Edinburgh Napier University

Maggie Reid - Business Development and Relationship Manager, RIE, Edinburgh Napier University

Maggie Reid is a Knowledge Exchange expert. She is responsible for supporting the growth of the university’s business engagement pipeline and external income. This includes developing external partnerships for research collaborations, CPD courses, consultancy projects and commercialisation opportunities. Maggie has over 15 years experience in business and strategy development across the private, public and voluntary sectors. This includes a focus within the Health and Social Care sector in the last 8 years. She supports the School of Health and Social Care and the School of Applied Sciences at Edinburgh Napier.

Julie Critchley - Director NHS Scotland Assure

Julie was appointed Director NHS Scotland Assure and took up her post in September 2021.
She joined the NHS in England as an Allied Health Professional, Podiatrist, in 1992 and has worked in a number of roles across the NHS including, Director of Operations, Transformation Director and Integration Director Roles. Working predominantly on the large scale integration agenda across mental health, physical health and social care.

Prior to joining NSS Julie’s previous role was Head of Due Diligence and Clinical Disaggregation for the NHSI facilitated mandated transfer of Pennine Acute Trust into Salford Royal Foundation Trust and Manchester Foundation Trust, Julie is keen to drive the services provided by NHS Scotland Assure to deliver improved outcomes within the healthcare build environment.

Dr. Geraldine O’Brien - Interim Lead Research and Intelligence, NHS National Services Scotland 

In this role, Geraldine hopes to progress a multi-disciplinary collaborative approach to research, which supports NHS Scotland Assure by ensuring that guidance produced and advice given, is based not only on best practice but also on best evidence. 

Geraldine also leads on the development of HFS's Infection Control in the Built Environment guidance which provides NHS Boards with a framework and information to identify, discuss and manage infection control risks collaboratively.  

Additionally, she leads on the development, implementation, and management of HFS‘s Statutory Compliance Audit and Risk Tool (SCART). SCART gives NHS Boards a common way to measure and report on statutory compliance.  

Prior to working with the NHS, Geraldine worked as a researcher at Glasgow Caledonian University. 

Prof. Stephanie Dancer - School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University 

Dr Stephanie Dancer is a Consultant Medical Microbiologist in NHS Lanarkshire and Professor of Microbiology at Edinburgh Napier University. She has a strong research interest in the role of the healthcare environment in hospital acquired infection, editing the Journal of Hospital Infection for over 25 years. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated her input and knowledge in aerosol transmission and ventilation. Currently she divides her time between clinical microbiology, teaching and research.

Paul Weaving - Nurse Consultant, NHS Scotland Assure

Paul has been a nurse for over thirty years, having entered the profession after completing a degree in microbiology. After qualifying, he spent 10 years working in operating theatres before moving into infection prevention. Since then, he has worked in a wide variety of settings, including with community, acute, mental health, and specialist cancer healthcare providers; and in national roles in both England and Scotland. He is a former editor of the Journal of Infection Prevention, and the author of the infection prevention and control chapter of the eighth and ninth editions of The Marsden Manual of Nursing Procedures.

Paul is currently Nurse Consultant, Infection Prevention and Control with ARHAI Scotland and NHS Scotland Assure, and an honorary lecturer with the University of Dundee. In 2018 he was awarded honorary membership of the Infection Prevention Society.

Dr Richard Beattie - Senior Engineer, NHS Assure

Richard has extensive experience in mechanical and public health engineering systems, including design, risk assessments, Clerk of Works, technical advisor, undertaking investigative reviews and incident reporting for all stages of a projects lifecycle within the Healthcare Environment. 

Richard is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers, Society of Public Health Engineers and IHEEM, he is also a member of the Water Management Society and is a registered IHEEM Authorising Engineer. He also sits on Scotland’s National Water Advisory Group and IHEEMs Water Technical Platform. He has also published multiple articles.  

Linda Johnston - Project Manager, Edinburgh Napier University

Linda has extensive programme and project management experience including global, multi-million pound IS and non-IS programmes.  She worked for Diageo PLC for over 30 years with 20 years spent in business analysis, project and programme management.  Linda joined ENU earlier this year to manage the NHS Assure fund.

Prof. Nick Antonopoulos - Deputy Vice Chancellor and Vice Principal of Research and Innovation, Edinburgh Napier University

Nick joined Edinburgh Napier in January 2019 as Vice Principal for Research & Innovation and is now also Deputy Vice Chancellor. 

Nick has more than 20 years of academic and leadership experience, with a very strong background in initiating, leading and delivering improvements at an institutional level.

Nick has an excellent international reputation in his field, evidenced by his papers, books, chairing of prestigious conferences, and his active leadership of broad reaching research partnerships nationally and internationally. He has an extensive network across government, commerce and industry.

Nick's role oversees the Schools of Computing, Engineering & Built Environment and Health and Social Care as well as the Research, Innovation & Enterprise team.