Dementia Relationships

Christine is Professor of Nursing (Education) and Director of Internationalisation at School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s University Belfast. She has an international reputation in dementia and care homes research using participatory methods such as co-design. Christine has co-designed digital games and e-resources to promote the learning of health care professions and students. More information.

Dr. Anita Mallon is a Research Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast. She has a background in Intensive Care Nursing and nurse education. Research interests include palliative care, social care, resilience and dementia care.

Gary is a Reader in the school of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen’s University Belfast. He is a registered nurse with significant clinical and academic experience in care home nursing, frailty, dementia, delirium & palliative care. Gary holds the title of Queen’s Nurse (QN) and was named as Nurse of the Year by the British Journal of Nursing in 2016 for his work in dementia palliative care within care homes.

Dr Frances Duffy is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist working in dementia care for over 15 years, and an NHS Clinical Entrepreneur. Her clinical work focuses on older people’s mental health, including dementia diagnosis, post-diagnostic support, and specialist rehabilitation for delirium. Working in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, she developed CLEAR Dementia Care and the CLEAR Dementia Care App. Frances is also Founder and CEO of 6D-Dementia Ltd. She developed the 6D online training platform to reduce caregiver burnout and improve quality of care in community and hospital settings. She has published best practice papers in dementia commissioned by the Public Health Agency and the British Psychological Society, including guidelines on managing behaviours that challenge (James, Duffy et al., 2024). She was a member of the Northern Ireland Dementia Improvement Collaborative who produced the Regional Dementia Care Pathway and is a committee member of the British Psychological Society Faculty of the Psychology of Older People.

Allison has been married to Tom, her childhood sweetheart, for 42 years. they have 2 children and 2 grandchildren. Allison worked as a sign language interpreter and loved helping people feel more included in society. Allison believes that she had early signs of dementia about 5 years before her diagnosis in 2017. Allison joined Dementia NI shortly after her diagnosis and the Peer Support and Work she does with Dementia NI gave her back her hope and showed her, she could live well with Dementia.

Orla is the Dementia Service Improvement Lead Nurse for Hospital Settings in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. Orla is a registered nurse with a background in acute adult nursing.

Ross Mawhinney RNA TCH SCPHN is a Specialist Nurse, who is leading on service improvement within Adult, Community and Older People’s Services at Belfast Health and Social Care Trust. His focus is on quality improvement and practice development methodologies to implement and embed initiatives and innovations in dementia practice.

Debbie is the Dementia Service Improvement Lead for Acute Setting at the Belfast Trust, with a specialist interest in Acute Older People Medicine and Dementia Care.

Tommy is a Professor of Nursing Education and Associate Dean (International Education) at King's College London. He is a dual-qualified (adult & mental health) registered nurse. Following a clinical career predominantly in gerontological and social nursing in the UK and Australia, he moved into an academic role in 2006. He held lectureships at several universities before commencing at King’s in 2016. In 2018, he was awarded the prestigious Talbott Visiting Professor of Nursing at the University of Virginia in the USA. Tommy is an Honorary Professor of Nursing at Queen's University Belfast and the first and only UK-based nurse selected for a Fellowship in the USA’s Academy of Nursing Education. He is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and the European Academy of Nursing Science.

Dr. Laura J. E. Brown is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Manchester. Her research focusses on supporting older people to live and age well, particularly those who live in long-term settings. She is also Treasurer and Secretary of the British Society of Gerontology’s Care Homes Research Special Interest Group.

Elizabeth is a registered nurse with a specialist practice qualification and Masters in advanced professional practice, both in the care of older people. Prior to her role in academia, she occupied the role of ward manager of an Acute Care of Older People ward within the Southern Health and Social Care Trust.

Dr. Gillian Carter is a senior lecturer in chronic illness, she trained in adult nursing and has been working in healthcare research for over 15 years. Her research focuses on enhancing the provision of support for family carers of individuals living with a neurodegenerative disease, in particular dementia or Parkinson's Disease.