Arlene is the NHS England lead alcohol nurse and a nurse consultant in the Sandwell and West Birmingham alcohol care team. She is the chair of ACTION (alcohol care team innovation and optimisation network) and her ambition is to create a network where alcohol specialist nurses can share experience and knowledge to positively impact their practice. She is passionate about educating clinical staff on addiction, challenging any pre-conceived judgments, and she recognises the importance of using data to defend and develop alcohol care teams.

Arlene has worked in the speciality of addiction for over twenty years, both in community services and acute care, and has set up three alcohol care teams. She has a MSc. in the Treatment of Substance Misuse and is a non-medical prescriber.