Visiting Professors in Hong Kong

Professors Mark Hayter and Roger Watson were in Hong Kong (23 Feb - 1 March 2013) in their capaciity as Honorary and Visiting Professors in the School of Nursing at Hong Kong Polytechnic University.  Here they are seen with the Masters in Nursing class after the students had presented their research project outlines to them for comment.  Otherwise, both have been teaching the students about writing for publication in their capacities as editors of Journal of Advanced Nursing, and Mark has been delivering lectures on sexual health to Masters and Bachelor of Nursing students.

Making a natural childbirth splash in India

A University of Hull midwifery lecturer is joining a pioneering team of medics on a mission to spread the word of water birthing in India.

Natural births are comparatively rare in private hospitals in the country, where it is thought that as many as 80-90 per cent of all births in the country are by Caesarean section, compared to around just 25% in the UK.

But Julie Green, who is also a practising Supervisor of Midwives and the co-founder of Birth and Beyond Consultancy - a social enterprise created to offer a different approach to antenatal classes for parents-to-be - is hoping that a new birthing centre combined with specialised training for midwives may help to reduce that rate.

The team will be in the city of Indore for five weeks setting up the new labour unit at a private hospital, which will be officially opened by a leading Bollywood actress on International Women’s Day, March 8. The local midwives and medical staff will also be trained in how to support women in natural childbirth, thereby encouraging them to opt for less-medicalised care.

Julie Green said: “I am really excited to be involved in this project. When I heard how high the Caesarean section rates were I was really shocked. I’ve heard that many women are leaving hospitals after childbirth feeling depressed and even violated by their birth experience and that’s really heartbreaking. I’ve seen how empowering natural childbirth can be to women – it can have such a huge impact – that we really hope the new centre starts spreading the word about natural birth.

“The ultimate goal is to inspire a different culture across the country. In the past, I have worked in developing countries with the poorest of women, but this case is different as it will be a private hospital. We really believe that the way to change the culture is to start from the richer parts of society, with the trend eventually catching on and natural birth becoming better supported generally.”

Julie will also be training midwives to deliver the unique Birth and Beyond antenatal classes, taking the social enterprise to an international market for the first time. The classes are different to traditional structures, as they are delivered by childbirth educators with a professional background in midwifery or health visiting. They have proved so successful that the Hull Primary Care Trust has funded places for Hull mothers-to-be as its official antenatal education provider, while parents from other areas can pay for an extended series of sessions.

Julie added: “We’ve seen a lot of demand for our particular brand of classes so it is fantastic to be able to see this at work in a new country. Hopefully this will really reinforce the message to mums-to-be about being in control of how they birth their babies. It is also great for the organisation as we are hoping to expand this wider throughout this country.”

Roger Watson's STTI Refelections on Nursing Leadership blog

The latest entry to this blog on the Mid Staffs enquiry may be viewed at Roger Watson's 'Hanging Smart' blogsite.

Medical Humanities Seminar Series 2013

The Body: Health, Wellbeing and Vulnerability


February-June
Derwent Building, seminar room 3 at 4.30 pm

Wednesday 13 February 2013
The phenomenon of touch in healthcare contexts: a
complex caring movement
To be strategically struggling against resignation: the
lived experience of being cared for in forensic
psychiatric care
Dr Lise-Lotte Ozolins and Dr Ulrica Hörberg
Institute of Health and Caring Sciences, Linnaeus University


Wednesday 3 April 2013
The possibilities of wellbeing: Some aesthetic
invitations to participative understanding
Professor Kathleen Galvin
Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Hull


Wednesday 8 May 2013
Dickens and delirium
Professor Valerie Sanders
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Hull
Wednesday 12 June 2013
Understanding nursing through poetry
Rev Dr Peter Draper
Faculty of Health and Social Care, University of Hull



October-December
Dearne Building, meeting room 1 at 4.30 pm


Wednesday 16 October 2013
Thomas Hardy and medicine
Dr Anthony Fincham
Thomas Hardy Society and West Kent PCT


Wednesday 30 October 2013
De Beauvoir on old age
Professor Kathleen Lennon
Department of Humanities: Philosophy, University of Hull


Wednesday 13 November 2013
Head, brain and self: A phenomenological
entanglement
Dr Stephen Burwood
Department of Humanities: Philosophy, University of Hull


