Dr Gillian Janes

Gillian is Co-Director of the Health and Care Research Centre (HCRC). Based on almost 40 years of clinical and academic practice, Gillian works with individuals, teams and organisations using research and knowledge exchange to improve health outcomes by enhancing the quality and safety of healthcare and developing a capable, engaged workforce. She uses a participatory, human factors-informed and systems-based approach.

[email protected]

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Background

Gillian is a Registered General Nurse with clinical experience in acute, primary care and public health practice.

She entered higher education initially as a Lecturer/Practitioner and has received awards for leading innovative teaching, curriculum development and policy development, including during nine years as Principal Lecturer/Reader (Leadership and Service Improvement in Health and Social Care) and four years as a University-wide Learning and Teaching Consultant with responsibility for quality enhancement, quality assurance and academic staff development.

Gillian has worked nationally and internationally, including as a Global Nursing Leadership Institute Scholar (International Council of Nurses), specialising most recently in patient safety, human factors, and workforce research, practice and policy development.

Gillian is particularly interested in developing practice-based evidence, clinical academics and applied research. She adopts action-focused, participatory methods with a focus on learning from excellence wherever possible. Current projects include enhancing the nursing and midwifery role in leading digital transformation, de-implementation, long covid, and system leadership in nursing.

Esteem/awards:

• 2025 awarded FFNMRCSI (Ad Eundem) - Fellow of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
• 2024 – Honorary Professor, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences, Queens University Belfast

Research interests

• Applied research
• Quality improvement
• Patient safety
• Silences research
• Clinical academics
• Clinical leadership
• Health and care workforce

Areas of research supervision

Gillian is an experienced supervisor and examiner in:

• Quality improvement
• Patient safety
• Human factors
• Healthcare workforce
• Silences research
• Clinical leadership

Recent PhD completions:

• Caitlin Wilson: Enhancing feedback for ambulance service staff to promote workforce wellbeing and patient safety.
• Daisy Halligan: In the name of safety: identifying and letting go of low value safety practices.
• Faloke Veronica Towoju: Exploring the role of socio-economic/cultural factors on the increase in the prevalence of vesicovaginal fistula in Northern Nigeria.
• Abi Akintola: The role of the embedded research in co-producing public health knowledge in non-clinical settings to bridge the gap between research evidence and its implementation in public health practice.

Current PhD supervision:

• Diane Shearer - An Interpretative Phenomenological Study of Female Nurse Partners’ Experiences within a General Practice Partnership.
• Jenni DeKnoop - Fostering resilience in mental health healthcare teams through relational embodied resourcing in group reflective practice: an action research study in a UK adult inpatient mental health service.
• Geogia Kontosorou - Exploring the theory and practice of nursing and midwifery leadership in digital health policy.
• Vinice Thomas: Senior nurse leadership perspectives and the role of personal congruence in system leadership in the NHS.

Teaching

Gillian is a highly experienced educator, programme and module leader at all academic levels. She currently primarily teaches Master's courses and topics including: service improvement, leading change, human factors and applied research.

Qualifications

• PhD, Nursing Social Science, University of Wolverhampton
• MA Advancing Practice in Health and Social Care, Teesside University
• Postgraduate Certificate in Learning & Teaching Higher Education, Teesside University
• Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
• Specialist Practitioner, Practice Nursing (ENB A51) ENB/University of York
• Practice Educator/Lecturer, Nursing & Midwifery Council
• Registered General Nurse, Nursing & Midwifery Council
• Global Nursing Leadership Scholar, International Council of Nurses
• Accredited 360° Feedback Facilitator, NHS Leadership Academy
• Licensed Practitioner (Steps I & II) Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicator, OPP

Memberships, editorial boards

• Associate Editor, Journal of Patient Safety
• Honorary Associate Professor, Macquarie University, Australia
• Trustee, Clinical Human Factors Group
• Co-Convenor, GNLI Euro Alumni Network, International Council of Nurses
• Member, Royal College of Nursing

