Alicia Smith

Biography

Alicia Smith graduated with a BSc (HONS) in Occupational Therapy (OT) in 1999 from Brunel University. After completing a graduate rotation scheme, her interest in oncology, haematology, palliative care, and end of life care (EoLC) began when working within a local NHS Trust Hospital. She was instrumental in developing an OT service, promoting rehabilitation, across the Trust. Her enthusiasm and commitment for this clinical area continued after moving to St Elizabeth Hospice, where she developed the profile of OT, and the benefits palliative rehabilitation could offer to the quality of life of patients and their families. Alicia’s specialist clinical area is oncology, haematology, palliative care, and end of life care and has developed multiple clinical educational tools to support healthcare professionals’ confidence in supporting patients and their families at end of life. As an Occupational Therapist, she has a wealth of knowledge around reablement, rehabilitation and a holistic care approach to care provision. In 2010, Alicia was seconded to the National Gold Standards Framework Team (GSF) to deliver the nationally recognised EoLC education training programme across Suffolk. At the end of this secondment, Alicia worked with the Marie Curie Delivering Choice Program and the Department of Health’s National End of Life Care Program, to continue providing EoLC education to all staff groups across Suffolk. This led to her co-developing the ‘Yellow Folder’ which formed part of a patient’s EoLC pathway, to co-ordinate and communicate EoLC preferences across services in Suffolk. She remains enthusiastic about EoLC and the engagement of patients in their care to support a ‘good’ death. Prior to joining the University, Alicia taught Health and Social Care and Health Sciences at Level 3 within Further Education, covering a vast array of subjects that supported students to progress into healthcare. She has also taught and developed Higher Degree Apprenticeships within higher education for Nursing Associates and Healthcare Assistant Practitioner apprentice pathways. After entering education Alicia completed her Master of Arts in Education in 2019 and successfully completed her Advanced HE Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy. She joined the University of Essex as a lecturer in OT supporting across the three programmes for undergraduates, post-graduates, and apprentices. She is an initiative-taking student advisor and is enthusiastic about supporting individuals to achieve their best during their learning journey. Since joining the University of Essex, Alicia has taken on the role of Programme Lead for the OT Degree Apprenticeship and has demonstrated effective leadership skills, in developing the apprenticeship curriculum, supporting the OT team to embrace apprenticeships, supporting the School of Health and Social Care to develop guidance, processes and procedures to promote efficient delivery and accuracy in health degree apprenticeship monitoring. Her leadership has been evidenced by successfully achieving Advanced HE Senior Fellowship with the Higher Education Academy in 2024. She is also an Academic Offences Adjudicator for the School of Health and Social Care, supporting to maintain prominent levels of academic integrity within professionally regulated degree programmes. Alicia was also instrumental in developing CPD workshops for a large local healthcare Trust around promoting better communication in clinical practice in challenging situation such as EoLC. This continues to be funded year on year by the Trust, bringing in essential income into the School. Futhermore she delivers safer patient moving and handling mandatory training to all OT programmes to equip them with foundational skills needed for practice placements for qualifiaction. Her passion for apprenticeships, that support wider participation in higher education, has influenced her to commence a PhD in 2025 exploring effective employer support for health degree apprentices in the workplace in the hope that better guidance will support employers to understand the apprenticeship curricula and regulatory demands, to better support work-based learners.

Qualifications

• MA in Education University of Suffolk, (2019)

• PGcE University Campus Suffolk (Otley College Campus), (2014)

• BSc in Occupational Therapy Brunel University London, (1999)

Appointments

University of Essex

• Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, University of Essex (20/2/2023 - present)

Other academic

• Lecturer in Healthcare Apprenticeships, University of Suffolk (12/8/2019 - 30/1/2023)

• Lecturer in Health and Social Care/Health Sciences, Suffolk New College (4/11/2013 - 26/7/2019)