Suzanne Sweeney OBE
BA Early Years, 2017
DIRECTOR, LONDON NEONATAL OPERATIONAL DELIVERY NETWORK, EVELINA LONDON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
“The Early Years degree sparked a passion in child development and was a springboard to further research in the neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants. What I have learnt has helped me to improve outcomes and experiences for London’s neonates and their families.”
“Studying at Greenwich enabled me to combine local part time study with a busy NHS role. This flexibility enabled me to start putting theory into practice even as an undergraduate”. Suzanne Sweeney OBE completed her BA Early Studies programme in 2017 while already a manager in the NHS. She is now Director of the London Neonatal Operational Delivery Network at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
Choosing to study at Greenwich allowed Suzanne to specialise her knowledge and skills in the field of child development. Baseline knowledge in developmental trajectories was key in recognising the additional needs of premature infants and enabled Suzanne to “develop health services which supported these infants with the early intervention necessary to improve their holistic development and life chances.” Being able to bring her experiences gained in the NHS into the classroom was also invaluable for fellow students who were considering their career pathways, while the collegiate nature of her study network meant “our discussions bought theory to life to extend their classroom learning”.
During Covid-19, Suzanne was tasked to deliver a regional operational response to the pandemic, “ensuring the NHS were able to deliver neonatal services across London to a high standard despite the unprecedented surge in demand.” It’s for this work, alongside voluntary work as a Cadet Forces Adult Volunteer in the Sea Cadets, that Suzanne was recognised with an OBE in 2020.
“The vision and values of both the Sea Cadets and the NHS are incredibly well aligned, with both organisations striving to help address the wider determinants of health and improve the life chances of young people with equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of its workforce, policy and cadet and patient experience. The OBE represents a significant achievement in both the NHS and Sea Cadets and reflects the work I have done to improve outcomes for children and young people.”
For the next generation of students interested in working in neonatal care, Suzanne is quick to emphasise the rewarding nature of the line of work and what it takes to be successful. “It is a privilege to work with families and clinical teams to translate evidence into improved outcomes for this vulnerable group of babies. Delivering cutting edge medicine to premature babies requires compassionate leadership and personal resilience, coupled together with the ability to problem solve and operate complex medical equipment. For those students and staff who possess these qualities the reward is seeing a baby go home with their family, knowing their knowledge, skills and experience have been central to this success.”
Suzanne Sweeney OBE
BA Early Years, 2017
DIRECTOR, LONDON NEONATAL OPERATIONAL DELIVERY NETWORK, EVELINA LONDON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
“The Early Years degree sparked a passion in child development and was a springboard to further research in the neurodevelopmental outcomes of premature infants. What I have learnt has helped me to improve outcomes and experiences for London’s neonates and their families.”
“Studying at Greenwich enabled me to combine local part time study with a busy NHS role. This flexibility enabled me to start putting theory into practice even as an undergraduate”. Suzanne Sweeney OBE completed her BA Early Studies programme in 2017 while already a manager in the NHS. She is now Director of the London Neonatal Operational Delivery Network at Evelina London Children’s Hospital.
Choosing to study at Greenwich allowed Suzanne to specialise her knowledge and skills in the field of child development. Baseline knowledge in developmental trajectories was key in recognising the additional needs of premature infants and enabled Suzanne to “develop health services which supported these infants with the early intervention necessary to improve their holistic development and life chances.” Being able to bring her experiences gained in the NHS into the classroom was also invaluable for fellow students who were considering their career pathways, while the collegiate nature of her study network meant “our discussions bought theory to life to extend their classroom learning”.
Reflecting on life since Greenwich, Suzanne notes that graduation “was just the beginning! I have been privileged to work alongside talented clinicians and senior NHS managers to lead on the major transformation of neonatal services across London’s specialist 26 hospitals, aiming to ensure equity of access and egress to neonatal care whenever it is needed.” She is three years into a five-year plan that she hopes will ultimately give all premature babies the best chance of survival.
During Covid-19, Suzanne was tasked to deliver a regional operational response to the pandemic, “ensuring the NHS were able to deliver neonatal services across London to a high standard despite the unprecedented surge demand.” It’s for this work, alongside voluntary work as a Cadet Forces Adult Volunteer in the Sea Cadets, that Suzanne was recognised with an OBE in 2020.
“The vision and values of both the Sea Cadets and the NHS are incredibly well aligned, with both organisations striving to help address the wider determinants of health and improve the life chances of young people with equality, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of its workforce, policy and cadet and patient experience. The OBE represents a significant achievement in both the NHS and Sea Cadets and reflects the work I have done to improve outcomes for children and young people.”
For the next generation of students interested in working in neonatal care, Suzanne is quick to emphasise the rewarding nature of the line of work and what it takes to be successful. “It is a privilege to work with families and clinical teams to translate evidence into improved outcomes for this vulnerable group of babies. Delivering cutting edge medicine to premature babies requires compassionate leadership and personal resilience, coupled together with the ability to problem solve and operate complex medical equipment. For those students and staff who possess these qualities the reward is seeing a baby go home with their family, knowing their knowledge, skills and experience have been central to this success.”