Research grants, consultancy, knowledge exchange

• 2024 Joint Co-Lead Developing strategies for improVing OutComes And Living well with people living at home with Stroke (VOCALS study). NIHR RfPB 53 Circa £250,000
• 2024 PI Enabling digital transformation in healthcare: An international, sequential, multi-method exploration of policy implementation and impact. ARU/Charity Circa £28,500
• 2024 PI Exploring the theory and practice of nursing and midwifery leadership in digital health policy. ARU VC PhD Studentship
• 2023 PI Community Academy - Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme Optimisation and Legacy Practitioner programmes evaluation. NHSE/HEE. Circa £150,000
• 2023 CI Thematic review of quality and safety incidents focused on working age adult mental health in-patients. National Workforce Skills Development Unit (NWSDU) Circa £20,000
• 2022: PI: Nursing and Midwifery contribution to Digital Health. Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. 20,000 Euro.
• 2022: PI: Exploratory evaluation study of the perceived effectiveness and usability of a co-produced, prototype Long-Covid Shared Consultation Guide for Nurses. NHS England. £10,000.
• 2022: PI: What good looks like: Regional qualitative synthesis of midwifery students’ learning experience. Health Education England. £10,000.
• 2021: PI: An international exploration of blended learning use in pre-registration nursing and midwifery education. Health Education England. £19,958.
• 2019: CI: An exploration of paramedics’ feedback needs, evaluation of current provision and development and testing of a feedback intervention to improve patient safety by enhancing paramedic engagement and well-being. NIHR PhD Studentship. Circa £60,000.
• 2019: CI: In the name of safety: Identifying, understanding and stopping low-value safety practices. THIS Institute PhD Studentship. Circa £60,000.
• 2019: CI: Co-design and feasibility testing of a safety-netting intervention in General Practice to support the earlier diagnosis of cancer. Vale of York CCG. £60,000.
• 2018: PI: Enhancing workforce engagement, well-being and patient safety in ambulance services: A mixed-methods exploratory and interventional study. NIHR/YHPSTRC. Circa £20,000.
• 2018: CI: Preparing healthcare professionals for involvement in stressful healthcare events: A mixed-methods evaluation of a resilience training intervention. NIHR/YHPSTRC. Circa £60,000.
• 2018: PI: The association between healthcare staff engagement and patient safety outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. NIHR/YHPSTRC. Circa £60,000.
• 2016: PI: A gap analysis of Human Factors activity within South Tees NHS Foundation Trust. South Tees NHS Foundation Trust. £6,000.
• 2016: PI: A multi-stakeholder evaluation of the MA Advancing Quality Safety and Governance in Health and Social Care and constituent programmes. Teesside University. £5,000.
• 2013: PI: A process and impact evaluation of a student conference: My contribution to practice. Teesside University. £6,000.
• 2013: CI: Transforming Assessment. Higher Education Academy. £8,000.
• 2011: CI: Open Learning Units: Designing open learning resources for the HE sector across 5 workstreams - Distance Learning, UKPSF/HEA Professional Recognition, Employability, Digital Literacy, Internationalisation. Heath Education Academy/Joint Information Systems Committee. £40,000.
• 2006: PI: National Consultancy (Service Improvement curriculum development and roll-out) and local Programme Evaluation Study. NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement. £15,000.
• 2005: PI: Developing Skills for Integrated Service Improvement. (National Service Improvement curriculum development and implementation pilot). NHS Institute for Innovation & Improvement/DoH. £20,000.

Selected recent publications

Selected publications, 2020-2025:

