Prof Ruth Northway known as Ruth

PhD, MSc(Econ), RNLD, ENB 805, Cert Ed(FE), FRCN

Main Teaching Areas

Learning disability nursing, participatory research, legal and ethical issues relating to vulnerable persons

I worked in a range of residential and community settings supporting people with learning disabilities before moving to work in nurse education in 1989. I previously worked in the School of Nursing in UWCM and took up post at the University of Glamorgan in 1999.

Since 2002 I have headed the Unit for Development in Intellectual Disabilities (UDID) which is based within the Faculty of Health, Sport and Science.

Head of the Unit for Development in Intellectual Disabilities
Member of various Faculty Committees (Faculty Research and Scholarship Committee, Faculty Board)
Award Leader for the MSc Professional Practice – Vulnerable Person
Module leader for ‘Legal and ethical issues relating to the vulnerable person’

Davies R, Mansell I, Northway R, Jenkins R (2006) Responding to the abuse of people with learning disabilities: the role of the Police: Journal of Adult Protection: Volume 8: Part 1: 11 – 19

Feet, I. & Northway, R. (2003) Supporting People with Chronic Disease in Europe The Role and Contribution of Nurses, Copenhagen: WHO

Ham M, Jones N, Mansell I, Northway R, Price L, Walker G: (2004) �I�m a researcher!’ Working together to gain ethical approval for a participatory research study: Journal of Learning Disabilities: Vol: 8: Issue: 4: 397-407 1469 0047

Jenkins R, Davies R, Northway R (2007) Zero tolerance of abuse of people with intellectual disabilities: implications for nursing; Journal of Clinical Nursing: Vol 17: 3041 – 3049

Jenkins, R. & Northway, R. (2002) Advocacy and the learning disability nurse, British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 30 (1) 8 � 12

Jenkins R., & Northway, R. (2003) Health, quality of life and people with intellectual disability. In Francuz, P. et al (eds) Studia z Psychologii (11) W Katolickim Uniwersytecie Lubelskim, Lublin: Redakcja Wydawnictw KUL 173�188.

Jones v, Northway R (2010) Children with learning disabiities: In Glasper A, Richardson J (eds) A Textbook of Children’s and Young People’s Nursing, Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone: 735 – 744

Llewellyn P, Northway R (2007) An investigation into the advocacy role of the learning disability nurse: Journal of Research in Nursing: Vol 12; Part 2: 147 – 161

Llewellyn P, Northway R (2007) The views and experiences of learning disability nurses concerning their advocacy education. Nurse Educ. Today (2007), doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2007.02.015

Llewellyn P, Northway R (2008) The views and experiences of people with intellectual disabilities concerning advocacy: Journal of Intellectual Disabilities: Volume 12: Part 3: 213 – 228

Mansell I., & Northway, R. (2003) Meeting the health needs of people with intellectual disabilities: overcoming the barriers. In Francuz, P. et al (eds) Studia z Psychologii (11) W Katolickim Uniwersytecie Lubelskim, Lublin: Redakcja Wydawnict KUL 189�206.

Northway, R. (2001) Changing the balance of power? People with intellectual disabilities and participatory research. In Francuz,P. Oles,P. Otrebski,W. (eds) Studia z Psychologii W Katolickim Uniwersytecie Lubelskim, Lublin: Redakcja Wydawnictw KUL. 13 � 30

Northway, R. (2001) Poverty as a practice issue for learning disability nurses, British Journal of Nursing, 10 (18) 1186 � 1192

Northway, R. (2003) Participatory Research. In Jukes, M. Bollard, M. (eds) Contemporary Learning Disability Practice, Salisbury: Quay Books. 165 � 174

Northway R (2005) Case Management, Care Coordination and Managed Care. In Health Promotion for Persons with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities. Ch 10 pp. 235 � 263. Nehring W (Editor), American Association on Mental Retardation

Northway, R. (2005) Disabled Children. In Preston, G. (ed) At Greatest Risk. The Children Most Likely to be Poor, London: Child Poverty Action Group. 79 � 91

