Hilda has been the Chief Admiral Nurse and Chief Executive Officer for Dementia UK since 2013. A dual registered nurse she has over 39 years’ experience developing and leading dementia specialist teams and services throughout the NHS.

During this time, Hilda has held senior positions in clinical services, hospital management and higher education. She held Principal Lecturer posts at both London South Bank University and University of Northampton, specialising in older people’s mental health, dementia and community care. She is a visiting fellow of dementia studies at the University of Northampton.

Hilda is particularly proud of setting up a nurse-led Younger People with Dementia service in Northamptonshire and still retains a small clinical caseload of families living with the effects of young onset dementia. Her doctorate focused on how and why social connectedness changes in families living with the effects of behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia.

She has recently published a book, along with two other colleagues, on young onset dementia, identifying how to deliver better and more appropriate support and care for individuals with the diagnosis and their families.