Professor Wadey is a mental health nurse with more than 25 years’ experience across a wide range of health, emergency care and criminal justice settings. She started her nursing career in 1996 and has maintained clinical practice throughout her career. Enthusiastic about the provision and transformation of effective and recovery based mental health services, she has led the development of new and innovative services for the most vulnerable in our society. During the pandemic, she was the clinical lead for the National Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism COVID-19 Response Cell, providing expert clinical oversight. She is committed to social justice and to improving patient care, especially for those from marginalised groups. 

Professor Wadey has extensive strategic and technical knowledge and experience, and is particularly skilled in the development of national policy, translating research into practice and vice versa. During her career she has specialised in the prevention of suicide and promotion of health and well-being. This includes developing the Stay Alive app and more recently has led work nationally to prevent suicide in healthcare staff, commissioning research and developing suicide prevention and postvention toolkits.

She also developed and implemented the professional nurse advocate programme across England, offering 8,000 master’s-level training places. This clinical and professional leadership programme has transformed nursing practice ensuring all nursing staff have access to restorative clinical supervision and are engaged in quality improvement. She is a collaborative and inclusive leader, facilitating and leading transformational change at pace with partners and taking every opportunity to develop and encourage others to meet their potential.