Meet the team

Dr Robert Farley (PhD) is the Associate Director for Healthcare Science at NHS Education for Scotland. In this role lead he leads on NES commissioning of postgraduate training, quality assurance of that training and NES's CPD and learning resources for healthcare science. Before joining NES he was seconded to Scottish Government in a policy role for the healthcare science workforce. A chartered engineer, his NHS service has been in Bioengineering and Medical Physics in Glasgow, Inverness and Edinburgh. He is an HCPC-registered Clinical Scientist and has been a registration assessor partner with them. He is a member of the Academy for Healthcare Science Regulation Board. In 2017 he acquired Higher Specialist Scientist Equivalence, also with the Academy for Healthcare Science.

Lorna has worked with the NES HCS team since 2017, she is a Principal Clinical Scientist working in service as a Training Officer within the West of Scotland Centre for Genomic Medicine. She completed an undergraduate degree in Genetics, followed by a Master’s degree in Medical Genetics before joining NHS GG&C in 2002. After completing her Clinical Scientist training in Clinical Cytogenetics and obtaining a Diplomateship of the Royal College of Pathologists she was promoted to the role of Principal Scientist in 2010, managing Prenatal Cytogenetic Services for the West of Scotland. She is involved in training within multiple higher education institutions and holds an Honorary Senior Lecturer position within the University of Glasgow. In 2022 she gained Higher Specialist Scientist registration through equivalence and became a Fellow of the Academy for Healthcare Science. She is a member of various committees and works closely with the Association of Clinical Scientists and the National School of Healthcare Science to assess Clinical Scientist trainees at various points of their training. She holds the role of Partner within the Health and Care Professions Council, overseeing the accreditation of training programmes with a direct route to registration. 

Andy has worked within the NES Healthcare Science core team since 2020. He completed a Masters degree in Engineering from the University of Glasgow before carrying out postgraduate research at the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit. It was this experience which made him realise he really enjoyed working with patients and wanted to pursue a career in Healthcare Science. He began as a trainee Bioengineer at the West of Scotland Mobility and Rehabilitation Centre (WestMARC) in Glasgow in 2011. He achieved Clinical Scientist registration and is now a Senior Bioengineer working within the Wheelchair and Seating service. His expertise is providing specialised seating equipment, to patients unable to sit in a standard wheelchair, and investigating Adverse Incidents, to determine what was at fault and prevent similar incidents.

Outside of work, Andy loves spending time with his family, has a passion for music and enjoys running to keep fit.

Claire has been a member of the NES HCS team in the role as Principal Lead Scientist for the last 4 years as well as her other role as an Educational and Training manager with NHS Lothian, department of laboratory medicine. Her NHS career began as an MLA before undertaking her trainee role towards registration as a Biomedical Scientist and onto further specialism in Transfusion Science with an MSc at Edinburgh University. Claire's previous roles as a BMS include working at SNBTS donor testing and manufacturing laboratories and the hospital bloodbank at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. As well supporting training in the laboratories and Healthcare Science, Claire volunteers in a school mentoring programme MCR Pathways, cycling without age, and as STEM ambassador also promoting careers in Healthcare Science for the NHS Careers website team. Outwith her work activities, Claire is an active triathlete participating in extreme triathlons such as the XtriCeltman races.

In this role Bianca Brownlee primarily works to support continual professional development resource delivered on the TURAS platform. From identifying gaps in the HCS offer to content design and delivering of training. Assisting in QA of training, workforce commissioning and communications.

Joining the core team in 2020, whilst jointly working flexibly for NHS GG&C as a clinical vascular scientist, using ultrasound and other non-invasive techniques to image and assess blood flow, a small niche specialism. Completing training in vascular ultrasound in 2011 with a MSc in Medical Ultrasound from the University of the West of England and gaining full accreditation with the Society for Vascular technology.

In 2022 joining the clinical physiology executive board to bring experience and insight from physiological science to the HCS team at NES.