Hear from our Health and Wellbeing Expert

Helen Higginson- Health and Social Care Lecturer

My story career journey started over 20 years ago when I was fortunate to gain employment at Bolton Foundation Trust as a physiotherapy assistant. After a few years, an opportunity to increase my knowledge and skill base arose in the form of studying for the Assistant Practitioner course. I had a fight on my hands as opportunities and funding was hard to come by, but I was thankfully seen as a worthy candidate. So, my academic journey with the University of Bolton began. I completed the foundation degree in Health and Social Care (Assistant Practitioner) course in 2008, having caught the learning bug and been truly inspired by many of my lecturers. I then chose to continue studying and embarked on the BSc top-up to gain my full degree. I have never wanted to be a nurse or a physiotherapist or any other registered professional, but I knew I wanted to ‘go somewhere and achieve more’ so I continued to consolidate my learning in practice as an assistant Practitioner. I loved working in the community with fabulous colleagues and the diverse and truly special older members of the Bolton community. The sense of achievement after helping an individual regain their independence or discover why they were having complex falls was truly amazing.

Fast forward to 2015, I felt after two decades in the NHS it was time for a new challenge! So began my career change and role reversal as? I am now so very proud to be teaching on the programme that I studied so many years before. Not without additional hard work and further academic achievement gaining my teaching qualification. So, for me I can truly say I have lived and breathed the experience of the course I teach, I understand the complexities of practice as these remain the same for many students today; allowing me to support both practice and academic elements of study. Bolton to me is a true family and I think this is seen in the commitment and retention of staff, and many of the lecturers who taught me are now my friends and work colleagues.

What gives me a buzz is seeing my students develop and progress, not only academically but how they apply their new knowledge in practice, truly supporting the service users in their local areas and making a difference, as ultimately this is the end game. I love listening in lectures to students sharing their experiences good and bad, funny, and sad. Relatively small cohorts of students mean I can get to know individuals, and I can truly provide encouragement and support where needed. Students learn from doing and so we ensure opportunities are scheduled to engage in our state-of-the-art simulated, immersive learning environments. What always fills me with satisfaction is when on modules such as working with allied health professionals, guest speakers who are professionals in practice, say to me after sessions things like; wow what a great group of students, they are so engaged and knowledgeable, I would definitely have them looking after me. I literally could not be any prouder. The experience of attending a small university where you are a name, not a student number got me where I am today, and this is what I believe is the ethos that remains at the heart of the university today.