• Janes G, Chesterton, L., Reid, J., Heaslip, V., Shannon, M., Lüdemann, B., Oxholm, R.A., Gentil, J., Hamilton, C. and Phillips, N., 2025. Digital nursing and midwifery leadership: Protocol for a multi-method exploration of policy implementation and impact on practice in the WHO European Region. PLoS One, 20(9), p.e0332882.
• Janes G, Chesterton L, Overton C, Murkin J. (2025) Co-design of a shared consultation guide for managing long Covid in adults Nursing Times [online] 121: 6
• Wilson, C., Wakefield, R., Prothero, L., Fowler-Davis, S., Janes G, & Nolan, F. (2025) Developing the Allied Health Professionals Workforce within Mental Health, Learning Disability and Autism Inpatient Services: Rapid Review of Learning from Quality and Safety Incidents. BMJ Quality & Safety Accepted 27.9.24 Published January 2025 http://qualitysafety.bmj.com/cgi/rapidpdf/bmjqs-2024-017746?ijkey=1beumC8PzeweIBQ&keytype=ref
• Janes G, Chesterton L, Heaslip V, Reid J, Ludemann B, Gentil J, Oxholm RA, Hamilton C, Phillips C, Shannon M. (2024) Current nursing and midwifery contribution to leading digital health policy and practice: An integrative review. Journal of Advanced Nursing June 30 https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.16265 Open access CC-BY
• Heaslip V, Shannon M, Hamilton C, Reid J, Oxholm RA, Janes G, Phillips N, Gentil J, Langins M, Lüdemann B, Engaging nursing and midwifery policymakers and practitioners in digital transformation; an international nursing and midwifery perspective. BMJ Leader. 2024 Jun 5:leader-2024-000990. doi: 10.1136/leader-2024-000990. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38839279 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/leader-2024-000990
• Sattar R., Lawton, R., Janes G, Elshehaly, M., Heyhoe, J., Hague, I. and Grindey, C. (2024) A systematic review of workplace triggers of emotions in the healthcare environment, the emotions experienced and the impact on patient safety. BMC Health Services Research. 24(1), p.603.
• Wilson, C; Budworth L, Janes, G; Lawton R, Benn J. (2024) Missed opportunities of feedback for emergency ambulance staff: A mixed-methods diary study. British Paramedic Journal. 10(1)
• Wilson, C., Budworth, L., Janes G, Lawton, R. and Benn, J., 2024. Prevalence, predictors and outcomes of self-reported feedback for EMS professionals: a mixed-methods diary study. BMC Emergency Medicine, 24(1), p.165 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s12873-024-01082-y.pdf (PDF)
Wilson C, Janes G, Lawton R, Benn J (2023) Feedback for emergency ambulance staff: A national review of current practice using realist evaluation methodology. Healthcare, 11, 2229. https://doi.org/10.3390/
• Flanagan C, Janes G (2023) Nurse-led sustainable plastic surgery trauma service transformation: A positive COVID-19 legacy. BMJ Open Quality;12:4 :e002280. doi:10.1136/bmjoq-2023-002280 (Student Co-author)
• Heaslip, V; Janes, G; Waite, M; Reid, J; Stayt, L. (2025) Digital Nursing: Shaping Practice and Identity in the Age of Informatics'. Chapter 3: Ethical and Humanistic Dimensions of Digital Nursing. IN: Wynn M (Ed) Digital Nursing: Shaping practice and identity in the age of informatics. London. Routledge – https://www.routledge.com/Digital-Nursing-Shaping-Practice-and-Identity-in-the-Age-of-Informatic/Wynn/p/book/9781032714486
• Janes G, Ward L (2023) Using improvement science in digital health services transformation. IN Phillips, N, Dowding D, Stacey G. (Eds) Harnessing digital technologies and data for nursing and midwifery practice. Florence Nightingale Foundation/Elsevier (invited)
• Janes G, Brueton V. (2025) Introduction of Speech and Language Therapist and Social Worker Legacy Practitioners : After Action Review informed evaluation report. MSE ICB/ARU
• Janes G, Brueton V. (2025) Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) optimisation in an integrated care system: A mixed methods evaluation. MSE ICB/ARU
• Wilson, C., Janes G, Lawton, R. and Benn, J. (2023) 'The types and effects of feedback for emergency ambulance staff: a systematic mixed studies review and meta-analysis', BMJ Qual Saf. Epub ahead of print. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjqs-2022-015634
• Harrison, R. and Janes G (2023) 'Integrating the sciences of improvement, implementation and managing change in nursing practice', J Clin Nurs., 32, e19-e21. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16605
• Janes G (2023) 'Regional synthesis of North-East and Yorkshire national midwifery quality review data', research report, Health Education England.
• Janes G, Ekpenyong, M., Mbeah-Bankas, H. and Serrant, L. (2023) 'An international exploration of blended learning use in pre-registration nursing and midwifery education', Nurse Ed in Practice, 66, 103514.
• Halligan, D., Janes G, Conner, M., Albutt, A., Debono, D., Carland, J., Sheppard-Law, S., Taylor, N., Middleton, S., McInnes, E. and Ferguson, C. (2023) 'Identifying Safety Practices Perceived as Low Value: An Exploratory Survey of Healthcare Staff in the United Kingdom and Australia', Journal of Patient Safety, 19(2), pp. 143-150.
• Phillips, N., Heaslip, V., Janes G, Reid, J., Ludemann, B., Oxholm, R., Gentil, J., Shannon, M., Langins, M., Hamilton, C. and Bjoro, K. (2022) 'ICN Statement in support of the regional digital health action plan for the WHO European Region', 2023–20 WHO Europe Regional Committee RC72, Tel Aviv.
• Janes G and Delves-Yates, C. (2022) 'Foundations'. In: Janes G and Delves-Yates, C. (Eds) (2022) Quality Improvement in Nursing. London: Sage.
• Wilson, C., Janes G and Williams, J. (2022) 'Identity, positionality and reflexivity: relevance and application to research paramedics', Br Paramed J., 7(2), pp. 43-49.
• Wilson, C., Howell, A.-M., Janes G and Benn, J. (2022) 'The Role of Feedback in Emergency Ambulance Services: A Qualitative Interview Study', BMC Health Services Research, 22, pp. 296. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-022-07676-1
• Janes G, Harrison, R.., Johnson, J., Simms-Ellis, R., Mills, T. and Lawton, R. (2021) 'Multiple meanings of resilience: Health professionals' experiences of a dual element training intervention designed to help them prepare for coping with error', Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/jep.13555
• Wilson, C., Janes G, Lawton, R. and Benn, J. (2021) 'The types and effects of feedback received by emergency ambulance staff: Protocol for a systematic mixed studies review with narrative synthesis', Int Journal of Emergency Services, 10(2).
• Janes G, Mills, T., Johnson, J., Budworth, L. and Lawton R. (2021) 'The association between healthcare staff engagement and patient safety outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis', Journal of Patient Safety, 17(3), pp. 207-216.
• Wilson, C., Benn, J., Janes G and Lawton, R. (2020) 'The types and effects of feedback received by emergency ambulance staff: A systematic mixed studies review with narrative synthesis', Emergency Medicine Journal, 37(12), pp. 822-854.
• Johnson, J., Simms-Ellis, R., Janes G, Harrison, R., Mills, T. and Lawton, R. (2020) 'Can we prepare healthcare professionals and students for involvement in stressful healthcare events? A mixed-methods evaluation of a resilience training intervention', BMC Health Services Research, 20, 1094.

