Dr Helen Frank

Helen Frank

Deputy Head/Quality Co-ordinator of the School of Allied Health and Community

School of Health and Wellbeing

Department of Allied Health

Deputy Head of School

Contact Details

email: h.frank@worc.ac.uk
tel: 01905 542585

I am the Deputy Head for the School of Allied Health and Community and I am also a Principal Lecturer in Physiotherapy. I work within a team of dedicated, motivated and excellent academic and support staff who deliver outstanding courses in health professions at undergraduate and post-graduate level.

I am a Physiotherapist, and was an international swimmer, and competed in the Olympics in 1988.

I graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University in 1993 and moved to Birmingham after an inspirational elective placement at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. I specialised in musculo-skeletal physiotherapy with children and young adults, both in in-patients and out-patients, and worked in elite sport alongside my NHS career. Following my Master’s degree in Learning and Teaching in 2001, I became a lecturer in Physiotherapy at the University of Birmingham.

In 2013, I joined University of Worcester to lead the new BSc Physiotherapy course, developing a truly shared and inter-professional learning opportunity with my OT colleagues. I became the Head of Department for Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Nutritional Therapy in 2018 and co-wrote two new pre-registration MSc courses in Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy in 2021. Since then, I have become the Deputy Head of School, and the Quality Co-Ordinator for the School. I am enjoying working across our School’s provision and developing new courses for future students in health and community.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, Leeds Metropolitan University 1993
MSc Health Sciences (Learning and Teaching), University of Birmingham 2002
PGCert Learning and Teaching in Higher and Further Education, University of Birmingham 2005
EdD Learning and Learning Contexts, University of Birmingham 2017

Teaching & Research

Teaching Interests

I teach across all academic levels 4 - 7, enjoying all aspects of teaching and learning. I love to work across professional boundaries, in an inter-professional setting.

My teaching style is interactive, inclusive and student-centred, and aims to make theory relevant and applied to practice in all teaching sessions.

Research Interests

My Doctoral research explored “The learning experiences of student physiotherapists with visual impairments”. My other research interests include learning experiences, inter-professional education, student experience and academic support.

I supervise MSc and PhD students within the School and wider College, and have examined several PhD students at other HEIs.

Professional Bodies

Member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (MCSP number 052997)

Health and Care Professions Council registered (PH46376)

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Publications

Thomas, Y., Frank, H., Grant, T., Neil, L., Lees, R. (2023) Health professional graduate perspectives of practice education during the COVID-19 pandemic: From uncertainty to employability. Journal of Practice Teaching & Learning. Available online: https://journals.whitingbirch.net/index.php/JPTS/article/view/2088

Yvonne Thomas*, Alison Blank and Helen Frank. (2023) Active Aging: Perceptions and Experiences of Older Adults who Attend a Seniors Gym. Am J Biomed Sci & Res. 19(6) AJBSR.MS.ID.002654, doi:10.34297/AJBSR.2023.19.002654

Grant T, Gossman P, Thomas Y, Berragan L, Frank H. ‘I left feeling different about myself’: What students learn on their first practice placement. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. 2022;0(0). doi:10.1177/03080226221125394

Frank, H. McLinden, M., Douglas, G. (2020) Accessing the curriculum; university based learning experiences of visually impaired physiotherapy students. Nurse Education in Practice. 42 Available online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2019.102620

Kyte, Rachel and Frank, Helen and Thomas, Yvonne (2018) Physiotherapy Students’ Experiences of Role Emerging Placements; a Qualitative Study. International Journal of Practice-based Learning in Health and Social Care (2): 1-13. Available online:
http://e-learning.coventry.ac.uk/ojs/index.php/pblh/article/view/505

Frank, H., (2017) Exploring the learning experiences of visually impaired physiotherapy students. VictarNews. Available online
https://victarnews.wordpress.com/2017/12/06/exploring-the-learning-experiences-of-visually-impaired-physiotherapy-students/

Frank, H., McLinden, M., Douglas, G. (2014) Investigating the learning experiences of physiotherapy students with visual impairments: an exploratory study. British Journal of Visual Impairment 32: 223

Thomas, Y., Frank, H., Mauro-Bracken, L., Goodall, D., Thackeray, K., Jones, R. (2014). The value of writing groups and the barriers to writing: A response. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation 21(6), 259

