Rebecca Thomas

My name is Rebecca Thomas, and I am the lead consultant for Cystic Fibrosis (CF) services in York. I was appointed in 2007 to replace Dr Hunter, and I am responsible for the medical care of adult patients with CF in York hospital.

We run outpatient and inpatient services here in York. I work as part of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) to manage the care delivered to people with CF who access our service. The MDT includes a specialist CF nurse, dietician and physiotherapist, as well as psychology and social work input and associated non-respiratory medical team members. I also work closely with the Leeds CF team, and an adult CF consultant comes from Leeds to the York clinic twice a year. As an adult service, we work hard with the local paediatric services to try and make transition as smooth as possible for young adults living with CF.

In my background, I qualified in Bristol and then spent my early years getting a good grounding in the NHS in Bristol, Birmingham and Norwich. Next I began my registrar training in Leicester, where I completed my research degree (Doctor of Medicine or MD) with funding from the University of Leicester and the Wellcome Trust, and worked as part of the respiratory and cystic fibrosis teams there. I moved up to Yorkshire in 2003 and completed my training in a number of Yorkshire Hospitals, including Leeds and York.

I think Yorkshire is a fantastic place to live and work and I love being here for many reasons - I've tried to celebrate a few with some photos on the front page and look forward to seeing yours too!

My aim is to continually improve the service we offer to you and to give you the best local service we can.

Tracey Daniels

Hello, I'm Tracey, the Non-Medical Clinical Lead for Cystic Fibrosis at the York Hull Adult Cystic Fibrosis Centre.

I am one of the CF physiotherapists, but most of my current role in the CF centre involves helping to lead and develop the service alongside our wider multidisciplinary team. I continue to work clinically with people with CF, while also supporting the way we work as a centre, improvement, research, education and innovation to help our centre to provide high-quality, evidence-based care.

I qualified as a physiotherapist in 1999 and have worked in CF care for most of my career. My interest in CF began in my first physio job working in Manchester where I spent some time working at the adult CF centre and in the paediatric CF service.  I then moved to the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, where I worked across a range of specialist respiratory services, including both paediatric and adult CF care. Following this, I spent time as a specialist physiotherapist at the Leeds Adult CF Centre before joining the York team in 2010.

Alongside my clinical practice, I completed a Master's degree in the Management of Long-Term Health Conditions and qualified as an independent non-medical prescriber. This allows me to prescribe many CF-related treatments directly, helping to improve access to care and reduce delays in treatment.

I have a strong interest in research, quality improvement and education. I have published research in cystic fibrosis and respiratory medicine, contributed to national clinical guidelines, and regularly teach healthcare professionals and students. I am currently undertaking a PhD exploring the role of inhaled therapies in the era of highly effective CF modulator treatments. Over the years I have been fortunate to support a number of national CF projects and committees, helping to improve care for people with CF across the UK.  The most rewarding parts of my role are building and supporting the CF team and working directly with people with cystic fibrosis and their families, helping people to navigate the challenges of cystic fibrosis and supporting them to achieve their goals.

Kath France

I’m Kath and the lead physio at York physiotherapist and have been working in CF for 22 years.

 

I trained in Bristol and have since worked in Shrewsbury, Manchester, South East London and now York and Hull. Within that time I have specialised in respiratory medicine with time spent in cardiothoracics, acute medicine, breathing pattern disorders, high dependency and critical care with passionate interest in CF woven into my whole career. I have a reputation in the team as the “sinus queen” due to my interest in the sinuses over the years, and having contributed to the National CF Trust guidelines for the management of the CF sinus. In 2024 I  completed my masters module at Leeds Beckett University and am now an independent prescriber within the team.

I am proud to say that the CF  physio team work across both adult and paediatric care which ensures that we are up to date with practice throughout lifespan and provide friendly, experienced and  familiar faces at all stages of this journey, including transition.

 

Outside of work, I was previously a heptathlete but have since retired and am now enjoying playing in a racquetball league, running with our local running club and cycling on my peloton. In between that I love being outdoors climbing mountains with my dog and family, paddleboarding and enjoying nature!

 

I love working alongside people with CF in order to achieve your  goals and support a healthy, active and fulfilling lifestyle.

Katy Lee

Hi I’m Katy. I qualified as a physiotherapist 14 years ago. I started working in respiratory care in 2009 and for the last 6 years specialised in the care of children and adults with Cystic Fibrosis working with two fantastic multi-disciplinary teams.

In February 2018 an opportunity arose to apply for a secondment researching adherence to nebulised therapy in adults with CF. I applied and was successful. ‘CF Healthhub’ is a tool designed to enable people with CF to manage their nebuliser treatment. I have been enjoying the challenges and different ways of working with people with cystic fibrosis that the role has brought and I’m looking forward to seeing how CF Healthhub continues to develop in the future to benefit the care we give to our patients.

Sophie Frederick

Hi, I'm Sophie, one of the Cystic Fibrosis Physiotherapists working across the York and Hull sites. 

I graduated from Northumbria University in 2020 and have spent my career working across a range of acute care rotations in both England and Australia. Respiratory was my very first rotation as a newly qualified physiotherapist, and it quickly became the area I was most passionate about. From then on, I knew I wanted to build my career supporting people with long-term respiratory conditions. 

