Key details
Dr Julia Telfer
Programme Leader Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Forensic Practice
Julia has worked at the University of Greenwich for 19 years. She is currently a Programme Leader for the Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Forensic Practice and MA in Healthcare Practice. She is a senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing. Her areas of expertise include Forensic healthcare, mental health and offending, personality disorder, criminal justice system liaison, policy and practice, mental health nursing, social exclusion, and complex needs.
Julia worked as an adult and mental health nurse in the NHS for 22 years before joining the University. Her experience was varied and included clinical and managerial roles in in patient units and community settings. This includes working in Criminal Justice Liaison and Specialist Homeless Services. Her research interests are around politics, public policy and the impact this has on the NHS. She completed her PhD in 2024: The Impact of contemporary Health and Social Care Police on the Clinical Decision Making of Community Mental Health Nurses. A Critical Realist Exploration.
Posts held previously:
2007-Present | Senior Lecturer Mental Health Nursing | University of Greenwich |
2005-2007 | Clinical Nurse Specialist in Forensic Mental Health Nursing. | Kent and Medway Mental Health Trust, Forensic Directorate. |
1999-2005 | Prison In-reach Mental Health Team Leader: Establishing the first service of its kind in UK and Team/Service development and management. | HMP Belmarsh / Oxleas NHS Trust Forensic Directorate. |
1998-1999 | Forensic Community Mental Health Nurse | North London Forensic Service, Enfield Trust. |
1995-1998 | Mental Health Practitioner and Locum Team Manager START Team, Specialist Mental Health Team for Homeless People. | Lewisham and Guys Mental Health Trust |
1994-1995 | Community Mental Health Nurse. | Maudsley Hospital. |
1992-1994 | Clinical Charge Nurse. National Psychosis Unit. Team management. | Bethlem Royal Hospital. |
1991-1992 | Staff Nurse: National Psychosis Unit | Bethlem Royal Hospital |
1988-1989 | Staff Nurse: A and E Observation Ward | Guy’s Hospital |
Responsibilities within the university
In her current role, Julia is the Programme Leader for Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Forensic Practice and the MA in Healthcare Practice. These are post graduate programmes for graduates who are registered nurses of healthcare professionals. The PG Cert Advanced Forensic Practice is for specialist practitioners who work in Criminal Justice agencies.
Julia is also a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing and contributes to teaching, module leadership, curriculum development and student support within the under-graduate and post graduate programmes leading to professional registration.
Awards
- Butler Trust Award, by HRH Princess Anne, for outstanding contribution to the effective care of prisoners. 2004
- NHS Beacon Status, for her management of the prison mental health service, 2004
Recognition
- External panel member for the validation on pre-registration MSc Adult and Mental Health Nursing, City University, London
- Member of the Royal College of Nursing, attending congress and other political events
Research / Scholarly interests
Julia’s PhD utilised the conceptual framework of critical realism. It explored the ways in which the socio-political and economic drivers within public policy, are interpreted at local level by NHS Trusts. It analysed the way this subsequently impacts the structure and function of services and the clinical decision making and professional identity of mental health nurses.
Julia is particularly interested in how the political ideology inherent within policy impacts the culture of public institutions and the lived experience of their staff.
Recent publications
Article
Telfer, Julia , Markowski, Marianne, Duthoit, Susannah, Malamateniou, Christina , Smith, Deborah (2021), Prisoners’ feedback on a formally set-up peer mentoring scheme in a prison in South East England. HM Prison Service. In: , , , . HM Prison Service, Prison Service Journal, 256: 6 . pp. 30-37 ISSN: 0300-3558 (Print), 0300-3558 (Online) (doi: https://www.crimeandjustice.org.uk/publications/psj/prison-service-journal-256).