Mrs Jo Sullivan
School of Health & Society
Current positions
Associate Professor/Reader
Biography
I have been a registered adult nurse and health visitor for 34 years. I have enjoyed a long, successful clinical career which began as a sister in Accident and Emergency, followed by acute urgent care and then in a wide variety of community settings. I have undertaken several innovative leadership roles; I was the first lead nurse for the Cheshire GP out of hours service and the first Specialist Nurse for Autism at Bridgewater Trust Child Development Centre. Both services pioneered the way in delivering innovative, hight quality care and I was fortunate to win an ‘outstanding patient experience’ regional award (2015) for my work as a Specialist Autism nurse.
My ambition has always been to improve the lives of the people I support and represent, and my move to academia has enabled this. I have a proven successful track record of collaboration with organisations to create understanding of neurodiversity and to challenge stereotypes, policy and practice that increases inequality and discrimination for this group of individuals.
I am a skilful, engaging academic and an accomplished speaker, and have been nominated on three occasions for inspirational lecturer of the year awards (2017, 2018, 2019). This reflects a skill set in engaging students, colleagues and leaders at both a micro and macro level where I can evidence and articulate the inclusive requirements that neurodiverse individuals may have and lead systemic change to improve academic and professional environments for all.
I have been fortunate to win two ‘leaders in innovation’ awards (2023, 2024) for my unique collaboration with neurodiverse students and to be a finalist in the national Student Nursing Times award. My career has led change in organisations to improve inclusive practice and address inequalities, and I aim to continue this work by completing my PhD and by growing my reputation and that of the University of Salford, as a passionate advocate and leading expert for neuroinclusion and equity.
Areas of Research
•Autism , student nurses , creating inclusive learning environments in clinical placements
•Inclusive pedagogy
•neurodiversity in University , on Professional degrees and in organisations
•neurodiversity and intersectionality
•Practice based reasonable adjustments
•Lived experience autism
•2024 Appointed AP for teaching learning and enterprise School Of Health and Society
2022-Present Programme lead for Work Based Learning and have designed, developed and delivered our new PGDip/M level offer for organisations based on listening events undertaken with external partners and designing an offer that is bespoke to the unique needs of their own workforce
•2023-Present Thematic lead for pre-registration nursing for the faculty of nursing and midwifery in the areas of Neurodiversity and LD, leading on curriculum design that is neuroinclusive and disability positive
•2023-2024 UoS Following research undertaken with students, led on a regional NHS England (NHSE) project that directly impacted on operating department practitioners’ curriculum, improving student experiences, inclusion and success rates
•2023-present Created, developed and implemented a practice reasonable adjustment plan for the region, which directly informs how we support students with additional needs in practice–based curriculum learning.
•2021 National HV Insitute Designed a national toolkit for Health Visitors in the support of parents with autistic preschool children
•2023 UoS Successfully co-created and delivered a regional training package for clinical educators and academic tutors supporting neurodiverse learners undertaking both academic study and clinical learning. This was rated as outstanding by participants as it directly impacted their teaching approaches and increased student progression
•2021-2023 UoS Collaboration with NHSE, I have co designed and created a regional ‘neurodiversity tool kit’ which provides both academic and practice-based educators with pragmatic support in the teaching and learning of neurodiverse students. This is housed on the NHS learning Hub and has been given a 5-star rating by educators
Qualifications
-
not yet completed
2022 -
Autism Spectrum
2016 - 2019 -
Teaching and Assessment
2015 - 2016 -
Community Health
2003 - 2005 -
Health care practice
1993 - 1996