Academic elected to the Council of Deans of Health Executive

A Northumbria University academic has been elected to the Council of Deans of Health executive leadership team to champion and drive the policy agenda for health workforce education delivered by universities across the country.

Professor Alison Machin, Head of Department for Nursing, Midwifery and Health at Northumbria, has been elected as Executive Member for Workforce with the Council. The organisation represents the UK's university Faculties engaged in education and research for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists and operating department practitioners.

The landscape of health care is rapidly changing due to population changes, and advances in research, knowledge and technology. The healthcare workforce needs to be able to deliver safe, high quality care in this turbulent environment. In her new three-year role Professor Machin is tasked with working with the Council Executive team to advise policy makers on workforce issues impacting on those universities working in this field.

She said “I am delighted to have been elected for this position by academic peers working in other university health faculties. I’ll be working collaboratively with the Council’s Executive team, representing the interests of all member universities across the four nations of the UK, including Northumbria University. Northumbria has an international reputation as a provider of the highest quality education to health and social care professionals, both undergraduate and post-graduate. As Professor of Nursing and Interprofessional Education, leading the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, I am able to draw on my experience to influence policy makers at a national level; supporting the Council in its endeavours to ensure the funding of Higher Education to deliver health workforce development is of the highest priority.”

Professor Dianne Ford, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Health and Life Sciences, at Northumbria University, said: “Alison has a wealth of experience in workforce development for healthcare settings in higher education. Her appointment to this position will enable her to use this experience to bring benefits across the wider sphere of development in this crucial area and to support the work of the Council to represent both the interests of higher education providers of education to the healthcare workforce and of the NHS.”

Professor Brian Webster-Henderson, Chair of the Council of Deans of Health, said: “I am delighted to welcome Alison onto the Council’s Executive to lead the workforce portfolio. Workforce is one of the busiest and most important agendas across the UK for the Council and I look forward to working with Alison in this role.”