. Since retiring, she has joined Future Nurse, a community dedicated to amplifying the voices of nurses and frontline staff in the digital age. She now serves as Co-Chair of their Ambient Voice Technology (AVT) Special Interest Group.
Through her ongoing work, Linda continues to support the advancement of clinical practice and champion the meaningful inclusion of frontline clinicians in digital transformation across the NHS.
Emma Nunes
Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Acute Frailty Services
Emma Nunes is an Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) working in acute frailty service. A 2025 graduate of Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), she was awarded a Master’s in Advanced Clinical Practice, marking a significant milestone in a career dedicated to improving care for older people.
Emma is passionate about strengthening the ACP workforce, championing the development of confident, well-supported practitioners who can deliver safe, consistent, and compassionate care across both acute and community settings. Her work is driven by a clear vision: better integration, better outcomes, and a more sustainable future for healthcare.
A strong advocate for digital transformation, Emma has led the development of an innovative digital diary system designed to support safe discharge and seamless transition into the community. This work aligns with the ambitions of the NHS England long-term strategy, enhancing clinical governance while improving patient flow and continuity of care.
At this symposium, Emma will present her MSc Advanced Practice End Point Assessment, “From Paper to Progress: Exploring the Transition from Traditional to Digital Systems in Practice.” Her session will offer inspiring, real-world insights into how thoughtfully designed digital tools can transform clinical workflows, improve patient safety, and empower the future ACP workforce.
Jessica Bailey
Hepatology Advanced Clinical Practitioner, Liverpool University Hospitals
Jessica Bailey is an LJMU graduate (MSc Advanced Clinical Practice) and Hepatology Advanced Clinical Practitioner at Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, specialising in the assessment and management of patients with chronic and advanced liver disease. Her career began on the Acute Medical Unit, where she progressed from Band 5 to Band 6 nurse, before securing a trainee ACP role in hepatology.
Driven by a passion for innovation, Jessica is at the forefront of exploring how digital solutions can transform patient care within the NHS. Her work focuses on leveraging technology to enhance safety, monitoring, and outcomes for complex patient groups.
As part of her MSc Advanced Practice end point assessment, Jessica designed and implemented an innovative virtual ward model for patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis, supporting safer, more effective care at home while reducing hospital dependency.
At this symposium, Jessica will share insights from her work, offering an exciting glimpse into the future of digitally enabled hepatology care and the evolving role of Advanced Clinical Practitioners.
Kevin Cairns
Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) lecturer Kevin Cairns is a healthcare educator and clinical simulation specialist with more than 20 years of experience in NHS clinical practice and healthcare education. As a Lecturer in Clinical Skills and Simulation at Liverpool John Moores University, his work centres on simulation based learning, digital innovation, and the responsible integration of artificial intelligence into healthcare education and clinical practice.
Kevin holds an MSc in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and has developed a strong interest in translating complex AI concepts into practical, clinically relevant applications for healthcare professionals. His work explores how artificial intelligence can enhance patient safety, support clinical decision-making, strengthen workforce education, and improve clinical documentation, while maintaining the importance of professional judgement, accountability, and human oversight.
He has written and presented on the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare, including providing practical guidance for NHS staff. His current research interests include AI-supported clinical monitoring, digital simulation, and the ethical and responsible adoption of AI technologies within healthcare settings. Through his work, Kevin aims to bridge the gap between technical AI development and the realities of frontline nursing and clinical practice.
At this event, Kevin will present Can You Trust an Algorithm?, a session exploring the growing use of artificial intelligence in healthcare and examining what happens as clinical practice becomes increasingly supported by digital systems.