Professional experience

2018 Professor (Kingston University & St George’s, University of London)
2014 – 2018 Associate Professor (Kingston University & St George’s, University of London)
2008 – present Honorary Senior Research Fellow/Associate Professor/Professor (Maastricht University, Gouvernor Kremers Centre, Netherlands)
2013 – 2014 Senior Research Fellow (Kingston University & St George’s, University of London)
2010 – 2013 Senior Research Fellow (St George’s University of London)
2004 – 2010 Research Fellow (St George’s, University of London)
2001 – 2004 Research and Development Nurse (St George’s, University of London)
1998 – 2001 Palliative Care Nurse Specialist (Trinity Hospice, London)
1996 – 1998 Ward Sister (Trinity Hospice, London)
1993 – 1996 Staff Nurse (Trinity Hospice, London)
1988 – 1993 Residential Care Home Manager (L’Arche Community for People with Intellectual Disabilities, London)
1987 – 1988 Various agency nursing posts (Netherlands)
1985 – 1987 Residential Care Support Worker (L’Arche Community, London)

Professional registration and membership

1991 Registered Nurse (General Nursing), Nursing and Midwifery Council (PIN: 91J0032C)
1993 Registered Nurse (Learning Disability Nursing), Nursing and Midwifery Council (PIN: 91J0032C)
1981-2015: Nursing Register, the Netherlands (now expired)
Member, European Association of Palliative Care
Fellow, European Academy of Nursing Science
Member / Trustee, Palliative Care for People with Learning Disabilities Network

Awards

National Learning Disability & Autism Awards 2023 (Winners, category: Employer of People with a Disability)
Kingston University People Awards 2023 (Winners, Inclusive Values)
National Diversity Awards 2021 (Shortlisted for work with the PCPLD Network. Category: Community Organisation Award for Disability)
University Alliance Award 2021 (Joint Winners, Innovation Award Category)
Palliative Care Nursing Pioneer 2020, St Christopher’s Hospice
Postdoctoral Research Award 2017, European Association of Palliative Care
RCN Research Society Akinsanya Award 2009 (Special Commendation) For innovation in doctoral nursing research
Best Poster Award, 9th Conference for Clinical Ethic Committees, Oxford, 2009
Best Poster Prize, European Congress of the International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual Disabilities, 2006
First Prize, Macmillan Cancer Relief/International Journal of Palliative Nursing Awards 2005, ‘Educationalist of the year’

Research grants and funding

2024-2027 NIHR 159160 (£1,961,343) Developing effective service models for Adult Palliative and end of life care for People with a Learning disability (DAPPLE) Principal Investigator: Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne

2024-2026 Marie Curie (£42,560 led by Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne, as part of £148,606 total grant) Improving access to good end of life care: Recognising dying in people with learning disability who have conditions other than cancer or dementia. Principal Investigator: Prof Stuart Todd (University of South Wales)

2022-2024 NIHR202963 (£454,297) Co-designing a toolkit of approaches and resources for end-of-life care planning with people with learning disabilities within social care settings Principal Investigator: Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne

2021-2026 NHS England (£241,215 led by Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne, as part of larger tender) NHS England » Learning from lives and deaths – People with a learning disability and autistic people (LeDeR) Project Lead: Prof Andre Strydom (Kings College London)

2020-2023 NIHR 129491 (233,607 led by Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne, as part of £869,911 total grant) Improving the support for older people with learning disabilities and behaviours that challenge others, family and professional carers, and end of life care planning for carers Principal Investigator: Prof Sara Ryan (Oxford University)

2026-2018  Bailey Thomas Charitable Fund (£61,064) How widespread is the practice of non-disclosure of expected death (of self or others) to adults with learning disabilities who live in supported living and residential settings in the United Kingdom? A comprehensive survey of support and care workers. Principal Investigator: Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne

2015-2019 NIHR 14/21/45 (£8,277 held by Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne, as part of £582,227 total grant) Pay More Attention: A national mixed methods study to identify the barriers and facilitators to ensuring equal access to high quality hospital care and services for children and young people with and without learning disability and their families Principal Investigator: Dr Kate Oulton (Great Ormond Street Hospital)

2015 South West London Academic, Health and Social Care System (£9,987) Investigating the factors that affect the communication of death-related bad news to people with learning disabilities by social and health care staff: an interview study. Principal Investigator: Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne

2011-2013 NIHR 10/1007/22 (£376,186) Identifying the factors that affect the implementation of strategies to promote a safer environment for patients who have learning disabilities (LD) in NHS hospitals Principal Investigator: Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne

2009-2011 Macmillan Cancer Relief (£59,107) Supporting people with learning disabilities who are affected by a relative or friend with cancer: a focus group study. Principal Investigator: Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne

2009-2011 BUPA Foundation (£100,580) Breaking bad news and communicating about illness with people with learning disabilities: a qualitative study. Principal Investigator: Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne

2005 Cancer Research UK (£10,562) The delivery of palliative care services to people with learning disabilities in London: a survey. Principal Investigator: Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne

2004-2007 Cancer Research UK (98,135) The experiences of people with learning disabilities who have cancer: an ethnographic study. Principal Investigator: Prof Irene Tuffrey-Wijne