Wednesday 11 December 2013
Phenomenology of bodily modification including
cosmetic surgery
Professor Kathleen Lennon
Department of Humanities: Philosophy, University of Hull
Dr Rachel Alsop
Department of Social Sciences, University of Hull
Faculty of Health and Social Care
Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences



All seminars are free of charge and open to all staff, students and the public
Please contact the Faculty of Health and Social Care helpdesk to book a place: 01482 463342 • fhsc-helpdesk@hull.ac.uk
Further information: Heather Jameson 01482 464663 / h.jameson@hull.ac.uk • Kate Galvin 01482 463336 / k.t.galvin@hull.ac.uk

© University of Hull • 2013

Meet our research students

Carol Lambert is a registered midwife and was awarded a BSc 1^st class (Hons) in Midwifery at Hull. She is in her final year of her PhD. Her thesis is entitled: Influence of self in the context of decision-making in childbirth: An Interpretive Phenomenological study. Carol says:

My thesis is about exploring the social influences that surround women as they make decisions about where to birth their babies. The rationale for study originated from a clinical practice encounter. In caring for a woman who voiced clear choices of what she wanted for herself for the birth of her baby, these choices were dispelled in an instant when care was handed over to another practitioner temporarily.  Questioning what had occurred in this situation and in the context of her care, I wanted to understand what impact midwives have on the decisions women make about birth.

Carol co-chaired the 2011 PhD Experience Conference with PhD student Gill Hughes (Faculty of Education). The ‘For students by students’ conference was a three day event and drew in 140 students from over 25 Universities, from 7 countries and across 3 continents and illustrated how PhD students, both multidisciplinary and internationally share the same issues and concerns within the process.

Carol has published during her PhD in both the British Journal of Midwifery and International Journal of Researcher Development. In 2011 she was awarded the Postgraduate Diploma in Research Training.

Graduate school conference link:

http://www2.hull.ac.uk/student/graduateschool/phdexperienceconference2012/phdexperienceconference2011.aspx

Carol has published:

Lambert C, Jomeen J, McSherry W (2010) Reflexivity: a review of the literature in the context of midwifery research British Journal of Midwifery 18, 321-326

Mercer T, Kythreotis A, Lambert C, Hughes G (2011) Student-led research training within the PhD: "PhD experience" conferences International Journal for Researcher Development 2, 152-166

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Amanda Sherratt is a Lecturer in the Faculty of Health & Social Care; describing her research projects she says:

My PhD considers how existing social processes which facilitate late presentations in gastroesophageal cancers may be counteracted. Geographical information systems (GIS) software will be used to develop a visuospacial dataset of geographical and epidemiological data relating to gastroesophageal cancers in Hull, Lincolnshire and the East Yorkshire region. Underpinned by the paradigm of scientific realist philosophy, an evaluation of current social contexts and mechanisms in health care will identify approaches which have historically enabled or disabled intended mechanisms of change. Strategies will then be developed from this analysis, to counteract late presenting gastroesophageal cancers within the region.
My research is important as it may be used to inform geographically and socially targeted health promotion strategies. If patients are made aware of the initial signs and symptoms of their disease, and therefore, present earlier to their GPs, they may gain a more favourable outcome.

Research Question
How can health systems counteract the correctible geographical and epidemiological forces which facilitate late presentation gastroesophageal cancer?
Sub Questions

• What are the key features and main attributes of the populations in late presentation of gastroesophageal cancer?
• How can these key attributes be utilised to develop services which will counteract late presenting gastroesophageal patients?
• What strategic mechanisms currently exist to enable public information exchange?
• How may they be evaluated in the context of early presentation and referral?

Study Design
A 3 phase mixed methodology approach is proposed, using initial datasets from the National Cancer Registry.

Phase 1 - will scope the data and the clinical environment. The development of clinical and educational networks which will support the project is key to this project. Collaborative partnerships have been developed with the University of Hull Faculty of Health and Social Care, and the Department of Geography alongside the Graduate School. Local and Regional referral trusts have also participated.  Hull and East Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire and Doncaster and South Humber Trust representatives have engaged with initial scoping processes. Discussions have been held in these networks, to facilitate data collection. I will undertake research training modules at post graduate level, to underpin this work. Ethics approval will be sought through the University of Hull Ethics Committee and methodology will be based upon the initial scoping project and literature review.

