Daniela Collins is a qualified first level nurse, manager, qualified executive coach and a SFHEA. Daniela joined Middlesex University in 2004 as a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health and has been developing and delivering health professional education programmes since 1998, supporting the health and social care workforce development, mainly the NHS, local authority, primary care and charity originations.
Daniela has a combined thirty years of experience of health care provision and service management in the NHS and in the Higher Education sector in the UK. Prior to settling permanemently in the UK, Daniela lived and studied in Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia and Greece and is a qualified primary teacher. Daniela trained and qualified as a first level nurse at St. Mary's Hospital Paddington in London in the ealry 1990s and completed an MSc in Mental Health programme at the Medical School, King’s College London in 2004. Currently, she is working towards completing a PhD.
Since, 2013, Daniela has been coaching professionallly and is a qualified personal development and an executive coach and has been coaching and mentoring health and social care staff since 1998. She is currently working on professional accreditation with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC).
Daniela is currently teaching mental health and substance use/misuse and is supervising MSc and BSc students relating to public health and substance misuse research. Her research interests include behavioural addictions, alcohol and drug research, coproduction in mental health, student wellbeing, learning and teaching, technology-enhanced learning, remote working, leadership, and mentoring and coaching.
Daniela has several awards for excellence in practice. She was elected by faculty and was awarded the Middlesex University Teaching Fellowship in 2015, for outstanding personal excellence in teaching and supporting learning. In 2019, Daniela was awarded the Senior Teaching Fellow (SFHEA) by AdvanceHE UK for her contribution, impact, influence and leadership of several undergraduate and postgraduate nursing programmes in her role as a Director of Programmes for Mental Health from Jan 2017 to Jan 2020.
Daniela represents peers at the NHS Leadership Academy, the Women’s Leadership Network, the Royal College of Nursing, Mental Health Academics (UK) and is an active member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Daniela has been an active member of the International Nursing Society in Addictions since 2013 and was an executive board member of the Association of Nurses in Substance Abuse (ANSA) for England and Wales from 2001 to 2018.
Since 2017, Daniela has been an active volunteer as a Nursing Now Ambassador for England and promotes a positive image of nursing, a campaign led by the International Council of Nurses and the World Health Organisation to raise the status and profile of nursing globally. The COVID pandemic has highlighted the value of nurses and their role in saving lives and being key to addressing the 21st-century health challenges, globally. In June 2020, Daniela was recognised as a Nurse Leader by Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing for her contribution to excellence in nursing leadership.
Native or Bilingual Proficiency (Full mastery, C2): Macedonian and English
Indipendent (B2): Slovenian, Croation, Serbian
Basic (A1 & A2): Greek (A2), French (A1)
Role: Peer Manuscript reviewer
March 2020 - to date: British Journal of Mental Health Nursing
Nov 2017 - to date: International Journal for Students as Partners (IJSaP)
Sept 2014 - to date: Journal of Mental Health Training, Education & Practice
Sept 2014- to date: Journal of Advances in Dual Diagnosis
Sept 2010- to date: Journal of Drugs, Education and Prevention & Policy
June 2009 - to date: Ethics Committee Reviewer Middlesex University, School of Health and Education, Department of Mental Health Research Committee
Forthcoming Book chapter - (accepted July 2020); Collins, A. D. (2020) Nursing in a Global Pandemic: The challenges of Covid19 in the International Year of the Nurse & Midwife 2020 - book chapter
June 2019 – Successful selection by the Mental Health Academics UK (MHNAUK) under my leadership as a Director of Programmes to host two prestigious events at Middlesex University in 2020, mainly the annual Skellern Lecture 2020 and the International Nursing Research Conference 2020.
May 2019 - Successful revalidation of the MSc Mental Health and Substance Use (Dual Diagnosis) programme under my role as a Director of Programmes (Jan 2017-Jan 2020).
March 2019 - Successful revalidation of the BSc Nursing Mental Health and PGDip Nursing Mental Health professional programmes under my role as a Director of Programmes (Jan 2017- Jan 2020).
Gleeson, Helen; Gleeson, Helen; Hafford-Letchfield, Trish; Hafford-Letchfield, Trish; Quaife, Matthew; Quaife, Matthew; Collins, Daniela A.; Collins, Daniela A.; Flynn, Ann; Flynn, Ann (2019). Preventing and responding to depression, self-harm, and suicide in older people living in long term care settings: a systematic review. Aging & Mental Health Vol. 23. issue 11. Pages 1467-1477
Hafford-Letchfield, Trish; Dayananda, Asanka; Collins, Daniella(2018). Digital storytelling for interprofessional collaborative practice to develop quality and service improvements. Social Work Education. Volume 37, 2018 - Issue 6. Pages 804-812
BEING ME: Project on best practices in learning and education to support LGBT ageing care and wellbeing; lead by Professor Trish Hafford Letchfield. – research data collection on the 6th June 2018 in Holland and on the 11th September 2018 in Dublin, Ireland ) https://beingme.eu/
Global Classroom in Addictions Project: Project led by Professor Trish Hafford Letchfield and Professor Carmel Clancy on development of a Global Classroom in Addictions - Collaboration with colleagues across the globe (USA, Australia, Brazil, and Middlesex University) Jan 2014 – July 2017.
