Publish date: 1 July 2025

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For our Meet the Team piece this week, we’re catching up with Sarah McQueen. Sarah was previously a Clinical Performance Manager within our NHS 111 service and has recently started a new role as a DHU Academy Specialist within the Learning and Development team. She’s now part of the new DHU Academy and is passionate about helping colleagues grow, learn, and reach their full potential.

With extensive experience in training delivery and mentoring, Sarah’s role focuses on turning training from a box-ticking exercise into something that makes a measurable and sustainable improvement in both confidence and competency.

“Training isn’t just about sitting in a classroom, it’s about putting knowledge into practice and making a real difference in your day-to-day role,” Sarah explains. “My aim is for everyone to make training their own, whether that means applying it directly, reshaping it to suit their team, or simply gaining the confidence to try something new.”

One way Sarah is helping foster a culture of collaboration and shared knowledge is through reverse mentoring, this means matching colleagues with someone who can teach them a new skill or perspective. “Often there’s someone within your team who’s already an expert in something you’re wrestling with…you just hadn’t made that connection yet. Reverse mentoring helps break down those barriers and brings us together in a way that helps everyone grow.”

A big part of this transformation is DHU’s Inspire and Aspire Programmes, which are a reflection of our commitment to developing a Coaching Led Culture across the organisation.

Balancing delivering training with her own study isn’t without its challenges, but Sarah is passionate about strengthening the collective skills and knowledge that enable DHU’s team to provide the highest standard of care. “I’m hopefully finishing my Level 5 Apprenticeship by March which is a big challenge alongside delivering training, but I’m passionate about retaining our best people, strengthening their confidence, and ultimately delivering the highest standard of care for our patients.”

Looking forward, Sarah plans to make training more than just a policy requirement, turning it into a powerful tool for transformation, retaining talent, and unlocking the potential in everyone at DHU.

“It’s a great team to be a part of, and I’m excited for what’s ahead...there’s a lot we can achieve together.”

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