Michelle Rutter has been a Clinical Nurse Specialist within the Paediatric Infectious Diseases and Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (pOPAT) team at Southampton Children’s Hospital since November 2016. She was initially appointed to establish a seven-day, nurse-led paediatric ambulatory service, which has since flourished. This service enables children with suspected or confirmed infections requiring once-daily intravenous (IV) antibiotics to receive treatment at home between doses, improving convenience and quality of care.

In addition to her role within the ID/pOPAT team, Michelle currently serves as the joint lead for the Paediatric Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) line service. She has been instrumental in developing and implementing this dedicated nurse-led service, which has significantly enhanced continuity of care. This innovation allows children with complex infections to be safely managed within the community, supporting earlier hospital discharges and better patient outcomes.

Michelle recently completed a Master’s in Advanced Clinical Practice, further expanding her clinical expertise and scope of practice. Her contributions have been key in delivering patient-centred care and improving the experience of children and families facing complex infections.