Prof Helen Allan

Biography

My research focuses on the social processes which shape nursing practice. My aim in both teaching and research is to improve clinical care and learning. Before a career in teaching and research, I qualified as a registered nurse at University College[HA1]  Hospital, London in 1978. I left the NHS in 1987 as ward manager after 13 years in clinical practice to study for BSc Sociology Hons at London School of Economics, University of London. I graduated in 1991 and qualified as a nurse teacher in 1992 (PGDE/RNT), working as a nurse lecturer at Bloomsbury College of Nursing & Midwifery, London (1992-1997) and as senior lecturer at Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Institute/Manchester University (1997-2001). Graduating with PhD Nursing in 2000, I worked as RA1 -3 at University of Surrey (UoS) 2001-2011, Reader, 2011, then Clinical Professor, 2012. Moved to the University of York, as Professor in Nursing 2013-2014, then Middlesex University (MDX), Professor of Nursing 2014. In 2023, I was awarded a Fellowship of RCN (FRCN) in recognition of my lifetime contribution to understanding racism in nursing, and fertility nursing.

I most recently revalidated with the Nursing & Midwifery Council in 2023 (PIN 75Y1931E). I updated my clinical skills during the pandemic and trained as a vaccinator for the C19 vaccination programme. I undertook management training while at UoS 2008-2012. I have undertaken PhD supervisor training at all three universities; most recently in 2024 at MDX.

I reduced my hours in 2023 prior to retirement after (hopefully) seeing my last PhD student through to completion in 2027. I will have supervised through to completion 8-10 staff members (depending on completion) which will have significantly increased the number of potentially research active staff in nursing and midwifery at MDX.

Awards: 2006, Florence Nightingale Travel Scholarship; Janet Hull/UCH Travel Scholarship; 2008-2011, personal award of Centre for Education and Academic Development Scholar for FHMS, UoS; 2010, two travel scholarships from Flinders University, Australia, Auckland University of Technology.

In recognition of my research, teaching and practice I was awarded FRCN and nominated for outstanding research supervisor (THE) 2021. These awards recognise my contribution to nursing and midwifery practice, teaching and research. Outputs recognised by these awards included:

Allan H T, Larsen JA, Smith PA, Bryan K (2003) We need respect. Report to RCN

Smith PA, Allan H T, Larsen, JA, Mackintosh MM, Henry L (2008) Valuing the talents of a diverse NHS workforce. Report to RCN

Allan[HA1]  HT (2009) Managing intimacy and emotions in advanced fertility care: the future of nursing and midwifery roles. M&K Publishing

Allan H T, Mounce G (2023) Transition to Parenthood after IVF. Sage Pubs;

Allan HT, Traynor (2023) Racism in Nursing, Sage Pubs.

This recognition is based on my research publications and teaching over 30 years of a wide number of students both nationally and internationally, my methodological approaches (collaboration, action research) and my ability to link theory and practice meaningfully for nurses and midwives, no matter their level in the NHS, from students to chief nurses. Due to my reputation and distinguished publications record, I have been an external consulting member to: EU Sub Committee on Reproductive Technologies, Chair: M. Brazier, University of Manchester; Parliamentary Committee on Reproductive Technologies, 2006, Chair Eric Bligh. In 2019 I became Chair of UCH London Nurses’ Charity, and work with UCLH Chief Nurse to promote learning through charity sponsorship across the trust. My research has formed the basis for further academic work internationally in the two fields of fertility nursing and racism in nursing as evidenced in the publications mentioned here, and in the work of successful students.

Teaching

Believing that nurse education needs to have a flexible ‘home’ within any university to fully meet professionals’ educational needs, and that this is increasingly important as provider-led education becomes more embedded in the future, I have taught across a range of health professional programmes at Surrey, York and Middlesex, contributing to curricula and creating new modules. Examples include: leading on emotional learning at Surrey. I have published on this work with students: Allan HT, Arber A (2017) Reflexivity and emotions in health care fieldwork. Palgrave MacMillan. I developed this approach in psychodynamic supervision for dissertation supervisors. Relevant output:

Allan H T (2011) Using psycho-dynamic small group work in nurse education: closing the theory-practice gap? Nurse Education Today 31(5) 521-524. https://DOI:10.1016/j.nedt.2010.09.006[HA1] .

 Examples of curriculum and teaching innovation at MDX include: 2014, Developing an APEL route to registration for overseas trained nurses, (PI) Funder: HENCEL £94,000 which introduced a module to improve access to nurse registration; 2019, I introduced a curriculum thread on infertility and reproductive technologies to the BSc Midwifery programme; 2022, I co-wrote an online module for BSc Nursing, Wicked Problems in Nursing.

Scholarship lead: I regularly contribute to departmental seminars Scholars at Work series, to disseminate my research, suggest ways of embedding knowledge in curricula and enhance critical engagement of teaching staff with research for staff CPD. In 2022, I introduced nursing and midwifery discipline specific PGR seminars for staff on PGR pathways and to encourage staff to start on these routes. I currently have I am currently supervising eight staff PhDs registered at MDX as a result of these SaW and PGR seminars