Phase 2 - this phase will use quantitative evaluation of initial datasets, to gain information about gastroesophageal cancers in the catchment area of the regional referral centre. Baseline characteristics of the population will be transcribed into ARCGIS software for  visuospacial mapping.  Patient participation will be integral to this process, as steering groups which include researchers, gastrointestinal cancer patients and their carers will be invited to feed back.
Phase 3 - this final phase will form a realistic evaluation of contexts, mechanisms and outcomes which facilitate late presenting gastroesophageal cancers in our region. Based on the findings from phases 1 and 2, strategic mechanisms which currently exist to enable public information exchange will be evaluated in the context of early presentation and referral. The thesis will be written throughout the project, but this final phase will see a concentration on output and dissemination of findings.

Sample
Retrospective data on gastroesophageal cancer sufferers have been provided by the regional cancer registry and the sample (n=2588) dates from 1998 – 2010.

Ethics
Ethics approval has been provided through formal processes in the Regional Cancer Network. Further ethical approval is being sought through the University of Hull’s Ethics committee. Adherence to policies relating to data management, retrieval and storage will be maintained throughout.
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Alvisa Palese is a Registered Nurse in Italy. After graduation, she completed her Masters in Nursing Science at the University of Verona and then she was appointed as an Associate Professor in Nursing Science at the University of Udine where she teaches at the Bachelors Nursing degree level, ‘Evidence Based Nursing’ and ‘Fundamentals of Nursing’. She is also involved in other Italian universities where she teaches at the advanced level. In addition, she is a member of Italian research networks and organisations aiming to develop the nursing profession.
She started her PhD in the middle of 2012 and she is currently defining her research question.  Alvisa says' “I  decided to undertake the challenge of  a Nursing PhD program at  Hull University because it is a rich and stimulating academic environment, which allows me to develop many international relations with its diverse group of post-graduate research students, excellent supervisors and great opportunities also in the role of part-time student...  I am working on my research question which will probably be focused on the development and evaluation of a complex intervention in the context of nursing. When it will be defined together with my supervisor, I will post it! "

Alvisa's areas of research up to now were issues related to the nursing work-force, the experience of patients with brain neoplasm and the study of individual and organisational factors influencing academic success/failure among nursing students.

The following articles has been accepted or published in recent months:

Palese A, Dante A, Tonzar L, Balboni B. The N2N instrument to evaluate healthy work environments: an Italian validation. International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health (Accepted letter February 5th 2013).
Dante A, Fabris S, Palese A. on behalf of RIASI research group. Time-to-event analysis of individual variables associated with nursing students’ academic failure: A longitudinal study. Advances in Health Sciences Education (Accepted Letter, January 30th 2013).
Palese A, Carlevaris E, Zanini A, Morandin A, Carpanelli I, Dante A. Hidden outpatient oncology Nursing Minimum Data Set: findings from an Italian multi-method study. European Journal of Nursing Oncology, S1462-3889(12)00123-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ejon.2012.11.006.
Bortoluzzi G, Caporale L. Palese A. Does participative leadership reduce the onset of mobbing risk among nurse working teams? Journal of Nursing Management (Accepted letter, October 26th 2012).
Palese A, Cecconi C,  Moreale R, Skrap M. Pre-operative stress, anxiety, depression and coping strategies adopted by patients experiencing their first or recurrent brain neoplasm: an explorative study Stress and Health. Stress & Health 2012; 28(5):416-25.
Palese A, Mesaglio M, De Lucia  P, Guardini I, Dal Forno M, Vesca R, Boschetti B, Noacco M, Salmaso D. Nursing effectiveness in Italy: findings from a grounded theory study. Journal of Nursing Management, 2012, DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2834.2012.01392.x.
Dante A, Rizzi L, Ianderca B, Palese A. Why do university students not choose a nursing degree at matriculation? An Italian cross-sectional study. International Nursing Review, DOI: 10.1111/j.1466-7657.2012.01037.x.
Ronco M, Iona L, Bulfone G, Palese A. Patient education outcomes in surgery: a systematic review from 2004 to 2010. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 2012;10(4):309-23.
Palese A, Coletti S, Dante A. Publication efficiency among the higher impact factor nursing journals in 2009: a retrospective analysis. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 2012 Sep 22. doi:pii: S0020-7489(12)00294-5. 10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2012.08.019.
Palese A, Aidone E, Dante A, Pea F. Occurrence and extent of bruising according to duration of administration of subcutaneous Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin: a quasi-experimental case-crossover study. The Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing, 2012 Jun 29. [Epub ahead of print].
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Chen Yanhua is an associate professor in China and a registered nurses and matron in charge of an infectious disease department. She says:

The UK is not new to me, but Hull is brand new to me and my little boy. We meet many new friends and one old one who is Professor Roger Watson who is now my supervisor.

