Katie joined Pennine GP Alliance (PGPA) in August 2025 and works as a Stop Smoking Practitioner across the Upper, Lower, and Calder and Ryburn PCNs. Although relatively new to the organisation, she has quickly established herself in a patient-facing role, following her earlier work on the Healthy Working Lives project.
Katie is passionate about supporting people to make positive changes to their health. “I really enjoy working with people and getting to know people, offering them support and enabling them to make positive changes to their health.” She is particularly motivated by tackling health inequalities. “Supporting individuals to change their smoking habits helps me to do that.”
Her role relies heavily on strong communication and interpersonal skills. “I think the skills that are most useful in my role are listening skills, problem solving skills, building rapport and genuine connection with the people I am supporting.” She also highlights empathy as a key factor in building trust and supporting patients effectively.
Katie first joined PGPA as part of the Healthy Working Lives team, supporting individuals who were off work due to mental health or musculoskeletal conditions. “I applied for this role as it was something that I felt very passionate about, having people close in my life who have battled with both of these conditions.” Before joining PGPA, she worked as a college tutor for a children’s charity, delivering Health and Social Care and Childcare courses, and also worked as an apprenticeship assessor. She holds a postgraduate certificate in Primary Education and has a strong passion for learning.
Looking ahead, Katie is driven by a desire to continue supporting people from all walks of life. “I believe that everyone should have the access to equal opportunities within life and this extends to healthcare services. I want to try to help and remove social disparities in healthcare and help people to be as healthy as they can be.” Her enthusiasm for learning continues to shape her career. “I love to widen my knowledge and understanding on a variety of topics… and being able to learn about how healthcare services are commissioned and how teams across Calderdale work collaboratively has been fantastic for me.”
Katie feels that PGPA provides the right environment to support these ambitions. “Working at PGPA helps me to achieve these goals as I feel that my personal values align with PGPA’s values, with an emphasis on putting patients first and treating individuals with compassion, dignity and respect.” She also values the supportive culture: “Curiosity is encouraged and a passion for learning has been nurtured. I have been supported every step of the way by the managers and SLT team.”
She encourages others to consider a role at PGPA. “I would wholeheartedly encourage anyone to apply… the team in HQ are fantastic and incredibly welcoming. One thing I remember thinking was ‘no-one treats me as though I’m temporary’.”
Katie highlights PGPA’s structure and leadership as key differences from previous roles, along with the strong team dynamic. “Everyone is really supportive… it feels as though everyone wants to do as much as they can for the Team.” Seeing the impact of her work keeps her motivated: “Being able to support even one individual to improve their overall health and wellbeing will always be a key motivator for me.”
Outside of work, Katie enjoys walking along the canal, sometimes heading to Hebden Bridge, as well as gaming, reading, and watching documentaries. She also spends time with her two rabbits, Teddy and Nebula, who “bring endless amounts of sunshine, joy and chaos.” Staying organised helps her maintain balance: “I love to-do lists… I try to stay on top of things so that I find it easier to switch off in the evenings.”