AAPE UK Committee Members

My role in supporting Advanced Practice/ Clinical Practice programmes and in currently being part of the NMC Regulation Review, dictates a necessity to be at the forefront of Advanced Practice knowledge and developments. Education is vital in the development of high quality patient care, with advanced practice playing a key role in service development. As an advocate and leader of advanced practice, I believe the students’ perspective of the rapidly changing practice environment helps shape local and international educational provision and evolution. I seek to further develop the contribution that I make to the development of advanced practice through continued membership and leadership of AAPE UK; to advocate advanced practitioner education, recognising healthcare practitioner role enhancement, through its alliance with government, professional bodies, education providers, and ultimately individual practitioners. AAPE UK has a vital role in this developing culture and I would seek your continued support, as developing practice through education is my driving force.

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Helen Francis-Wenger

Deputy Chair University of Plymouth

I am currently a senior lecturer on the Advanced Professional Practice (Clinical Practitioner) and Advanced Clinical Practitioner apprenticeship programmes at the University of Plymouth. I have a passion for good quality clinical skills education and lead on the clinical assessment skills module. Using this determination, my principle goal is to drive forward clinical roles within nursing, para-medicine and other allied health professions to equip learners, who are experienced clinicians within their own right, with advanced consultation skills, decision making and diagnostic skills to help the progression of allied health professionals within the NHS.

My background is as a Nurse with 20 years experience, with a majority of my career spent in Emergency Medicine and management roles in the NHS. I clinically active, working as an Advanced Clinical Practitioner in Emergency Medicine at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, which ties in nicely with frameworks such as NHS England (WD&E) advanced practice agenda, the RCN Advanced Clinical Practice credentialing service and the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) ACP agenda. This link between practice and education of advanced practice is something I consider myself fortunate to have.

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Deborah Slade

Treasurer Oxford Brookes University

I am currently the Subject Co-ordinator for accredited advanced practice programmes at Oxford Brookes University. My clinical background is in critical care, and I worked as an advanced practitioner for many years before moving into education. I am passionate about healthcare professionals having access to high quality education opportunities in order to optimise the experience for their service users. My experience of being an External Examiner for several Master’s level Advanced Practice programmes across different universities has allowed me to collaborate widely on ideas and share good practice. I participated in the development of the NHSE Respiratory Care credential, and I was on the working group to develop advanced level assessment strategies for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

As a committee member/ treasurer of AAPE UK, I value the opportunity to participate in the ongoing drive for robust education to underpin advanced practice standards and frameworks across the UK. Advanced Practitioners have pivotal roles to play within the multi-professional approach to the provision of quality health care, and I enjoy contributing to students’ development of knowledge, skills, and behaviours that will enable them to achieve their career aspirations.

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Louise Beesley

Secretary University of Birmingham

Louise is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at the University of Birmingham and is currently the Head of Education in the School. Louise has worked both in secondary and primary care at an advanced level of practice, following completion of an MSc Advanced Practice (Nursing) whilst working as a Clinical Nurse Specialist within a tertiary care hypertension service. During this role, she had the opportunity to develop nurse led clinics, contribute to the development of prescribing for non- medical practitioners and collaboratively carve the pathway for future advanced practice in the Trust. She then embarked upon a new challenge as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner within a large general practice partnership in inner city Birmingham. Here she developed generalist skills working at this advanced level, as well as supporting the primary care specialist diabetes and hypertension services.

Louise’s academic career has focussed on Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) having been instrumental in the development of a portfolio of ACP programmes in the region, including Level 7 Degree Apprenticeship routes. Louise is the outgoing Chair of the Midlands Higher Education Institute (HEI) ACP group, with representation from all HEIs delivering advanced practice courses across the Midlands. As an active Committee Member of the Association of Advanced Practice Educators UK, Louise has represented the committee as key note speaker at national conferences and in NHSE and NMC working groups supporting the evolving development of Advanced Practice.

Current research interests are focused on the advancing practice agenda, including the preservation and maintenance of professional identity in the advancement of clinical practice, and furthering our understanding multi-professional advanced practice teaching and learning pedagogy.