I can’t help but express my great appreciation to the people, the students and the staff in the university, and the people in the community and the church who guide and accompany us through the hard new journey to sort out the PhD courses and a good primary school for my child and doctors and bank affairs.  Now we are settling down.

It is time for my PhD study now.  My research is about mentorship which is universally acknowledged as an imperative approach to help the personal and professional development of nursing students and staff and to maintain public safety and ensure high quality nursing care. In China it there is an urgent need to strengthen mentorship while students are in their final year placement. I am confident that I will be well supported as Roger and Andrea Hilton, my second supervisor, are always there when I am wandering about. I believe my studies here will be successful and life here will be colourful and interesting with so many helpful people and the active academic atmosphere in the university.

Chen Yanhua has published two English papers and some Chinese academic paper. The English papers are:

Watson R, Yanhua C, Ip MY, Smith GD, Wong TK, Dearty IJ (2013) The structure of stress: confirmatory factor analysis of a Chinese version of the Stressors in Nursing Sudents Scale (SINS) Nurse Education Today 33, 160-165

Yanhua C, Watson R (2011) A review of clinical competence assessment in nursing Nurse Education Today 31, 832-836

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Tzu-Pei Yeh is from Taiwan:

I am delighted to work with my supervisors – Roger Watson and Judith Dyson, and also to study in a supportive environment with supportive staff - especially the Research Administrator Jeanette Gilchrist.

I worked as a cancer nurse for five years, and I have been a research nurse for nine months in cancer clinical trials. I am also a qualified oncology nurse and cancer nurse case manager in Taiwan. The only previous research that I have done is my master dissertation. The reason I pursue this PhD degree is because I hope I have the ability to complete any nursing research that emerges from my clinical work experience; also to help my colleagues if they wish to do their own research.

Nursing in Taiwan is being transformed from a low status occupation to a professional career, and it will be a great honour if I can devote myself to promoting the image and position of nursing in Taiwan. All the training that I have in my PhD course will help me to extend my vision as well as developing the ability to do nursing research with confidence.  The PhD degree may  bring more opportunities of various kinds of nursing work to me in the future; thus I appreciate my family’s support, the supervision from Roger and Judith, and all the conferences, lectures and learning resources in the Faculty of Health and Social Care.     

The title of my research is: The relationship between personality and job stress, burnout, satisfaction and resilience in Taiwanese cancer nurses. Understanding the relationship between nurses’ personalities, stress and burnout level and job satisfaction in one specific clinical setting such as cancer nursing is essential to establish effective interventions to support nurses, to improve their work environment and extend the tenure of staying in nursing-related occupations. By examining the relationship between personality, job stress, burnout, satisfaction and resilience in this research, personality measurements may become an important and essential tool when recruiting new nurses and planning nursing careers.

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Caring Science, Lifeworld Led Care and Medical Humanities

The Faculty of Health and Social Care will be hosting two leading lifeworld research experts from Linnaeus University, Sweden 11 – 15 February 2013 as part of an Erasmus exchange. The purpose of the exchange is to build links in lifeworld led care and to forge collaboration for research, teaching and curriculum development, with a particular focus on learning from Swedish ideas about ‘Caring Science’.

Lise-Lotte Ozolins (RN, MNsc, PhD) is senior lecturer in the School of Health and Caring Sciences at Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden. Lise- Lotte leads a Lifeworld based Health Care Clinic where undergraduate students undertake key placements. Her research focuses on the phenomenology of touch in health care and how phenomenology can support the understanding of Caring Science. She is a key member of the European Academy of Caring Science and is pursuing collaborations in Lifeworld- led Care and Education.

Ulrica Horberg is Senior Lecturer in the School of Health and Caring Sciences at Linnaeus University, Växjö, Sweden. Ulrica leads the Lifeworld Centre for Health, Care and Learning (HCL). Her research interests include: forensic psychiatric care and how families can be a resource for care in this context, learning in health and social care and the intertwining of theory and praxis. Ulrica is a key member of the European Academy of Caring Science and is pursuing collaborations in Lifeworld- led Care and Education.

More information about the European Academy of Caring Science is available here: www.pubcare.uu.se/care/eacs

Seminars

During their visit they are undertaking a Seminar as part of the Cross Faculty Seminar Series in Medical Humanities, on Wednesday 13th February in Derwent Room 3 at 4.30pm.

