Melanie has personal experience as a carer and graduated from Durham University in 1978 and has spent most of her career in Health Service management. Her first job was as a Disability Officer at the National Demonstration Centre in Rehabilitation at Middlesbrough. Her experiences here gave her an insight into the practical problems encountered as a result of a disability and the frustrations people had with finding their way through the maze of service provision, eligibility criteria etc.
In order to try to make a difference, she took further qualifications, culminating in an MSc in Rehabilitation from Newcastle University. This led to a number of senior posts in Disability, Palliative Care and Specialist services. In 2002, she was appointed Director of Commissioning and Performance for Sedgefield PCT, a post in which she continued until the dissolution of the organisation. She retired in April 2007 and is now a College Tutor for students at John Snow College, Queen's Campus, Durham and with Bishop Auckland College Adult Learners Service.