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Jonathan Thomas

Membership Secretary – Welsh representative Swansea University

I am an associate professor and programme director for the MSc advanced clinical practice programmes at Swansea University. Within AAPE, I am the membership secretary, and this role has many components from dealing with new and existing member queries through to being the main point of communication between AAPE and committee members. As a committee member I am also involved with some UK advanced practice projects such as the student workbook and review of doctoral education for advanced practice.

At a Welsh level, I am currently the chair of the Welsh Advanced Practice Educators Network (WAPEN) and I bring the Welsh representation to the AAPE committee. AAPE and WAPEN continue to work together. At an international level, I am co-chair of the communication group for the International Council of Nursing NP/APN network.

My clinical background has been within advanced practice roles both in community and primary care.

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Colette Henderson

Scottish representative University of Dundee

I have practiced as an advanced nurse practitioner in Scotland since 1998 and have worked in the higher education sector since 2013 teaching on advanced practice programmes. I am passionate about the development of advanced practice and received a Florence Nightingale scholarship in 2006 travelling to the USA and Canada reviewing advanced practice development in several states there. I am currently employed at the University of Dundee as the programme lead for the MSc Advanced Practice and during this time have established and currently chair the Scottish Advanced Practice Educators Network (SAPEN), the Mental Health Advanced Practice Support Network and an Advanced Practice Doctoral Support Network. I am co-chair of the ICN Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network Comms and have recently been nominated by the Scottish Government for the role of nursing advisor (advanced practice) (Scotland) with the NMC.

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John Cathcart

Northern Ireland representative Ulster University

Diagnostic Radiographer since 1986 and advanced my career by becoming a specialist in CT and image reporting whilst also having a Trust wide responsibility for training in the Radiology directorate. I was also a Clinical Practice Educator from 1996.

In 2010 I moved to become a Lecturer at Ulster University (Senior Lecturer 2021), previously lecturing parttime since 1999 and for Bradford University parttime from 2007-2010. From Sept 2023, I have taken on the role of Associate Head of School for Health Sciences here at Ulster University. I achieved my PgD (1994), MSc (1996), D Med Sc (2007), PgCHEP 2012 and FHEA 2012. I am a reviewer for several peer reviewed journals.

I hold and have held roles on regional and national committees within Radiography, DOH NI and wider professional groups. I have worked across professions to enhance and develop post graduate skills, including Radiography, Podiatry, Physiotherapy, OT and Nursing.

I am presently the Course Director for Advancing Practice at Ulster University which encompasses 8 AHP professions. I regularly meet with the regional clinical leads of these professions to ensure the course is relevant to clinical needs. I also lecturer on Nurse Advanced practitioner courses.

I am passionate about career advancement for all professions as we seek to deliver enhanced and advanced patient focused care across the health sector.

My research has focused mainly on 3D imaging and its applications to enhance client and patient outcomes. I also have a keen interest in research ethics and serve(d) on several committees.

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Diane Reid

Social Media Manager Manchester Metropolitan University

I have a keen interest and passion for multi-professional Advanced Clinical Practice. I hold range of ACP roles within the NHS, Higher Education, and multi-professional ACP committees. These roles include work as an Associate Clinical Fellow in ACP at Manchester Metropolitan University, work as a Musculoskeletal Transformation Clinical Lead and Advanced MSK Physiotherapy Practitioner at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, along with executive committee membership of the Association of Advanced Practice Educators UK (AAPEUK), committee member of the Advanced Practice Physiotherapy Network (APPN), and Co- chair of the Greater Manchester ACP steering group.

I teach across a range of postgraduate programmes including the multi-professional ACP MSc Apprenticeship and ACP portfolio, the First Contact and Advanced Musculoskeletal Practice programmes, and I co-lead the ACP Supported ePortfolio educational delivery at Manchester Metropolitan University.

I have been an active committee member of the AAPEUK committee since 2020, with a key role as part of the AAPE UK conference planning team.

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Melanie Clarkson

Sheffield Hallam University

I originally trained as a Therapeutic Radiographer in 1999, qualifying from the University of Central England in Birmingham after completing placement at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. I then starting work in the same year at, what is now, The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, where I moved through the career pathway to Superintendent Therapeutic Radiographer in 2009. In 2007 I gained a secondment to Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) and left clinical practice in 2014 to become a Senior Lecturer at SHU.

