Elaine Whitton
Senior Lecturer in Nursing

Profile

Biography

Elaine began her career as a staff nurse on medical and high dependency wards at Guy’s Hospital, London.  This was followed by a range of nursing roles within hospital and community settings in the north of England. 

Her career in higher education began in 1998 as a researcher at the University of Hull. This was followed by lecturing posts at the Universities of Nottingham, Leeds and Sheffield, before Elaine joined the University of York in 2021. 

Elaine’s PhD examined the contribution of learning disability nurses to partnerships in care and was awarded in 2009 by the University of Hull.

Her teaching interests include social policy (including health policy), politics, sociology, health inequalities, learning disabilities, partnerships in care, long term conditions, professional practice, foundations for nursing, communication skills, research methods, evidence-based practice, leadership and the management of change.

Qualifications

• Registered General Nurse (RGN)
• BA(Hons) Social Policy and Administration
• PhD
• PGCert Higher Education Teaching
• PGCert Research Training
• Registered Teacher (NMC)

Departmental roles

• Member Fitness to Practise Committee
• Member Pre-registration Staff Student Forum
• Member Recognition of Prior Learning Committee

University roles

• Member Professional Programmes Forum

Research

Overview

Elaine’s research interests include nursing roles, nurse education, health inequalities, supporting people with learning disabilities.

Publications

Selected publications

• Whitton, E., Ilott, I., Thompson, J., Senbeto, S.  and Gerrish, K (2014) Guidelines for Patient and Public Involvement in the Implementation of Research Findings. NIHR. CLAHRC-SY
• Manthorpe, J., Alaszewski, A., Motherby, E., Gates, B. and Ayer, S.  (2004) ‘Learning disability nursing: a multi-method study of education and practice’ Learning in Health & Social Care 3 (2):92-101 June
• Manthorpe, J., Alaszewski, A., Gates, B., Ayer, S.  and Motherby, E.  (2003) ‘Learning disability nursing: User and carer perceptions’  Journal of Learning Disabilities 7(2): 119-135 1 June
• Alaszewski, A., Motherby, E., Gates, B., Ayer, S. and Manthorpe, J.  (2001) Diversity and Change: the changing roles and education of learning disability nurses.  ENB: London
• Alaszewski, A., Gates, B., Motherby, E., Manthorpe, J., and Ayer, S.  (2001) Educational Preparation for Learning Disability Nursing: Outcomes Evaluation of the Contribution of Learning Disability Nurses within the Multi-professional, Multi-agency Team.  Research Highlights 47  ENB: London
• Motherby, E., Alaszewski, A., Gates, B., Ayer, S., and Manthorpe, J.  (2000) ‘How have learning disability nurses responded to the challenge of change?’  Abstract  Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 44:403 June/August

Teaching

Undergraduate

• Psychological and Sociological Aspects of Health and Wellbeing (Stage 1) - Seminar Lead
• Psychological & Sociological Aspects of Ill-health across the lifespan (Stage 2) - Seminar Lead
• Personal Supervisor
• Academic Assessor

Postgraduate

• Nursing Practice 1 - Module Lead
• Nursing Practice 2 - Module Lead
• Psychosocial Concepts and Theories Applied to Nursing I - Member of module team
• Psychosocial Concepts and Theories Applied to Nursing II - Member of module team
• Independent Study Module - Member of module team

External activities

Memberships

• Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC)
• NMC Fitness to Practise Panel Member (from 2025)

Invited talks and conferences

• November 2019 The Nursing Workforce – A call to action.  SYEB.  Workshop facilitator: The role of The University of Sheffield in meeting the nursing workforce needs.
•  May 2019 Rotherham HEE Workforce Solutions Event.  Paper: The Nursing Workforce.

Conference presentations

• November 2019 The Nursing Workforce – A call to action.  SYEB.  Workshop facilitator: The role of The University of Sheffield in meeting the nursing workforce needs.
• July 2019 DBHT ‘We Care: Into the future’.  Showcasing UoS Healthcare careers to school children.
• May 2019 Rotherham HEE Workforce Solutions Event.  Paper: The Nursing Workforce.
• September 2013 Nurse Education Today Conference, Cambridge.  Theme paper: Hitting the ground running: A report of an initiative in South Yorkshire which aims to prepare nurses new to general practice for their roles. 
• Poster presentation: Meeting the health needs of people with learning disabilities: The contribution of practice nurses in South Yorkshire and the implications for training and education.
• July 2001 ENB Conference launch of Research Highlights
• 5th-7th September 2000.  Nurse Education Tomorrow Conference at the University of Durham.  Paper: ‘Is nurse education preparing learning disability nurses for practice?’
• August 1st - 6th 2000.  IASSID Conference – New Millennium: Research to Practice. Seattle, Washington, USA.  Paper: ‘How have learning disability nurses responded to the challenge of change?’
• 3rd and 4th July 2000 ENB Conference – Reflections and Directions: strengthening learning disability nursing.  Paper presented: ‘Holistic Health: the contribution of learning disability nurses?’
• 4th May 2000 East Yorkshire Learning Disability Institute (EYLDI) Celebrating Learning Disability Conference. Paper: ‘Are learning disability nurses prepared for practice?’
• 13th March 2000 National Board of Scotland (NBS) at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Edinburgh.  Service: Education Partnership Conference.  Paper presented: ‘Are Learning Disability Nurses Prepared for Practice?’