Gary Francis

Gary is Associate Professor and School Lead for Practice Skills Learning and Simulation at LSBU. He has plays a key role in SimDH by helping the team to scope projects.

My clinical background is in intensive care nursing. This is a cross-school role working with all disciplines to make sure our skills and simulation provision complies with our professional body and regulatory responsibilities. I also work closely with SimDH to explore research, innovation and enterprise opportunities.

My 'typical day' is generally 9-5, but depending on the day I could be organising mandatory training for staff and students to delivering training myself. I also support personal students and teach several modules across pre-and-post registration delivery.

My specialist subject on Mastermind would be Bars and restaurants in Soho/Central London from 2000.

I got involved in SimDH with the initial planning for applying for the ERDF funding, and have been involved with helping to support the scoping of potential projects with SMEs.

My experience in the NHS helps SimDH members as having academics who are either still practicing, or are close to practice, supports the SMEs when they're exploring their products or services and helps to contextualise them in real life.

I think SimDH is beneficial to my role because working together with the SMEs has been really insightful. Working with products or services with the aim of improving or enhancing health and social care through consultancy or research has helped bring academic and entrepreneurship closer to practice!

My tip for developing a new product is that founders need to really know where you want the product or service to go.