My educational pathway has followed my career achieving a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) 2002, NVQ level 3 assessor 2002, MSc in Health Care Sciences (Cancer Care) at the University of Teesside, in 2005. I also achieved Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA) in 2021.

Both my clinical and academic experience support my role as MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) Radiotherapy and Oncology programme lead, which ignited a passion for advanced practice. In addition, I am currently a Principal Lecturer in Advancing Practice for AHP’s at SHU. Within NHS England I am the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for Therapeutic Radiography for the Cancer and Diagnostics team, at the Centre for Advancing Practice I am a reviewer for the feasibility study for the e-portfolio, credentials, and programme accreditation. Within the College of Radiographers, I am a member of the Radiotherapy Advisory Group (RAG), assessor and member of the Accreditation and Approval Board (AAB) and chair of the special interest group (SIG) for Advancing Practice in Therapeutic Radiography. I am honoured to have been elected as committee member within AAPE, representing Therapeutic Radiographers and AHPs, but also continuing my development and passionate in advancing practice with likeminded colleagues.

Currently, I am leading the national consultation on the non-surgical oncology ACP curriculum framework and the enhanced level practice schema for Therapeutic Radiographers. I am also involved with the ACP impact group for the Council of Deans and HEE, and the ACCEnD project with HEE and Macmillan.

My research activity links to the projects I am involved in, inclusive of patient and public perceptions of advancing practice and international communities of practice for education of advancing practice.

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Vicky Macarthur

EPAO network lead University of Cumbria

I did my undergraduate education at Kings College University of London and post graduate at the Royal College of Nursing with Manchester University.

I am Deputy Programme Lead for Advanced and Specialist Practice at Oxford Brookes University. I have worked at Oxford Brookes since September 2000 on both the undergraduate nursing programmes and the postgraduate Advanced and Specialist Practice programmes. I am ACP Apprenticeship End Point Assessment lead for AAPEUK and chair the EPAO network for the ACP apprenticeship hosted by AAPEUK.

I have a clinical background in Orthopaedics, Gerontology and Urgent Care as an Emergency Nurse Practitioner.

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Helen Rushforth

University of Southampton

Helen Rushforth is Senior Lecturer in Advanced Clinical Practice at the University of Southampton. After a clinical career largely focused in paediatrics, it was the opportunity to complete a PhD exploring nurse led pre-operative assessment that led her into the world of Advanced Practice. She then completed further post doctoral research in Advanced Practice before being asked to lead the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme in Southampton in 2008, a role she undertook until reducing to part time hours in Spring 2023. She regularly undertakes the role of Education Advisor/Examiner with colleagues in other Universities across the UK, supporting them in the development and delivery of their Advanced Practice curricula. She is an active member of the NHS (England) South East Advanced Practice Network. She has undertaken work on a variety of projects and workstreams for Health Education England linked to the development of the Centre for Advancing Practice. She is currently represents the AAPE Committee on the ‘NHSE Centre for Advancing Practice Educational Advisory Group’ and also the ‘Steering Group for the NMC Review on whether Advanced Practice should be regulated.

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Angela Banks

Sheffield Hallam University

My clinical background is in acute and emergency care, and I am passionate about pre- and post- registration education.

I am the subject lead for advancing practice at Sheffield Hallam university, course leader for both the master’s in advanced clinical Practice programmes – apprenticeship and non apprenticeship and NHSE supported E-portfolio.

Post – registration and CPD has always been a major part of my academic career and one that I relish due to the challenges that post basic education offers in order that as commissioners we met the needs of service providers.

My key areas of expertise include advanced practice – being part of the South Yorkshire & West Midlands collaboration to standardise MSc ACP programmes across the region.

