About

In my role as Assistant Subject Lead for the Children's Nursing Programme, I contribute to the strategic leadership and smooth operation of the subject area. I support the overall management of the programme by coordinating teaching teams, helping oversee curriculum delivery, and ensuring high academic standards across modules. I play an active role in curriculum development, embedding evidence‑based practice, real‑world learning, and NMC standards to ensure the programme remains innovative, contemporary, and responsive to the needs of children, young people, and families.

I support high‑quality student experience through academic and pastoral oversight, addressing feedback, enhancing engagement, and contributing to progression and retention. I assist with quality assurance processes, including programme reviews, validation, external examiners, and compliance activities. In addition, I work closely with placement partners to help maintain excellent practice learning environments and resolve issues that impact student learning or wellbeing.

Teaching responsibilities

I contribute to the teaching of the Children's Programme for undergrad BSc and MSc. I support the IPL agenda across health, social care and policing. I teach on all elements of the programme including clinical skills, research and leadership.

Professional interests

My professional interests include Pre Hospital and Emergency care, Safeguarding and IPL. I am interested in lived experience and peer recovery within sustainable health outcomes in order to reduce social determinants.

Research interests

Research is something that I am also passionate about, reducing health inequalities and the ecological systems of health and health detriments forms the fundamentals of some of the research projects in which I have been part of, working with communities to access vulnerable groups. The publications of such research have helped to influence some of the commissioned services to embed change. This has been recognised by national workstreams and further interventions ongoing.

Membership of professional bodies

I am a member of the Royal College of Nursing and the Nursing and Midwifery Council

Qualifications

MSc Health and Leadership

BSc Nursing (Child)

Advanced Paediatric Life Support

ATTAC Anaesthesia Trauma and Critical Care

Postgraduate Certificate in Inter-Professional Practice Education

NMC – RN Child and Teacher

HEE Fellow

Experience in industry

Pre Hospital Care

Accident and Emergency

Named Nurse for Safeguarding

Safeguarding Lead Children's and Young People.

Additional interests and activities

Florence Nightingale Academic Fellow Graduate

Recent publications

Best,D , Higham,D , Pickersgill, G , Higham, K , Hancock, R & Critchlow, T (2020): Building Recovery Capital through Community Engagement: A Hub and Spoke Model for Peer-based Recovery Support Services in England, Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly. 10:1080

Best, D., Critchlow, T., Higham, D., Higham, K., Thompson, R., Shields, D., & Barton, P. (2022). Delivering Peer-Based Support in Prisons During the COVID Pandemic and Lockdown: Innovative Activities Delivered by People Who Care. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X221110809