The phenomenon of touch in healthcare contexts – a complex caring movement

A Swedish doctoral thesis by Lise-Lotte Ozolins explored the phenomenon of touch and described its meaning from a lifeworld perspective in the healthcare context. The intention was to deepen the understanding of the meanings of touch in the field of caring science. Based on 54 variations, in the form of interviews in varied healthcare contexts, touch showed a powerful and complex phenomenon. To understand more of the complexity a philosophical illumination was carried out to highlight questions of interest in the caring of patients, such as; how could it be understood that touch can be both awakening of rhythm and balance in life, as well as intruding and frightening? How can carers in touch with patients support wellbeing in a meaningful caring space? Texts from Edmund Husserl, Martin Heidegger, Maurice Merleau-Ponty and Les Todres were helpful to expand the understanding of caring touch. The philosophical illuminations shows how the reversibility of touch, and thus also the movement between individuality and being a part of humanity, between being in focus or in the background, to feel or be felt, between to see and to be seen, cuts through all the meanings of the phenomenon and is basic to understanding the character of the phenomenon of touch. Touch means a flowing movement in a phenomenal field that stretches between what may be described as liberating and restraining. The phenomenon of touch may be described as a complex caring movement; an interplay between lived bodies as a foundation to understand health, suffering, well-being, and care.

To be strategically struggling against resignation – The lived experience of being cared for in forensic psychiatric care

The paper focuses on the forensic psychiatric care of mentally disordered offenders from the patients’ experiences of their life situation in forensic psychiatric wards. To be referred to care in forensic psychiatric services can be seen as one of the most comprehensive encroachments society can impose upon a person’s life, as it entails a limitation of the individual’s freedom with no time limit. The paper is based on a study with the aim to describe patients’ experiences of their life situation at forensic psychiatric wards, with a focus on care. Eleven qualitative interviews have been carried out with patients at one of six main forensic clinics in Sweden. The analysis was based on the Reflective Lifeworld Research approach, founded on phenomenology. Results show how forensic psychiatric care can be non-caring with only moments of good care. By use of different strategies, the patients struggle to adapt to the demands of the caregivers in order to gain privileges. At the same time the patients are lacking meaningful and close relationships and long to get away from the system of forensic care. Being cared for entails a struggle against an approaching overwhelming sense of resignation. The paper highlights the need for more knowledge, understanding and support in order to provide health promoting and, in other respects, good care to patients in forensic psychiatric care.

Honorary Graduates for the Faculty

Terence Ryan

Professor Terence Ryan

Professor Steven Ersser, Dean of the Faculty of Health & Social Care and Professor of Nursing & Dermatology Care presented Professor Ryan:

Professor Terence Ryan is one of the world’s foremost leaders and visionaries in dermatology and indeed in the field of health care generally, having been a tireless lifelong champion of the field. He is a renowned clinical academic in the field of dermatology and has held several international leadership posts in the field- seeking to improve the quality of life of people living with skin disease worldwide. His scholarly contribution to the field of dermatology, skin health, community dermatology and lymphology has been prolific and highly influential. Terence Ryan has been Honorary President of the International Society of Dermatology. In 2007 he received one of the highest international accolades in the field, the “Distinguished Services Award” of The International League of Dermatological Societies.

On retirement in1997 as a Consultant Dermatologist in Oxford, he became an Emeritus Professor of Dermatology at Oxford University, and at Oxford Brookes University, reflecting his strong collaborative links with and as champion of nursing and its academic development. He served as Vice Warden of Templeton Green College, Oxford for 7 years, promoting academic development in health care. He holds honorary international appointments at the Jefferson Medical School, Philadelphia; Limerick and Beijing and Nanjing (Peking) Universities.

Professor Ryan is also a humanitarian leader- having been a tireless advocate for the sick, poor and marginalised in developing countries- and in particular has been a champion for the development of community dermatology. He remains active in the field as Chair of the International Society of Dermatology WHO Task Force on Community Dermatology. Whilst Chair of the International Foundation for Dermatology, he took an active role in bringing dermatology, sexually transmitted diseases and leprosy into general health services of the developing world.  He advises the World Health Organisation Global Alliance on the elimination of lymphatic filariasis, which is a major disease affecting millions and one that impacts on sufferers’ skin and their quality of life. Prof Ryan has promoted the integration of traditional health with Western medicine and worked to support the retraining of village health care workers in the fields of skin care, sexual health and leprosy. Prof Ryan was also a Medical Advisor to the St Francis Leprosy Guild and was a member of the LEPRA Medical Board. His wider contribution to health care community has been recognised by the St John Ambulance Association as a Knight of St John and for his international work by the Rotary Club -as a Paul Harris Fellow.

