Dr Liz Wands-Murray
Research Associate
Profile
Biography
Liz has a 16 year background working in Social Care including service delivery and management, change project management, social care funding and assessment, social and health care regulation and social care design having worked for the NHS, Local Authorities, and the Health & Social Care Regulator on projects such as Self Directed Support, social care delivery in secure settings and person-centred approaches to social care delivery.
Liz spent 5 years working in the department of Health Sciences managing quality assurance and governance, particularly related to PSRB (Professional, statutory & regulatory bodies) requirements for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Nursing & Midwifery Programmes.
While in Health Sciences Liz co-chaired the EDI Committee in the department and was involved in leading projects including a Reverse Mentoring Scheme, Line Management Toolkit, a Health & Wellbeing for staff initiative, development of an Accessibility Pod for staff, a Service User & Carer Forum and inclusive recruitment practices.
Her current role includes working on the Care Attractiveness Study, a project to understand the most effective ways to attract under-represented groups such as men and young people into the care workforce. Additionally, Liz has an NIHR SSCR Career Development Award to develop a fellowship application for research looking at the most effective ways to build cultural confidence in the care workforce. Previously Liz has worked on the Curiosity Partnership as a Research Associate, building research capacity within Adult Social Care in Local Authorities, including as a Researcher-in-Residence for York & Doncaster Local Authorities. She has also contributed to projects including DETERMIND, Curious about Care and the realist evaluation of capacity building in research as part of the Partnership.
Liz is a University Equality Champion and co-chair of the Rainbow Alliance (the UoY staff LGBT+ Network). Liz is also on the Board of Directors for a York based Community Interest Company called QueerArts UK which strives to provide inclusive and accessible ways for the local LGBTQ+ community and allies to engage with creative activities and opportunities.
Research
Overview
Liz has particular research interests in inclusive and culturally confident social care for marginalised groups, regulation and quality assurance, social care accessibility, equality and inclusion for all, social care assessment and frameworks for delivery of personalised care and engaging people in research and evidence based practice.
Liz is currently working on the Care Attractiveness Study (CAS), looking at the most effective ways to diversify the care workforce, and has previously worked on the Curiosity Partnership, a project to build research capacity within social care workforce & teams.
Liz completed her PhD in March 2024 looking at the Inclusivity and Cultural Competence of Community Based Social Care for Older LGBTQ+ Adults. Findings from the study have been presented at multiple conferences. This research was funded through a capacity building award from the NIHR School for Social Care Research.
Liz was also on the advisory board for the LOASCA project.
Contact details
Office hours
37 hours per week (full-time)