Aileen McCartney

Aileen McCartney is a part-time Lecturer in Advanced Practice at Canterbury Christ Church University within the School of Nursing, Midwifery, Allied and Public Health (Faculty of Medicine, Health and Social Care). She teaches the MSc Advanced Practice and PG Cert Non Medical Prescribing programs, focusing on Advanced Practice Skills, Clinical Reasoning, and Non-Medical Prescribing modules while serving as ACP lead for the Negotiated Learning Module.

Her educational background includes:

• Physiotherapy qualification in Scotland (2003)
• MSc in Supportive and Palliative Care, University of Kent (2010) - Best Dissertation Prize winner
• PG Diploma in Advanced Clinical Practice, Canterbury Christ Church University
• NIHR Pre-Doctoral Fellowship completion (2023)

McCartney's research centers on vulnerable elderly populations across palliative care, geriatrics, and dementia management. Her clinical-to-academic trajectory spans brain tumor rehabilitation, primary care frailty specialization, and non-pharmacological dementia interventions. Current work emphasizes translating evidence into advanced practice frameworks, particularly through non-medical prescribing education and physical activity protocols for dementia agitation.

Her publication timeline reveals evolving clinical priorities: early palliative oncology rehabilitation (2011) has transitioned to contemporary dementia care innovation (2024). Both studies demonstrate consistent methodology in developing practical, clinically implementable interventions for complex geriatric conditions within resource-constrained settings like care homes.

Her scientific recognition includes:

• University of Kent Best Dissertation Prize (2010)
• NIHR Internship award
• NIHR Pre-Doctoral Fellowship (2023)

McCartney mentors MSc students through specialized modules while leading the ACP component of Negotiated Learning. Her research is exclusively NIHR-funded, with the Pre-Doctoral Fellowship directly supporting her 2024 dementia agitation study. Future grant pursuits will support her imminent PhD investigating physical activity protocols in dementia care.

Embedded in primary care frailty teams and care home research collaborations, her work operates at the clinical-academic interface without dedicated laboratory facilities, emphasizing real-world implementation through existing healthcare structures.