Phil Harper

Phil Harper is a Senior Lecturer in Health and Social Care at Newman University's School of Nursing and Allied Health. He holds a prominent role in dementia care research with a particular focus on LGBTQ+ populations and gender non-conforming individuals. Currently pursuing a doctorate exploring care staff understanding of LGBTQ+ dementia patients' needs, his work bridges healthcare practice and policy advocacy.

Education: Phil is completing a doctoral program investigating transgender ageing and gender neutrality in care settings. His teaching expertise spans social policy, applied sociology, health inequalities, and dementia care.

Research Interests: His work critically examines healthcare inequities faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in dementia care, including microaggressions in care environments, hospital admission protocols for transgender patients, and policy development for gender-neutral care systems. He actively participates in international initiatives like Alzheimer’s Europe’s Sexuality and Gender working group.

Conference Contributions: Phil has presented at major conferences including the UK Dementia Congress (2018–2020), Royal Psychological Society’s Older Person Conference (2022), and the All Ireland LGBT+ Health Symposium. His talks address topics like LGBTQ+ microaggressions in care settings and rethinking gender neutrality in healthcare cultures.

Professional Roles: He serves as Chair of the LGBTQ+ Dementia Advisory Group’s Research Subgroup and advises the Association for Dementia Studies. His collaborations include developing LGBTQ-inclusive policy frameworks with Northampton Dementia Research Centre.