Julie de Witt

About

I am an experienced senior lecturer (Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy) and an HCPC registered Diagnostic Radiographer.

I am an experienced external examiner (UK and international), and a member of the College of Radiographers Approvals and Accreditation Board (AAB).

I have a professional interest in coaching and mentoring, and I have an MA in Education (leadership coaching and mentoring) and I have a University Advanced Diploma in coaching and mentoring. The influences on my coaching approach are many and I do not prescribe to a specific school or ‘method’ of coaching. My approach is a mature, eclectic approach where I listen to a client and use various approaches, and sometimes some tools, to assist them to move towards their (and their workplace) aims – not mine. I am currently researching the techniques and evaluating the effectiveness of resilience coaching; of course, all that feeds into my coaching approach too. From this Master’s level study I also now have a good understanding of the theories of leadership and their application into current business, health, and education practice. Leadership in the clinical context also form part of my UG teaching remit and this module receives excellent student and external examiner feedback year on year.

Currently engaged in Doctoral level research looking at the role of coaching/coaching approaches in Educational support.

Other active research projects are:

Trigeminal neuralgia: Imaging and the patient experience of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain: Research project (seed funded) evaluating patient experience
Funded by College of Radiographers Industrial Partnership Scheme Research Grant (CoRIPS) - Part of research team being led by researchers from Cumbria University: Evaluating the education and workforce requirements to meet future service needs

Teaching responsibilities

Module leadership and teaching

Professional and clinical practice in year 1 - key focus is on emotional intelligence, resilience, professional behaviours and attitudes in practice, mandatory skills for practice and overseeing the development of skills in the clinical practice setting
Research methods for practice in year 2- introduction to research methodologies/methods, research in practice, ethics etc. I also use this as an opportunity for students to explore, in further depth, what patient-centred care really means and how we can use research to explore patient experience within the clinical care setting
Skills for graduate practice in year 3 - clinical leadership, mentoring and coaching in clinical practice. This links with skills required to assess practice educators (as this module looks at preparing students to be mentors and assessors in practice) and skills required to assess leadership. Special interest in resilience/ empathy decline and the potential role of mindfulness
Research methods at MSc level and supervision of Independent studies

Also:

Core member of the College Research Ethics committee (REC)
I am an experienced coach, working with those in healthcare and clinical settings; for example I have been invited speaker at post graduate mentor study days (focus on coaching for mentoring and leadership) and recently for a local trust CPD evening (coaching and mentoring)

Professional interests

External examiner at Teesside University (from 2017)
External examiner at BSc Honours Degree in Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging, University of Hertfordshire (commenced Sept 2012)
External examiner for BSc Honours Degree in Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging, Parkway College, Singapore (commenced Jan 2013)
Peer Reviewer for Radiography journal (Elsevier publication)
A member of the Approvals and Accreditation Board (AAB) for the Society and College of Radiographers (SCoR)
A trained assessor for the SCoR, undertaking accreditation and approvals reviews and reports (programmes, short course and individual accreditations) that help inform AAB decisions
Previously attended meetings at SoR on a regular basis; the opportunity to discuss current professional issues affecting aspects such as admissions, placement experience and employability

Research interests

Understanding of pain (especially neuropathic pain) in radiography healthcare professionals (supervising project)
Patient experience
for MA Ed: A coaching for resilience approach: an evaluation of relevance and inclusion in curriculum delivery within an Undergraduate Healthcare Programme
staff research project: An evaluation of a novel way to approach the development of reflective writing skills using a narrative ‘storytelling’ approach
Exploring the potential role of mindfulness in developing resilience to stress and the demands of the job among healthcare professional students
Looking at how an individual’s resilience impacts on leadership potential
Role of creativity and storytelling in reflective practice
Role of coaching as part of a personal tutors’ ‘toolkit’

Membership of professional bodies

2010 - Present: Higher Education Academy Position: Senior Fellow
HCPC registered: No RA31533