As a member of AAPEUK, I have been actively involved in several collaborative activities with co-members:

National MSc Pre- Course workbook (2019)
Evaluation of the workbook- May 22
Aspiring ACP regional course (Yorkshire & Humber) – pilot includes 2 study days held at Huddersfield university & Sheffield Hallam- July 22
Development of a book to prepare students for advanced practice courses – 2022 onwards

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Dr Sue Faulds

University of York

Dr. Sue Faulds is a Reader at the University of York having joined in September 2019 from the University of Southampton. Sue qualified as a nurse in the West Midlands in 1996 and worked in critical care in both the NHS and private sector where her final post before leaving for a full-time role in academia, was Senior Sister and acting Critical Care Manager. During her 15 years at the University of Southampton, Sue was promoted to Principle Lecturer and led both pre-registration and post-registration programmes as well as holding posts as Director of Programmes.

Sue has extensive experience in health education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She has led curricula development in both pre-registration nursing as well as masters programmes in Advanced Critical Care Practice and Advanced Practice apprenticeship programmes. During this time Sue gained an MA(ed) and Ph.D. at the University of Southampton where she explored the visual attention of novice and expert nurses, developing a new methodology that combined eye movement and viewers’ spoken thoughts. Drawing on this experience, Sue has acted as an external adviser for a number of other universities developing their own advanced practice as well as pre-registration nursing programmes and developed the first level 7 apprenticeship at the University of York.

From 2017 to 2020 Sue was a member of the NICE technology appraisal committee gaining a fascinating insight into the process of approving a technology, often medicines for use in the NHS. The role demanded the development of some knowledge in health economics and a broader understanding of often very specialised research and Sue continues to draw on that in her current research and educational practice which includes project work for NHSE focused on the educational development, support, and supervision of advanced practitioners.

Sue held an honorary contract 2018-2019 at University Hospitals Southampton NHS Trust to undertake clinical care, working as a Registered Nurse and regaining many of the clinical skills from her previous experience. This meant that during the Covid-19 pandemic, Sue was invited to join the educational faculty at the Nightingale Hospitals in both Harrogate and London to develop and deliver education focused on supporting non-critical care experienced healthcare professionals to deliver care.

In September 2023 Sue joined the Office for Students as an Apprenticeship Assessor – assessing the quality of endpoint assessments in Advanced Clinical Practice apprenticeships. Alongside being an external assessor for a university delivering the standard and leading York’s EPA, Sue is building on her experience in quality assurance and advanced practice education to continue contributing to advancing practice in healthcare both at a local and national level.

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Stephen-Andrew Whyte

Middlesex University & Great Ormond Street Hospital

I am currently employed as the Deputy Director of Education and Professional Lead for Advancing Practice at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) and am responsible for leading the development of multi-disciplinary advancing practice healthcare professionals. This includes the strategic oversight of an MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice and PGCert in Enhanced Clinical Practice that we jointly deliver with Middlesex University.

I am currently external examiner for Aston University, Birmingham.

I have most recently been involved in the national paediatric ACP curriculum HEE/RCPCH writing group leading on primary/urgent care aspects of the curriculum and was previously involved with the development of the Multi-Professional Framework for Advanced Clinical Practice in England (2017). I also chair the Health Inequalities Outcomes Group at GOSH.

I am a registered pharmacist, a Fellow of The Royal Pharmaceutical Society, an affiliate member of The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and an Associate Member of The Royal College of Emergency Medicine.

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Ollie Phipps

Principal Lecturer Canterbury Christ Church University

I am a Principal Lecturer and the Professional Lead for Advanced Practice and Independent Prescribing at Canterbury Christ Church University. In addition, I serve as the Course Director for the MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) and the MSc ACP Degree Apprenticeship programs. Clinically, I practice as a Consultant ACP in Emergency and Acute Care.

Previously, I led the national Advanced Clinical Practice (ACP) Credential project for Health Education England (HEE) and the Royal College of Physicians, chairing the Acute Medicine and Respiratory Medicine workstreams. I also had the privilege of serving as the HEE ACP Credential Lead, participating in several national Advanced Practice project groups. I continue to contribute as a subject matter expert.

I am a published author on Advanced Practice across multiple texts and an international keynote speaker on the topic., Currently, I am pursuing a PhD, focusing on various concepts of Advanced Practice.

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AAPE UK Committee members are elected from existing AAPE UK members. Our Constitution (see Governance) allows for 16 Committee members.

AAPE UK
Committee Members