N. Metje; H. L. Frank; P. Croft (2007) Can't do maths--understanding students' maths anxiety Teaching Mathematics and its Applications 26: 79-88

Ransley, B., Gaskin, K., Frank, H (2019) A Systematised Literature Review investigating the effects of Oscillating Positive Expiratory Pressure (OPEP) therapy on clinical outcomes in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Proceedings of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care Annual Conference; April 2019, Birmingham, UK

H. Frank. Accessing the curriculum; university-based learning experiences of visually impaired physiotherapy students. Platform presentation at Showcasing and exploring excellence. Proceedings of the University of Worcester Teaching, Learning and Student Experience Conference, University of Worcester 16th June 2016

H. Frank, Prof M, McLinden, Dr G, Douglas (2015) Accessing the curriculum. Barriers and enablers experienced by visually impaired physiotherapy students in university physiotherapy education. Poster presented at: Physiotherapy U.K 2015. Proceedings of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy’s Annual Conference; 2014 Oct 16-17; Liverpool, U.K.

H. Frank. Becoming a physiotherapist; university-based learning experiences of visually impaired physiotherapy students. Platform presentation at Research in Education Across Boundaries. Proceedings of the Bristol Doctoral Conference, Bristol University 1st & 2nd June 2015

Kyte, R, Frank, H, Thomas, Y and Double, A. Evaluation of the impact of Action Learning Sets in an undergraduate physiotherapy education programme. Poster presented at Physiotherapy U.K 2014. Proceedings of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy’s Annual Conference; 2014 Oct 10-11; Birmingham, U.K.

Frank, R.Kyte, and Y.Thomas. (2014) Evaluation of a novel continuous practice placement model in a newly developed undergraduate physiotherapy education programme. Poster presented at: Physiotherapy U.K 2014. Proceedings of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy Annual Conference; 2014 Oct 10-11; Birmingham, U.K.

Frank, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (South). Supporting students with disabilities; research into the learning experiences of physiotherapy students with visual impairments. January 2012

H, Frank 2012 The learning experiences of student physiotherapists with visual impairments – an exploratory study. Theme Paper presented at Nurse Education Today Conference. Proceedings of the Nurse Education Today Conference, 4-6 Sept 2012, University of Cambridge, UK.

Wells, A., Lees, R., Frank, H. (2021) Developing and delivering a virtual assistive technology training programme for mobility aids in Papua New Guinea. Virtual Physiotherapy UK November 2021 - Online, United Kingdom https://www.csp.org.uk/professional-clinical/courses-events/physiotherapy-uk

Ransley, B. Gaskin, K., Frank, H. (2019) A systematised literature review investigating the effects of oscillating positive expiratory pressure (OPEP) therapy on clinical outcomes in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Journal of the Association for Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care. Volume 51 Supplement. Poster abstracts from the ACPRC Conference 2019.

Frank, H., Grant, T., Thomas, Y., Lees, R. (2022) Student experiences of practice education during COVID 19 -Resilience and Readiness for employment. NET (Networking for Health Education) conference 2022, Lancaster University, Sept 6 & 7.
https://www.advance-he.ac.uk/programmes-events/conferences/NET2022-Conference

External Responsibilities

External Examiner roles

  • Sheffield Hallam University BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy 2019 - ongoing
  • University of Essex MSc (Prescribing) 2017 – 2020
  • Leeds Beckett University BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy 2011-2015

Panel Membership

  • Course re-approval Brunel University, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy 2023
  • Course Re-approval University of Lincoln, MSc (pre-reg) Physiotherapy 2023
  • University of Lincoln, Periodic Academic Review, School of Health and Social Care, 2023
  • Course approval, University College Birmingham, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy 2020
  • Course Re-approval St. Georges, University of London, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy 2019
  • Course Re-approval Bournemouth University, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy 2018
  • Course Re-approval University of East London, BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy 2017

CSP Education Representative

  • Brunel University 2023-current
  • University of Lincoln 2017 - current
  • Bournemouth University 2018 - 2020
  • University College Birmingham 2019 - 2023

Reviewer for:

  • International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation
  • British Journal of Visual Impairment
  • International Journal of Practice-based Learning in Health and Social Care