Public service champion applauds University’s innovative approaches to the delivery of health and social care education
A champion of national and international health and education policy has visited the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) on a two-day fact-finding mission.
Professor David Croisdale-Appleby OBE, who holds ministerial appointments in health and education, and is one of the most influential figures in the fields of social work and medical education, met staff and students across the University’s Faculty of Health and Wellbeing and the Faculty of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences.
With a focus on a wide range of UCLan health-related activity linked primarily to the integration of health and social care, medical education, social work and service user involvement, Professor Croisdale-Appleby discovered how the University is focusing its expertise and resources towards the North West’s regional health agenda.
UCLan’s Professor StJohn Crean, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Clinical, Health & Research), said: “David’s work has always focused on improving the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged people in this country and internationally. At a regional level UCLan’s ethos is exactly the same, and so David was interested to hear how the application of our integrated One Health strategy is seeing real benefits for the region’s patients and service users alike.”
During his visit, the esteemed professor delivered a public lecture entitled: The Integration of Health and Social Care or Hunting the Snark to an enthusiastic and well attended audience of practitioners, professionals and academics from around the region.
Professor Aidan Worsley, School of Social Work, Care and Community, coordinated the visit and added: “David was able to view at first hand our range of innovative approaches to the professional delivery of education within the health and care sectors as well as gain a valuable insight into the high-profile research that we conduct linked to this field.
“He also found time to meet PhD students and colleagues supporting the work of engagement with children, young people, services and patients.”
"During my visit I encountered many examples of leading-edge educational provision across the Faculties of Health and Wellbeing and Clinical and Biomedical Sciences."
Commenting on his visit Professor Croisdale-Appleby said: “During my visit I encountered many examples of leading-edge educational provision across the Faculties of Health and Wellbeing and Clinical and Biomedical Sciences. But I particularly wanted to refer to the University’s inspirational demonstration of the role a modern elite university can play in the wider community it serves and of which it itself is a key player.
“At the heart of this is the University’s One Health strategic vision, namely that it is the refocusing of national and regional priorities on prevention of ill-health and the pursuit of health and social wellbeing that is the direction the nation needs to follow. Others talk about it but UCLan does it!
“A key theme that provides the energy for this is the empowering of individuals themselves and their communities to create solutions to improve the health and wellbeing of all those in the region, and it is this that the University and its extensive partner network are bringing about.”
Among his many achievements, Professor Croisdale-Appleby authored and delivered a major review of social work education which was informed, in part, through a visit to UCLan. His recommendations were subsequently accepted by the Government, and now form the basis of the extensive reform of social work education.
He has long been an important figure in medical and clinical education, and was called in by the trustees to save from closure Dementia UK, which provides specialist mental health nurses (Admiral Nurses) and a hotline for the information and support of the carers and families of those with dementia.
