Biography
I have a strong reputation in oncology practice as a national and international clinical academic in research, education, and consultancy. Since 2015, I have held the prestigious position of Macmillan Associate Professor in Professional Practice at the School of Health and Social Care. In this role, I have been instrumental in advancing the field of oncology through my research, teaching, and consultancy work. I also hold an Honorary Research Nurse Consultant Role in Chemotherapy, further demonstrating my commitment to the field.
I have held significant strategic leadership roles in the School of Health and Social Care (SHSC), the 'Cancer Collaborative Theme' and the 'Head of Learning and Teaching'. These roles have allowed me to demonstrate my subject-expert and university leadership skills and contribute to the growth and development of the field.
I completed a BSc ( Hons) in Genetics at the University of Glasgow before entering the nursing profession, qualifying from St Georges Hospital in London in 1992. I gained my Clinical Doctorate in Nursing in 2020: The haemato-oncology patient experience of the palliative care process in the last year of life: A Constructivist grounded theory study.
External Professional Practice:
As the elected President of the UK Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS), I have led the organisation to new heights. With a membership of 10,000 and an annual conference attended by over 500 delegates, UKONS is a key player in the field of oncology nursing. We have an annual income of approximately £150,000 and are supported by 23 pharmaceutical companies, with ROCHE being the principal partner. Under my leadership, UKONS has initiated and developed educational resources and guidance for cancer nurses across the UK, inspiring and empowering them to provide the best possible care to their patients.
UKONS aims to inspire by providing knowledge exchange and initiating and developing educational resources and guidance for cancer nurses across the UK. The society has fifteen voluntary board members and sixty-six champions. There are eight specialist interest groups: Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment (SACT), Acute Oncology, Haematology, Living with and Beyond, Research, Radiotherapy, Champions, Young and Early Career. UKONS is represented on other multi-professional societies boards: the UK Chemotherapy Board, the Acute Oncology Society, and the UK Supportive Cancer Care.
UKONS has launched the UK digital SACT passport, the CASCADE project and Acute Oncology (AO) passport, and AO Hotline eLearning this year alone. Along with being integral to NHS Education England, the Aspiring Cancer Career and Education Development Framework (ACCEND), UKONS has funded and edited ‘Fundamentals in Cancer Care' and ' Cancer Care through COVID -19' books. All activity is communicated through out web pages and fortnightly 'Breaking News'. https://www.ukons.org/
I am on the international editorial board for the International Journal in Cancer Nursing and Seminar in Oncology Nursing.
I have peer-reviewed for the International Journal of Cancer Nursing, Cancer Nursing Practice, the British Journal of Nursing, the Journal of Patient Experience, and Seminars in Oncology Nursing.
I am editing an EBN book, 'Personalised Cancer Care,' and a Guest Editor for the Seminar in Oncology Nursing, which is publishing a special edition on ‘haematological Cancer’.
As a subject expert, I have been interviewed on practice issue editions and podcasts, such as Cancer Nursing Practice, the British Journal of Nursing, and Macmillan Cancer Support.
Funding and Consultancy:
I have secured £800K in competitive funding whilst at Edinburgh Napier University.
Since 2013, I have led a portfolio of Macmillan Cancer Support funding grants associated with developing and delivering a sustainable cancer education strategy for practitioners, caring for patients living with and beyond their cancer. In 2014, I was awarded an evaluation of the ‘Transforming Cancer Care after Treatment Scotland Macmillan Programme. I led phase 2, (2016 -2018) Continuation of National Evaluation of TCAT: Ensuring and Enhancing the Evidence (TCAT) and Health Economic Evaluation Work Strand: Continuity and Quality.
I am co-leading with Professor Snowden (2022-2024) an analysis, synthesis, and reporting on Transforming Cancer Care. This project involves collating data from 32 integrated health and social care sites across Scotland, a task that requires meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of the healthcare landscape. Our work continues to inform both Cancer Strategy in Scotland and the evaluation of transformational cancer care programmes, demonstrating the direct impact of our research on policy and practice development.
I lead a UKONS grant (2022-2024) exploring the perception and experience of potential exposure to hazardous drugs that administer cytotoxic drugs.
Research areas:
I have a strong record of collaborative practice research within cancer care, transformational change programmes, workforce issues, and personalised care. My work has not only contributed to the advancement of these areas but has also had a significant impact on the field of oncology, inspiring others to follow suit. I have a demonstrated record of knowledge exchange and building vital research and practice relationships regionally, nationally, and internationally.
My extensive portfolio of evaluating transformational change in cancer care across Scotland has had a profound impact on the healthcare landscape. This work has been pivotal in the Scottish Government's pledge of £ 18 million funding to improve cancer services in Scotland. By identifying key areas for improvement and implementing innovative solutions, I have contributed significantly to the enhancement of cancer care in the region.
I am continuing to explore nationally and internationally patient-reported outcomes and advance care planning for haematology cancer patients.
The UKONS grant exploring the perception and experiences of potential occupational exposure when administrating cytotoxic drugs has led to the following:
• Keynote sessions nationally and internationally.
• Leading collaborations with medical device companies, such as B Braun, ICU Medical, and Safecancercare consortium.
• International networking with Professor McDiarmid, Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology & Public Health Director, and Professor Polovich of the University Maryland School of Medicine has given global direction to policy and practice development.
• Leading on surface and air contamination study locally
• Future research includes collaboration with Professor Porter-Armstrong to pursue health technology solutions to measure patterns of health and wellbeing of cancer nurses administering cytotoxic drugs. It aims to extend this research into novel contamination sampling techniques for air and surface contamination in chemotherapy units. This wellbeing topic extends to exploring the presentation of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome and Vicarious Trauma with Professor T Karatzias.
I have a track record of publishing in peer-reviewed national and international journals, have edited and contributed to several book chapters, and completed commissioned research evaluation reports.
I am the Director of studies for a PhD and a Professional Doctorate student in Palliative care in South Asian Families and Widening Participation in Higher Education, respectively.
I welcome Cancer Care PhD, Professional Doctorate, and external examining opportunities.
Teaching:
I was the first funded Macmillan Lecturer Practitioner in 2005, working between NHS Lothian and Edinburgh Napier University. I quickly became known nationally and internationally for my pioneering work in the development of accessible virtual education for haematology nursing (2008) and Supportive Care for those Living with and Beyond Cancer (2013).
During the pandemic, I utilised my knowledge and leadership skills to lead the Professional Development & Knowledge at Macmillan Cancer Support through a test of change. I successfully translated all face-to-face delivery into a virtual classroom, ensuring that our educational programs continued to reach a wide audience. Within three months, the virtual classrooms delivered fifteen topics to 1000 delegates by the end of 2020, a testament to our adaptability and commitment to providing high-quality education even in challenging times. These initiatives revolutionised the way we deliver education in these areas, making it more accessible and engaging for healthcare professionals and patients alike.
I lead as Head of Learning and Teaching for the School of Health and Social Care (2021-2023), with the prime focus on delivering the school action plan against retention and progression, the national student survey, programme academic boards, programme leads forum, student engagement and personal development tutoring, and enhanced curriculum development and quality assurance.
I have held several external examiner positions across the UK for cancer education.