Recent presentations and conferences

Janes, G. (2023) 'Enhancing the Nursing and Midwifery contribution to Digital Health: Developing policy through European collaboration', RCSI International Nursing and Midwifery Research and Education Conference, Dublin. Keynote presentation and expert panel member.

Reid, J., Heaslip, V., Janes, G., Shannon, M., Phillips, N., Lűdemann, B., Oxenholm, R. A. and Gentil, J. (2023) 'Improving Health Outcomes through Policy Leadership: Key Outcomes and Lessons Learnt from the Global Nursing Leadership Institute™ WHO Regional Projects', International Council of Nurses (ICN) Congress, Montreal. Invited symposium.

Janes, G. and Chesterton, L. (2023) Invited presentation: 'Nursing and Midwifery contribution to Digital Health: Evidence-based policy development', RCSI Annual Charter Meeting, Dublin.

Heaslip, V., Reid, J., Janes, G., Shannon, M., Phillips, N., Lűdemann, B., Oxenholm, R. A. and Gentil, J. (2023) 'How nurses and midwives need to be part of the conversation', Florence Nightingale Foundation. Invited webinar co-lead.

Reid, J., Heaslip, V., Janes, G., Shannon, M., Phillips, N., Lűdemann, B., Oxenholm, R. A. and Gentil, J. (2023) 'Optimizing nursing and midwifery in the digital space: perspectives from the ICN GNLI Euro working group', ICN Congress, Montreal.

Janes, G., Ekpenyong, M., Serrant, L. and Mbeah-Bankas, H. (2022) 'The role of blended learning in preparing students for initial professional registration: An international, Cross-sectional, Sequential Mixed Methods study', RCN Education Conference (virtual).

Johnson, J., Simms-Ellis, R., Janes, G., Mills, T., Budworth, L., Atkinson, L. and Harrison, R. (2021) 'Can we prepare healthcare professionals for involvement in adverse events? Feasibility study of a resilience training intervention', 37th International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua) Virtual Conference.

Wilson, C., Janes, G., Lawton, R. and Benn, J. (2020) 'Systematic Review of feedback initiatives for paramedics', College of Paramedics National Annual Research Conference.

Janes, G., Elborough-Whitehouse, I., Simms-Ellis, R., Johnson, J., Marran, J. and Lawton, R. (2020) 'Supporting doctors in the aftermath of error: a new evidence based resource, WellMed4, Halkidiki, Greece.