Kerry Pena has been the cardiac valve nurse specialist since 2014 at Leeds General Infirmary. She takes pride in managing the daily activities of the structural valve service and ensures that efficient clinical care pathways are delivered in one of the busiest and largest TAVI centres in UK. Her role is highly valued as she is the glue to every moving part of the transcatheter valve service. She believes that strong collaboration and effective communication within the multidisciplinary team is key to ensuring her patient remains the focus in the delivery of care.
Her passion at work is reflected not only within her local service unit but in the wider structural heart valve service including the referring hospitals, local general practitioners, and community cardiac teams within the Yorkshire region. She actively delivers education and training to the peripheral hospitals’ cardiology teams regarding the Leeds Valve programmes which enables the service to achieve streamlined valve pathways. This commitment to providing education further extends to her colleagues and other allied health professionals both nationally and in the international community.
Kerry is a strong proponent of the single point of referral process for patients with severe aortic stenosis and she has been an instrument in implementing this. This process is aimed at ensuring that patients get the right treatment at the right time.
Kerry is a Valve for Life UK Committee member since 2021, British Heart Valve Society (BHVS)member since 2015
British Cardiovascular Intervention Society Allied Health Professionals (BCIS-AHP) member since 2018, Association of Cardiovascular Nursing & Allied Professions (ACNAP) member since 2019.