Collins D.A. (2016) Neuroscience of Addiction: Understand the Addicted Employee. Recovery Plus Workplace Wellbeing Conference, 03.11.2016. The Royal Horseguards, One Whitehall, London, UK http://events.recoveryplusdb.com/recovery-plus-in-the-workplace/
Collins D. A. and Dadzie L. (2016) Leadership and Compassion in a Postgraduate Leadership Training Course. IENE4. Conference: 'Promoting Culturally Competent and Compassionate Leadership for Nurses and Other Health Professionals' Conference Poster 27.07.2016 - London, UK Project URL: http://www.ieneproject.eu
Public Health England, Health and Wellbeing Directorate (Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco Division), the RCN, Addaction and ANSA (2017) The role of addiction specialist nurses in recovery orientated treatment systems - National Guidance’ (Publication expected by Department of Health in 2017)
Collins, A.D. (2014) Seminar on International Dimensions of Addiction. Drug & Alcohol Research Centre Middlesex University London 29.05.2014. London: DARC
Odro, A.B. , Dadzie, LK, Collins, D., Lodoiska, R., Ryan, P, (2014) Evidence of MH Promotion Criteria in the BSc MH Nursing prog. Journal of MH Training, Education and Practice. Vol 9. Issue 3.
Collins, A. D., Clancy C., Cajada L. (2014). Spotlight on lack of substance misuse training. Oral presentation on the 17.10.2014. International Nurses Society on Addictions 38th Annual Educational Conference, Washington DC, USA
Hafford-Letchfield T, Carney C., Macdonal A., Colins A.D., Clancy C and So, T. (2014) Ways of seeing: using filmmaking to engage students with communities. Enter Mental Health Annual Symposium, 17-19 June 2014, Barcelona Spain.
Collins, A. D., Clancy C., Cajada L. (2014). Spotlight on lack of substance misuse training. Research and Advances in Psychiatry. Vol. 1 (No. 1 Suppl.) Supplement on Novel Psychoactive Substances. 2014 January - March, Congress Report, 9 - 56. pp.15
Collins, A. D., Clancy C., Cajada L. (2014). Spotlight on lack of substance misuse training. Oral presentation on the 15.05.2014 European Commission/EMCDDA, 3nd International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances. Rome, Italy.
Jan 2014 - 15 Project Global Classroom in Addictions USA, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil & Middlesex University
Collins, A. D., Clancy C., Cajada L., Foley L. (2013). Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPSs): Challenges ad implications for Public Health. Current Drug Abuse Reviews Volume 6, No. 4, pp.28
Collins, A. D., Clancy C., Cajada L., Foley L. (2013). Novel Psychoactive Substances (NPSs): Challenges ad implications for Public Health. European Commission/EMCDDA, 2nd International Conference on Novel Psychoactive Substances. Swansea, Wales, UK
Holmes, K., Collins D.A., Homshaw J., Ryan, P. (2013) Peer Support Workers in Mental Health Acute Services. London: Enfield Mental Health User Group
Angela Claire Newton, Anne Beales, Daniela Collins, Thurstine Basset, (2013) "Service User Leadership: training and development for service users to take the lead", Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, The, Vol. 8 Iss: 3. http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=17092887
Sep 2013 - 2014 Research project: Compassion and Education an integrative review project, Middlesex University London
Albert B. Odro, Lawrence K. Dadzie, Daniela A. Collins, Roland Lodoiska, Peter Ryan (2012) Mental HealthNursing and Mental Health promotion: A UK case example. Socialno delo 51(5).
2011 – 2012 EU Funded Project PROMISE (Promoting Mental Health, Minimising Mental Illness & Integrating through Education) Lead Prof. Peter Ryan.
2011 - BSc Nursing Mental Health (Hons) 2.1 ~ Title of BSc thesis: ‘Mental Health Service user involvement in nurse education’ ~ Grade: Distinction
Holmshaw J., Collins D. Lynski J., Sartori P., Robisnon P and Crosby K. (2009) Support for students with Mental Health difficulties in Higher Education. CETL/ Birmingham CEIMH: Showcasing User and Carer Involvement in Education and Practice Birmingham University; 10th Nov 2009.
