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Nicola Ward studied pharmacy at Cardiff before working for the next 18 years as a hospital pharmacist in the East Midlands. Whilst in clinical practice she undertook an MSc in Clinical Pharmacy before specialising as a surgical pharmacist, with a particular interest in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery and the management of patients on Parenteral Nutrition. She pursued this interest further by undertaking a part-time Doctor of Pharmacy (DPharm) degree with the University of Derby, with her main focus being the absorption of medication in patients with intestinal failure. 

Since moving to academia in 2013 her research and practice has focused on medication safety, patient experience, person-centred models of care, and pharmacist-led patient education, with a particular focus on Vitamin B12 deficiency. She regularly collaborates with patient groups and a wide multidisciplinary team of researchers, clinicians and those with lived experience to develop research projects and educational resources.

She utilises student-focussed, compassionate pedagogies in teaching and learning and advocates for the benefits of coaching-based approaches in all aspects of teaching and learning and student support to support student wellbeing and resilience.

Pharmacy Practice

• Seage CH, Bennett A, Ward N, Semedo L, Plattel C, Suijker K, Vis J, James D. A systematic review of symptoms of Pernicious Anaemia. Food and Nutrition Bulletin 2024 DOI: 10.1177/03795721241227016
• Suijker K, Plattel C, Seage CH, Ward N, James D, Vis J. Development of a Vitamin B12 deficiency Patient-Reported Outcome Measure for clinical practice and research. Food and Nutrition Bulletin 2024: Food and Nutrition Bulletin 2024 DOI: 10.1177/03795721241227016
• Staley K, Ahmadi KR, Carter K, Cowan K, Seage H, Visser P, Ward N, Hooper M. Research priorities in pernicious anaemia: James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership BMJ Open 2022;12:e065166. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-065166
• Ward N, Hooper M. Pernicious Anaemia: recognition, diagnosis and management. Pharmaceutical Journal 2022: 309; 7963 DOI:10.1211/PJ.2022.1.149472
• Ward N, Merry K. Wellbeing: Talking learning and teaching podcast 2022
• Ward N, Shivkumar M, Swallow S, Wang M. Student conferences: integrating and contextualising learning in practice. Pharmacy Education 2022; 22(3): 3
• Ward N. Development of a workshop to address practical exam-related stress and anxiety: Open Educational resource on Embedding Mental Wellbeing. QAA Collaborative Enhancement Project, January 2022
• Ward N, O’Sullivan A, Evans M. Embedding student wellbeing and maximising student achievement within the curriculum of two undergraduate Health and Life Sciences programmes. In: Helping Penguins to Swim. Ed. Krcmar K. 2020, Inspired by Learning.
• Ward N, Musa A. Mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviours in MPharm students. Pharmacy Education 2020: 20; 261
• Ward N. Utilising multiple active learning strategies to maximise student engagement. Pharmacy Education 2020; 21(3): 7
• Ward N. Proactive support to maximise MPharm student wellbeing and performance: 4 years of impact. Pharmacy Education 2020; 21(3): 11
• Ward N, Hooper M. Collaborating with patients to improve the management of Pernicious Anaemia. Rx magazine, December 2019
• Evans M, Ward N Building resilience and improving wellbeing in pharmacy students: a collaborative approach.University and College Counselling Journal,2018; 6 (1):17-19
• Ward N, Evans M. An evaluation of a novel collaborative wellbeing programme for MPharm students. Pharmacy Education 2017; 17 (1): 179

The management of Pernicious Anaemia and Vitamin B12 deficiency

Patient perceptions and experiences of healthcare and treatment

The utilisation of coaching-based approaches in teaching and learning

Student wellbeing and resilience

Nicola teaches across years 1-4 of the MPharm programme. Main areas of teaching include:

• Psychosocial science
• Management of Pernicious Anaemia and Vitamin B12 deficiency
• Health inequality and inequity
• Medication concordance and adherence
• Shared Decision Making
• Complex communication skills

Certificate in Coaching (2019)

PGCertHE (2015)

DPharm (2008)

MSc Clinical Pharmacy (1998)

BPharm (Hons) (1995)

MPharm

PGCertEE

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)

Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists/ Antigen Intravenous therapy award (1999)

Member of steering group and data sub-group for the James Lind Alliance Priority Setting Partnership (NIHR) on Diagnosis and Management of Pernicious Anaemia (2021)

• Registered with General Pharmaceutical Council
• Member of Royal Pharmaceutical Society
• Member of CluB12
• Associate Member of Association of Coaching

• Patient-reported Outcome Measures and Quality of Life: Essential tools for person-centred pharmacists: oral presentation at the Pharmact Education Conference, Manchester, June 2025
• Embedding the UN SDGs within the pharmacy curriculum: Oral presentation at European Association of Faculties of Pharmacy Conference, Valencia, Spain, May 2023
• What do healthcare professionals know about Pernicious Anaemia and Vitamin B12 deficiency? Oral presentation at the Pernicious Anaemia Society annual symposium, October 2023
• Student conferences: integrating and contextualising learning in practice: Oral presentation at European Association of Faculties of Pharmacy Conference, Malta, May 2022
• Monitoring efficacy of Vitamin B12 treattment: Oral presentation at CluB12 International Symposium, Cambridge, September 2022
• Promoting wellbeing and resilience as essential professional skills by embedding within the undergraduate curriculum: Oral presentation at International Practitioner Health Conference, Royal College of GPs London, March 2022
• Supporting wellbeing and developing resilience in MPharm students: Invited presentation at Education for Mental Health special interest group meeting online, May 2021
• Compassionate pedagogies at the heart of ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ? Starting a conversation: Workshop with Zoe Allman at ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ Learning and Teaching Conference February 2021, online due to COVID-19.
• Poster presentations at European Association of Faculties of Pharmacy Conference on Proactive Support to maximise MPharm student wellbeing and performance: 4 years of impact and Utilising multiple active learning strategies to maximise student engagement, Nov 2020.
• Breaking down barriers to students accessing wellbeing support: Oral presentation at Advance HE Student Retention and Success Symposium, Sept 2020, online due to COVID-19
• Embedding wellbeing in the curriculum as an essential professional skill: Oral presentation at Advance HE Teaching and Learning Conference, July 2020, online due to COVID-19
• The treatment of Pernicious Anaemia- a step in the right direction: oral presentation at the Pernicious Anaemia Society Conference, December 2019
• Patient perceptions of Pernicious Anaemia Management: oral presentation at the Pernicious Anaemia Society Conference, November 2017

Peer reviewing of manuscript submissions for BMJ, International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, Journal of Patient Experience, Nutrients, Student Engagement in Higher Education Journal, European Journal of Nutrition and European Journal of Surgical Research