Ms Caroline Worsley

Caroline originally trained as a nurse, qualifying in 2001.  During a varied career in both acute and community sectors she completed an undergraduate degree before undergoing postgraduate training, qualifying as a Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (Health Visitor) in 2006.  Since 2008, Caroline has specialised in working with families where there is substance misuse and is a Drug Liaison Health Visitor in the Pregnancy & Parenting Team at Leeds Addiction Unit.  Particular interests include assessing and promoting parenting capacity where there is parental substance misuse and promoting breastfeeding uptake and duration in this client group.  Because of the potential risks associated with babies ingesting harmful substances via the breast milk, Caroline set out to examine this further which resulted in a systematic review on lactation and alcohol.  This study was submitted as the final component of her MSc in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing which she completed with distinction.

In the future, Caroline hopes to build on her review skills to investigate other substances of abuse in order to produce further recommendations to inform clinicians and mothers which promote and support breastfeeding when safe to do so, yet highlight the associated risks after a thorough appraisal of the evidence base.