I joined the York and Hull Adult Cystic Fibrosis Team in January 2026 after returning home from Australia. Although I'm new to CF, I've loved getting to know both the team and our patients. I enjoy building long-term relationships and working alongside people to help them stay active, optimise their respiratory health, and achieve the goals that matter most to them. I'm passionate about continuing to develop my knowledge and skills in cystic fibrosis care and feel incredibly fortunate to be learning from such a knowledgeable, experienced and supportive multidisciplinary team. 

Outside of work, I enjoy keeping active and can usually be found at the gym, in a Pilates class, out hiking, or searching for a great independent coffee shop. I also love travelling and making the most of the outdoors whenever I get the chance. 

Julie Ackerley

Hi! I’m Julie, I am the lead nurse for Cystic Fibrosis at York, I have been working in CF for 11 years now which has flown by!

I trained at Sheffield university qualifying in 1999, I have since completed my nursing degree and gained a teaching certificate. I went back to university in 2019 where I completed my non-medical prescribers’ course at an exciting time as I was able to be involved in the prescribing of modulators, which has been amazing. Therefore, I can prescribe your medication for you, along with other prescribers within the team which should make it easier for you to get your medication.

Prior to working in CF, I worked on Ward 34 as a deputy sister for many years, which is where my interest in CF came from.

I have also worked in cardiothoracic surgery at both Sheffield and Middlesbrough, and cardiology at York, so have lots of other experience outside of CF.

Outside of work, I am mum to two girls, Sophie who is 23, and Evie who is 19. I love spending time with my family, and my partner, and hobbies include hiking, music (I love a good gig) and I have newly discovered line dancing!

I love working in CF, I feel privileged to work within CF and am proud of the service and the care we provide as a specialist team.

 

Please feel free to contact me on 01904 725601 or via email at yhs-tr.yhacfc@nhs.net.

Debbie Ingram

Hello my name is Debbie, and I have over 20 year experience as a respiratory nurse.

I joined the Hull Cystic Fibrosis team as a nurse specialist in January 2013.

I completed the ‘Managing the Care of Children and Adults with Cystic Fibrosis’ course in October 2016. I continue to develop my knowledge of Cystic Fibrosis every day and I am a member of the Cystic Fibrosis Nurses Association.  I have attended a number of CF conferences in support of my role, including the European Cystic Fibrosis Conference in Milan. 

I came to the CF team from Ward 5 /rhdu respiratory ward (previously ward 21 at Castle hill) in 2013 after being there for 5 years. In this role I gained a keen interest in the cystic fibrosis patients and their treatments. I also worked in the respiratory high dependency unit with NIV (non-invasive ventilation) which expanded my level two care experience. I bring a wide range of medical and respiratory experience to the team.

Prior to this I worked at Bridlington District hospital on an acute medical admissions unit with long and short stay patients of various medical conditions. This is where I began my nursing career in 2003 when I joined Kent ward as a staff nurse and progressed to a senior band five. I have over 15 years nursing experience.

Jess Grierson

Hey, my name is Jessica, and I am a Cystic Fibrosis nurse working at York Hospital three days a week. I began working at the centre in September 2022 and enjoy the personalised 24/7 care we provide here.

I developed a passion for CF care due to personal connections in my childhood and began working in respiratory medicine (ward 34) in 2017 due to my interest in this area of medicine. Working on the respiratory unit highlighted my drive to eventually specialise in Cystic Fibrosis nursing care.

I received a BSc 2:1 in Adult Nursing from The University of York in 2019 and throughout covid I was placed on the HDU (high dependency unit), gaining competency caring for acutely unwell patients requiring NIV (non-invasive ventilation.) I have completed the Cystic Fibrosis Brompton course, learning more about managing the care of people with CF, and will continue to develop my knowledge and skills to ensure I can give the best quality care to our patients. I work across other departments in the trust also, aiding the development and maintenance of relevant clinic skills.

In my personal life I am a military wife and mummy to two gorgeous girlies (and one fur baby.) I love spending time with my friends and family and going for long dog walks when I’m not at work.

 

Please feel free to contact me on 01904 725601 or via email at yhs-tr.yhacfc@nhs.net.

 

Sarah Bennett

Hello, I'm Sarah, the Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis Clinical Nurse Specialist based in Hull, providing care and support for patients across both Hull and York.

I have been a qualified nurse for over 20 years, having graduated from the University of Leeds before returning to my hometown of Beverley to begin my nursing career on Ward 22 Respiratory Medicine at Castle Hill Hospital. Throughout my career, I have gained a wide range of experience across respiratory care and interventional radiology. After spending five years in Interventional Radiology, I returned to respiratory nursing, where I worked as a registered nurse before progressing to the role of Junior Sister.

My passion for cystic fibrosis nursing developed while caring for many patients with CF on Ward 500. Through building relationships with patients and seeing first-hand the impact specialist care can have, pursuing a role as a Cystic Fibrosis Clinical Nurse Specialist felt like a natural progression in my career. Respiratory nursing has always been a specialty close to my heart, and I feel privileged to support people living with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis.

I am committed to maintaining up-to-date knowledge and delivering evidence-based care. I have completed the Managing Cystic Fibrosis in Adults and Children course and regularly attend Cystic Fibrosis Nursing Association (CFNA) and European Cystic Fibrosis Society (ECFS) conferences to ensure my knowledge and understanding continue to evolve alongside advances in CF care.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family and making the most of the outdoors. You'll often find me exploring the Lake District or the Yorkshire Dales, working my way through the Wainwrights with our new puppy.