We’re chatting to our most recent addition to our associates panel, Clare Fuller. To find out more about her experiences and her role here at TGA.
Hi Clare, so when did you join Tessa Gough Associates?
I joined Tessa Gough Associates in July 2021.
What experience do you bring to the TGA team?
I am a Registered Nurse with 30 years’ experience in End-of-Life Care (EoLC). I have worked in hospices, the community, and acute sectors as a Clinical Nurse Specialist and at a regional level as a Consultant Nurse for the Gold Standards Framework. I am a Care Quality Commission (CQC) Specialist Advisor for EoLC and a Lasting Power of Attorney Consultant. I also campaign for proactive Advance Care Planning.
In January 2022 I launched a weekly podcast, Conversations About Advance Care Planning, with each episode exploring a different element of planning ahead. The aim is to promote professional understanding, public awareness and normalise this important part of life. The introductory episode features a powerful message from a young lady admitted to hospital in the end stages of her disease and her battle to ensure her wishes were heard.
What is your role day to day?
Using experience and skills developed throughout my career, I now offer consultancy for:
Proactive Advance Care Planning is a theme linking each service, and my work includes raising public awareness through talks and presentations.
Why did you join Tessa Gough Associates?
A mutual friend told me about Tessa Gough Associates, before then being an Expert Witness wasn’t something I had considered. An initial discussion left me thinking this was a flexible role in which I could develop new skills and support people in a completely different way.
How did you find the recruitment process?
The recruitment process was well structured and started with an initial chat with Jess, the Recruitment Consultant. At this point I found out a little more about the role and the company.
After speaking with Jess, I met with Kim, Clinical Operations Director, for a more formal interview and to learn more about the work. What struck me at this interview was the feeling of support and a great team within TGA. The final interview was with Tessa Gough and Kim, Kim talked me through the history of TGA and how it was developing in the future; what impressed me at this point was that Tessa herself took the time to interview me with Kim. I don’t think I expected the creator of the company to be part of the recruitment process and the impact was huge. At this final interview I decided I really wanted to work for TGA, the values, sense of team and investment in staff were clearly high priorities and mapped to my worth ethos.
Before joining TGA did you have any experience with reports/ expert witness before?
Before joining TGA I had experience managing complex data and writing reports in my NHS role and as part of my consultancy work. I have also attended the Court of Protection witnessing and writing about an emotive anorexia nervosa and mental capacity case, a Lasting Power of Attorney Across Borders challenge and witnessing what can happen when a Lasting Power of Attorney goes wrong. Most recently I attended complex hearing around professional understanding of legal frameworks.
How have the team at Tessa Gough supported you since joining the team?
The support from TGA has been fabulous. The impression of a great team formed at interview was accurate; it may sound a small thing, but I was included in the rather lovely new launch gift when the company rebranded and launched as a fledgling Expert Witness; I hadn’t expected that. Shorty after joining I attended an Associates Day (via Zoom), this was good learning experience as well as an opportunity to meet the team.
Development for the role of Expert Witness is well structured with training days and resource available. A big plus is the clarity of report structure, I have learned not only that this ensures clients receive an excellent standard, but it also the report writing is clear for new Associates like me.
Like many, I learn best when I observe, and the final part of support has been the opportunity to shadow established Expert Witnesses. Seeing the process in action has been of great value. I understand that this shadowing and mentorship is a key part of TGA and that there will always be someone for me to clarify any questions or queries.
I am looking forward to my developing role as an Expert Witness, a career path I hadn’t imagined but am delighted to have found.
You can find Clare’s full CV on our website. If you would like to make an instruction please get in touch via our online form.
