News from our partners: UCS appoints new Head of Health and Social Care to establish Adult Nursing Degree programme
News from our partners University Centre Shrewsbury
During the International Year of Nurses and Midwives and the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Professor Debbie Roberts as the Head of Health and Social Care for University Centre Shrewsbury.
Professor Deborah Roberts, Head of Social Care and Health, University Centre Shrewsbury,
Prof Roberts has deep expertise in nursing, with over 30 years of experience as a qualified nurse, including five years as a nurse manager at Whitchurch Community Hospital, and 20 years as a nurse academic for universities in Wales and England.
In addition to leading UCS’s new Adult Nursing degree programme, Professor Roberts will oversee UCS’s Social Work Apprenticeship programme, which began in January.
Professor Anna Sutton, Provost of UCS. said:-
“Professor Roberts is a thought leader in nursing education, and we are fortunate she chose us. Not only is she a recognized expert in the field of nurse education, she understands the particular needs of our community. On top if it all, her passion for nursing is contagious.”
Prof Roberts’ areas of teaching and research expertise includes practice and immersive learning, as well as clinical simulation. She has a particular interest in linking research, teaching and innovation; ensuring that evidence-based teaching is used within nurse education and relevant research is embedded into the curriculum.
Widely published in the field of nurse education, Prof Roberts has edited a text book (currently being revised as a second edition), and contributed to two others, one of which, Death and Dying (2008), is a core text in nurse education programmes in several countries. She also has published 30 peer-reviewed articles for international journals with her work often cited by others, indicating the impact of her ideas on teaching and learning internationally.
University Centre Shrewsbury
Prof Roberts has established a wide range of national and international links through her work as an external examiner and on the editorial board of Nurse Education in Practice, as well as Scientific Co-Chair of the 2016 NETNEP Global Nurse Education Conference.
In 2019, she was nominated as one of the top 100 women in Wales in the inaugural Welsh Women’s Awards, which celebrate those women who continue to thrive and excel at the forefront of their professions and make meaningful contributions to the country.
Prof Roberts said:-
“I am excited about the opportunity to create a high level nursing programme in Shropshire. My hope is that the students who learn with us, will remain here to service the community and grow their careers in Shropshire.”
The four year, BSc Adult Nursing with Foundation Year programme will begin in September 2020, and the three year Adult Nursing degree programme will begin in September 2021. The Foundation Year allows students who have been out of education or who need to improve their qualifications to upskill and ready themselves to begin the Adult Nursing programme the following year.
Prof Roberts said:-
“The foundation year gives you everything you need to confidently succeed throughout the three year nursing programme. Nursing is a privileged, tough, and thoroughly rewarding profession. At UCS we can give you all the support you need to succeed in this dynamic, evolving profession.”
UCS expects to sign an agreement with the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital Trust, which oversees the county’s two district hospitals and four community hospitals, this month, which will allow the nursing students to have their practice placements across the county.
This summer UCS will build a bespoke simulation suite in Guildhall, the main teaching facility in Frankwell, with state of the art programmable mannequins. An area within the suite will based on someone’s home to better reflect the changing emphasis of nursing in the community.
Prof Roberts said:-
“You can see the impact that nursing has on our communities during this pandemic. If you ever thought of becoming a nurse, the best profession ever, now is the time.”
University Centre Shrewsbury is a unique partnership between the University of Chester and Shropshire Council, designed to provide high quality teaching, innovation and research. Now in its fifth year, UCS offers 20 undergraduate and 10 post-graduate degree programmes in the beautiful medieval town of Shrewsbury.
Note: Pictures attached of 1) Professor Deborah Roberts, Head of Social Care and Health, University Centre Shrewsbury, and 2) Guildhall, UCS’ main teaching facility.