Northway R (2008) Participative approaches to research. In Watson R et al (eds) Nursing Research, Designs and Methods: Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone: 23 – 33

Northway R (2009) Researching Learning Disability Nursing. In Jukes M (ed) Learning Disability Nursing Practice. London: Quay Books: 155 – 183

Northway R (2010) Participatory research Part 1: Key features and underlying philosophy: International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation: Vol 17: Part 4: 174 – 179

Northway R (2010) Participatory research Part 2: Practical considerations: International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation: Vol 17: Part 5: 226 – 231

Northway, R., Ameen, J., Coll, A., Jenkins, R., Cornthwaite, F. & Evans, S. (2004) Information, Advice and Support for Older People Living in Residential Care: An Exploratory Survey of Advocacy, Pontypridd: School of Care Sciences, University of Glamorgan

Northway, R., Davies, R. , Jenkins, R. Mansell, I. & Fairbairn, G. (2004) Abuse of People with Learning Disabilities: An Examination of Policy, Practice and Educational Implications in Wales, Pontypridd: School of Care Sciences, University of Glamorgan

Northway R, Davies R, Jenkins R, Mansell I (2005) evidencing good practice in adult protection: informing the protection of people with learning disabilities from abuse: Journal of Adult Protection: Vol 7: Part 2: 28 – 36

Northway R, Davies R, Mansell I, Jenkins R (2007) ‘Policies don’t protection people, it’s how they’re implemented’: policy and practice in protecting people with learning disabilities from abuse: Social Policy and Adminstration: Vol 41: Part 1: 86 – 104

Northway, R. & Jenkins, R. (2003) Quality of Life as a concept for developing learning disability nursing practice? Journal of Clinical Nursing, 12, 57 � 66

Northway R, Mitchell D, Kaur-Mann K (2006) Review of Learning Disability Nursing Research 1995 – 2003, Pontypridd: University of Glamorgan.

Northway R, Wheeler P (2005) Working together to undertake research. In Lowes L, Hullatt I (eds) Involving service users in health and social care research. London: Routledge: 199 – 208

Otrebski, W. Mansell, I. & Northway, R. (2003) Social policy and people with intellectual disabilities in Poland: enhancing quality of life? Journal of Learning Disabilities, 7 (4) 363 � 374

I am a member and Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). I am also a member of the British Institute of Learning Disabilities.

Appointed as Visiting Professor of Nursing in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ulster 2011

I was a member of the Research Assessment (RAE) 2008 Sub Panel 11 (Nursing and Midwifery).

I edited the journal Learning Disability Practice 2003 – 2007.

I am a member of the Research Grants Committees for the National Institute of Health and Social Care Research (NIHSCR).

I was a member of the Nursing and Midwifery Council Learning Disability Field Specific Competencies Working Group (2009)

I am a member of the RCN Fellows Group

I am a member of the RCN Research Society Steering Committee

Chair of the RCN Research Society Steering Committee

I am a member of the Akinsanya Doctoral Prize Judging Panel

I am a member of the ISRN Nursing Journal Editorial Board

Trustee of Tenovus (Cancer charity)

I facilitated the development by the UK Learning Disability Consultant Nurse Network of a document setting out a vision for the future of learning disability nursing.

Research Interests

Participatory research, learning disability nursing, promotion of health and well being, advocacy, abuse, research ethics.

Current Research Activity

Previous research has focused on the views of mental health service users concerning their medication and other therapies, advocacy for older people living in residential care, the implementation of the vulnerable adults policy framework in services for people with learning disabilities in Wales and dementia and people with learning disabilities. Currently I am involved in two projects which are examining palliative care for people with learning disabilities in wales. I am also involved in a participatory research project which is looking at what people with learning disabilities understand by abuse and what support they require if they are abused.

I am also currently supervising PhD students who are examining the quality of dementia care, the role of the learning disabilities nurse in Wales and in Toronto in supporting people with challenging behaviour, people with learning disabilities living with cancer, the experience of social workers in relation to the abuse of disabled children and the experience of users of illicit drugs in rural areas.

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