Dr Bethan Collins

School of Health & Society

Photo of Dr Bethan Collins

Contact Details

C401 Allerton Building
Frederick Road Campus
University of Salford

Current positions

Head of Occupational Therapy

Biography

Bethan is Head of Occupational Therapy in the University of Salford, starting this role in March 2020. She began her occupational therapy career in Trinity College, Dublin, where she was the first ever Scholar of Trinity in Occupational Therapy and received the distinguished University Gold Medal for outstanding academic achievement. Bethan worked clinically in Dublin in areas including dementia care, stroke rehabilitation, care of the elderly and working with adults with physical disability. She returned to Trinity to complete a PhD in Occupational Therapy, and worked as a member of the academic team as well as with the University Disability Support service. In 2009, she moved to Bournemouth University and was Professional lead and Principal lecturer.

Bethan is passionate about occupational therapy education and including critical disability theory in occupational therapy education, theory and practice. Her research focuses on everyday life and lifestyle for people with a range of disability or health experiences and particularly the enablers and barriers to people doing what they need and want to do in everyday life. She has a particular interest in research with blind and vision impaired people.

Areas of Research

Lifestyle and everyday life for disabled adults and those with ongoing health issues; everyday life for people with low vision; critical disability studies; occupational therapy education.

Areas of Supervision

Lived experience of disabled people, experiences of people who are blind or partially sighted, occupational therapy, qualitative research, education research.

Teaching

Occupational therapy theory and occupational science, research methods, critical disability theory., inclusive practice, health and wellbeing through occupation.

Qualifications and Recognitions

Qualifications
  • Pg Cert Research Degree Supervision

    2009 - 2011
  • Pg Certificate in Academic Practice (Higher Education)

    2009 - 2010
  • PhD in Occupational Therapy

    2002 - 2008
  • Pg Dip Statistics

    2001 - 2002
  • BSc (Hons) Cur. Occ

    1996 - 2000