Education and Research Department Staff
The Northern Ireland Hospice education department has a wide range of clinical, research and professional expertise amongst its members of staff. The team consists of five lecturers, one specializing in children’s palliative care and one clinical educator, all of whom have wide experience in the field of Palliative and End of Life Care. A number of clinical staff also participate in delivering education. The team is supported by an education administrator and an administrative assistant.
Sue Foster, Lecturer in Palliative Care
Sue Foster is a Lecturer in Palliative Care and leads the Education Department. A major part of her role is to plan, deliver and evaluate undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in palliative and end of life care, in collaboration with the University of Ulster where she holds a joint post.
Karen Bleakley, Lecturer in Children's Palliative Care/ Practice Educator
Karen is Lecturer in Children's Palliative Care and a Practice Educator with Queens University and Northern Ireland Children's Hospice. Karen's knowledge in children's palliative care is disseminated to undergraduate nursing students and those on specialist palliative care graduate and postgraduate courses. Induction of new staff and maintaining mandatory training of existing staff on general sick children's nursing and therapeutic care and specialist palliaitve care specific topics is also Karen's remit. With a keen interest in research and research based practice Karen encourages and assists in specialist research linked to childrens palliative care.
Fiona Boyd, Clinical Educator
Fiona Boyd has worked in the NHS for 15 years before moving to Northern Ireland Hospice in 1999 as a staff nurse in the inpatient unit. She has been working as a Clinical Educator for 3 years which has involved the development of induction, mandatory training and skill competencies.
Cathy Payne, Lecturer in Palliative Care for Allied Health Professionals
Cathy Payne is Lecturer in Palliative Care for Allied Health Professionals - a joint post with the University of Ulster and Northern Ireland Hospice. She has co-written the Northern Ireland Hospice Certificate in Essential Palliaitve Care for AHPs course and written a postgraduate module specifically tailored to the needs of AHPs enrolled on the Msc in Palliative Care. With a keen interest in research Cathy is undertaking a 2 year Cochrane literature review on fatigue and unintentional weight loss in adults with advanced progressive illness.
Dr Max Watson, Consultant/Lecturer in Palliative Medicine
Dr Max Watson is a Lecturer in Palliative Care at the University of Ulster, a Consultant at the Northern Ireland Hospice and a special advisor to the Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme. He has authored many books including the 'Oxford Handbook of Palliative Care' and is series editor of the Oxford specialist end of life handbooks. Max is completing his MD on advanced cancer associated fatigue and cachexia.
Evelyn Whittaker, Lecturer in Palliative Care
Evelyn Whittaker is a Lecturer in Palliative Care. Although the newest recruit to the education team, Evelyn has worked for Northern Ireland Hospice for a number of years as a Hospice Nurse Specialist. Her main interest is in palliative care education for nursing homes having led one of the first Big Lottery funded projects in Northern Ireland.
Tracey McTernaghan, Education Administrator/Conference Manager
Tracey McTernaghan is Education Administrator/Conference Manager who has worked with the department for 10 years. She has extensive experience in the management, organisation and promotion of courses, study days and mastercalsses offered by Hospice. Her role also includes the supervision of the library facilities and course administrator for the Certificate in Essential Palliative Care for AHPs.
Claire Armstrong, Education Administrative Assistant
Claire Armstrong is Education Administrative Assistant and joined Northern Ireland Hospice in 2008. Her main role is to provide administration for study days, courses and masterclasses and secretarial support to the department. Claire has 8 years experience of working in the health service.