Crosby, K., Holmshaw, J., Collins, A.D., Lynch, C. and Johnson, P. (2009) ‘Involving service users in teaching and assessment on the pre-registration mental health nurse programme’. London: Middlesex University Annual Teaching Conference, June 2009
Collins D, Lynch C and Holmshaw J. (2008) Service user involvement in teaching & assessing in BSc Nursing. Middlesex University Annual Teaching and Learning Conference, London. 1st July 2008
2008 – 2009 HEFCE funded project: Support for students with Mental Health difficulties in HE. Mental Health & Social Work CETL, Middlesex University London
2007 – 2009 PGCHE Teaching (two year programme) Middlesex University London; ~ Title of one-year PGCHE research project: ’Blended and e-learning support for nursing students with disability’. Research supervisor: Professor, Judith Hardy, Middlesex University, London
2006 - 2007 Alcohol Treatment Services: How can the effective involvement of service users be developed? Project Lead Dr David Mark Ball, IoP and SLAM NHS
2004 - MSc Mental Health Studies Kings College London (Medical School) ~ Title of MSc thesis 2: ‘Elder patient’s sexual health in an inner London MH Hospital’ ~ Grade: Distinction; MSc Research supervisor: Professor Tom KJ Craig (MBBS PhD FRCPsych), The Institute of Psychiatry, London.
2003 - 2004 Treatment outcomes for patients with substance misuse, CNWL MH NHS Trust and Imperial College London. Substance Misuse Conference July 2004, London (in-house conference)
2003 - MSc Mental Health Studies Kings College London (Medical School) ~ Title of MSc thesis 1: ‘A one-year psychotherapy treatment of a depressed patient’ ~ Grade: Distinction
May 2020 - to date: AdvanceHE Creating Socially Distanced Campuses and Education Project (SDCE) - Middlesex University SIG on Socially Distance Campus and Student Experience (university project co-lead and active member)
April to June 2020 European Commission innovation projet #EUvsVirus Corona Virsus Pan European Project, role: volunteer & contributor on Remote Working and Education, University-specific challenges and E-learning methods and Tools. https://www.euvsvirus.org/
March to June 2020 - Volunteer - co-developed a Toolkit in the Coronavirus Tech Handbook on Mental Health and Addictions Coronavirus Handbook to help health and social care professionals and the public access reliable information during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sept 2019 - to date: NHS Mental Health Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) Collaboration Network - professional member and contributor/sharing of good practice
Sept 2018 - Sept 2020 - Health Education England (HEE) Advanced Clinical Practice Frameworks, Project on Advanced Practitioner Mental Health Curriculum and Capabilities (national project) Role: member and curriculum reviewer (curriculum review completed in August 2020).
Sept 2018 - to date: NHS England Safeguarding Professional Network - professional member and contributor/sharing of good practice
Sept 2017 - Sept 2020: NHS Nursing & Midwifery Ambassador Project (role: nursing ambassador for England Nursing Now England and the WHO Nursing Now campaigns)
Sept 2016 - to date: APPG - All Parliamentary Group on Complex Needs and Dual Diagnosis - stakeholder and professional member.
September 2009 - to date: BEH Mental Health NHS Trust - Dual Diagnosis Network and CPD project. Project co-lead with the Trust Oprational Director for the Trust Dual Diagnosis Network.
May 2016 - Bespoke Leadership Development Programme: Clients: HENWL and WLMHT MH NHS Trust: A one-year project to build workforce capacity. My role: Lead Bid writer and manager including governance of the bid.
April 2016 - Assessment & Intervention in Mental Health Crisis module (20c L6 & L7 ); Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
January 2016 - Practice Development Unit (PDU) Project for the WLMHT Forensic Services to NHS quality service improvement.
February 2016 - CPD study days Physical Health Assessment skills for HCAs (Bespoke project): WLMHT MH NHS Trust.
September 2015 - BEH MH NHS Trust: ~ Health Coaching Project part of the Trust's Enablement Project
September 2015 - BEH MH NHS Trust: ~ Interprofessional Dual Diagnosis Forum jointly run quarterly with the Dual Diagnosis service lead from BEH MH NHS Trust.
August 2015 - CNWL NHS Foundation Trust - Motivational Interviewing (CPD Bespoke programme)
2013-14 - World Health Organisation Europe: ~ Trainer the Trainer Mental Health, Turkey
2012-13 - Enfield Mental Health User Group and BEH MH NHS Trust: ~ Peer Support Worker in Acute wards project.
Membership of Professional and Learned Societies