Qualifications

MA education: Coaching and mentoring pathway
University Advanced Diploma in Professional Development: Manager as Coach and Mentor. Passed Summer 2014
Research methodologies for practice (20 credits, level 7); grade of 75% awarded, ratified August 2013
2007: PgCert Learning and Teaching; University of Derby
27 August 2004: Anatomy for Radiographers (The Department of Anatomy, Edinburgh University)
01 June 1999: PG Dip Nuclear medicine technology; City University, London
01 June 1990: DCR(R) (College of Radiographers)

Recent conferences

de Witt, J and Gallagher, S. (2018) Trigeminal neuralgia: Imaging and the patient experience of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain: Findings from an on-line survey of patient experience of MRI imaging. British Association of Magnetic Resonance Radiographers annual conference
Invited speaker: de Witt, J (2018) Exploring the potential role of coaching skills, UK Radiology and Oncology Congress, Liverpool, July 4th 2018
Invited speaker: de Witt, J. (2018) Challenges of shared placements and service level agreements. College of radiographers Assessors training day, Friends house, London, 7th Feb 2018
Invited speaker: de Witt, J (2017) Leadership coaching and mentoring. Nurse mentor and Practice Educator Development Event, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals (18.9.17)
de Witt, J. (2017) Resilience for clinical practice. 28th International Networking for Education (NET) Conference, September 2017. Churchill College, University of Cambridge
de Witt, J. (2016) Exploring the potential role coaching skills for student development. 27th International Networking for Education (NET) Conference, September 2016. Churchill College, University of Cambridge
Invited Keynote speaker de Witt, J. (2016) Inspiring through coaching. Consortium of Institutes of Health and Rehabilitation in Europe Conference, April 2016
Invited speaker: de Witt, J. (2016) A coaching workshop: Inspiring through coaching. Consortium of Institutes of Health and Rehabilitation in Europe Conference, April 16
de Witt, J. (2012) The curious incident of the disappearing patient, and not just in the night time’. Care and Compassion Conference, University of Derby, May 2012

Experience in industry

As a clinical diagnostic radiographer (including A+E and Trauma) and as a Nuclear medicine technology specialist.

International experience

External examiner for BSc Honours Degree in Diagnostic Radiography and Imaging, Parkway College, Singapore
Developed a bridging programme for Qatar-based students to facilitate transition into year 3 of the UG programme. Working closely with the International team at the University of Derby and involving travel to Qatar. This was successfully approved as a bridging programme by the College of Radiographers

Additional interests and activities

Coaching and mentoring for graduate and professional practice.

Recent publications

Publications

Personal Resilience for Diagnostic Radiographer Healthcare Education: Lost in Translation? International Journal of Practice- based Learning in Health and Social Care. Vol 5, No 2 (2017), Pp38-50, https://doi.org/10.18552/ijpblhsc.v5i2
Brown, P., Venables, H., Lui ,H., de Witt, J., Brown, M. and Faghy, M. (2013) “Ventilatory muscle strength, diaphragm thickness and pulmonary function in world-class powerlifters.” European Journal of Applied Physiology
de Witt, J. (2014) Investing in the future . Imaging and Therapy Practice. July 2014, pp26-30

Conference posters

de Witt, J., and Wood, K. (2017) Role of coaching approach and appreciative enquiry in student skills based formative assessment feedback. UK radiology Congress, June 2017, Manchester
de Witt, J. (2017) Resilience for clinical practice; project findings. National Association of Educators in Practice Conference (NAEP). April 2017, Birmingham. http://naep-uk.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/NAEP-conference-proceedings-april-2017.pdf
de Witt, J. (2015) Preparing diagnostic radiography students for the experience of seeing death and dying patients in the clinical practice environment: Workshop findings and the potential role of mindfulness in developing resilience. 26th International Networking for Education (NET) Conference, September 2015. Churchill College, University of Cambridge