Biography
My initial interest in HIV/AIDS and sexual health arose soon after HIV/AIDS emerged. As a practitioner I became concerned with the quality of care those with HIV were receiving as a result of ignorance and fear. I was able to influence practice as time progressed, providing data that demonstrated that there was a clear lack of understating by student nurses and this was expressed in negative attitudes resulting in substandard care. The outcome of this study (undertaken in three European Universities) resulted in changes to nursing curricula and dissemination of the findings internationally.
I later began considering the health care needs of men as I wanted to redress the gender inequality experienced by men in number of care settings. I achieved this by engaging in pedagogy that addressed inequality generally and specifically related to men. This was ground breaking as little work had been undertaken in this field of practice. I was one of the first authors to provide Practice Nurses with a text concerning Men's Health related to their field of practice. I wrote the first article concerning male breast cancer and was a forerunner in commenting on male obesity, male menopause and male osteoarthritis. A consequence of this is that I am now seen as an expert in this field, frequently being called upon to provide advice to others and act as a panel expert on men's health and curriculum developments, both nationally and internationally.
Academic Leadership
I am a highly dedicated and driven educator with over forty years cumulative experience in a variety of education and healthcare settings in the UK, enthusiastic and determined with a passion for inclusive education for all.
I am an experienced academic, bringing with me and sharing a number of outstanding leadership and management styles that enables a significant contribution to be made to both the academic field and my profession. I am able to motivate and enthuse others; this has been evidenced in a number of ways, for example, encouraging academic colleagues to undertake duties and challenges that are often seen as over and above what is required of them. I am able to develop and communicate a clear vision of the School's strategic direction. I also extend my leadership skills beyond the academic community, I am comfortable in engaging others in the clinical and health care setting, for example, persuading and supporting Directors of Nursing, Assistant Directors of Nursing and other senior clinicians in undertaking academic work with me leading and guiding them to publication and implementation of activities.
I manage the School of Health Studies educational provision for all health and care professions. My aims, aspirations and endeavours (personally and from an institutional perspective) encompass and support the Gibraltar Health Authority mission and strategic plan. I sit on the Board of Governors University of Gibraltar.
Scholarship, research, consultancy or practice
My publication list is a testament (both in volume and quality) to my ability to produce scholarly publications, research output, consultancy and to undertake and influence practice. I have written or co edited almost forty texts, with requests being made to produce new editions of the most sought after and influential texts. My publication list can be found here.
I am the Editor in Chief of the British Journal of Nursing. British Journal of Nursing is the leading general clinical journal for nurses. Authoritative, accessible and diverse, it’s an essential read for everyone from students to specialists. I am one of the founding consultant editors of the Journal of Paramedic Practice - the first UK wide journal of its kind, conceived to address clinical and professional issues relevant to paramedics, emergency care practitioners and assistants, medical technicians, paramedic practitioners, critical care paramedics, combat medical technicians, and members of voluntary aid societies, students and managers.
I sit on the editorial board of the British Journal of Healthcare Assistants and I am reviewer for several publishing houses.