Aside to his recognition in medicine he has always been an active champion of the nursing service and opportunities for nurses within Universities. Indeed, previously he sought to influence the Oxford Medical School to embrace University education for nurses and, despite the obstacles; he went on to support interdisciplinary clinical academic involvement of nursing at the National Institute of Nursing in Oxford and Oxford Brookes University.

Terence Ryan has been an inspired health care and academic leader to a wide range of health professionals and community health workers. Over the last 14 years he has been an active supporter of the International Skin care Nursing Group. On a personal note, Terence Ryan has also served as a long-term mentor to me supporting me to take up the first Chair in nursing and dermatology care worldwide. He is active supporter of our Research Group here at Hull and is actively advising some of our research students.

Professor Ryan has been at the forefront of dermatology worldwide and skin health over the past few decades. His leadership, vision and commitment to improving the health care of people in resource poor and developed countries –has been exemplary and an inspiration to many. His wider view of health care and public health, his international perspective and profound belief in the importance of interdisciplinary working, education and research –highlights his shared values with the University of Hull and our Faculty of Health & Social which has a growing interest in skin health, global health, community and sexual health.
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Carolyn Roberts

Lady Carolyn Roberts

Professor Kathleen Galvin, Professor of Nursing Practice, of the Faculty of Health & Social Care presented Lady Roberts:

Lady Carolyn Roberts is an exceptional leader in nursing and health visiting, having dedicated a lifetime's work to delivering enhanced clinical services and to improving the healthcare experience of patients and public, especially the disadvantaged. She has also played an important national role in advising the government on the safety and licensing of medicines and in focussing attention on the ethics of patient care – a topic of considerable media attention in recent months.

Born in Leeds, Carolyn's early career was spent not on hospital wards but in the offices of the computer giant, IBM. Her Damascene conversion took place when she was being treated for a severe reaction to ampicillin and saw at first hand the transformational effects of high-quality patient care. She qualified as a registered nurse at Leeds General Infirmary and went on to train as a health visitor at Leeds University.

Primary health care has been the backbone of her outstanding career, initially as a health visitor and then as a researcher investigating the role of health visitors in promoting the well-being of older people. Her research set out to overcome professional and institutional boundaries by encouraging staff to work in both hospital and community settings, as a means of achieving continuous and co-ordinated care. This pioneering work was underpinned by her MSc in Health Administration and Research from Hull University. More recently, she has applied her organisation and research expertise to Leeds, Wakefield, Sheffield and Oxford health authorities, bringing together skills and knowledge in clinical practice, research, education, management and policy to the considerable benefit of the agencies concerned. She has made it her business to break down barriers – whether these are related to social class, race or gender – and to improve the standards of ethical practice in both health and social care.

Carolyn’s understanding and appreciation of the ethical concerns of the general public led to her appointment as a trustee of the ETHOX Foundation, and to a six-year term as its chair. An independent registered charity, the Foundation exists to enhance the communication and ethical decision-making skills of medical and nursing professionals. It enjoys strong links with the Universities of Oxford and Warwick, as well as having had a seat on the Associate Parliamentary Health Group – a valuable conduit to government ministers and NHS executives which Carolyn has fully exploited. As chair, Carolyn set out to strengthen the governance and sustainability of ETHOX and to develop its influence on the ethics of care. This work led to her becoming a founding member of the Royal College of Nursing Ethics Committee. She is also a Fellow of Royal Society of Medicine, an Invited Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a member of the City Women’s Network. 

In 2007 Carolyn was invited to become the first nurse member of the Commission on Human Medicines, which advises the UK Government on the safety, quality, efficacy and licensing of medicines. Described as a ‘superb’ Commissioner, she has added a unique perspective to the workings of the Commission, based on her role as a nurse prescriber and her extensive experience of both the nursing profession, and the field of health care ethics. Carolyn has also served on a number of the Commission’s Expert Advisory Groups since 2003. 

An exemplary and passionate nurse, Carolyn has been unstinting in her efforts to enhance the quality of health and social care – as practitioner, researcher, senior manager and nurse prescriber. 

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