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Dr. Danielle Jones

Associate Professor

Area
Centre for Applied Dementia Studies
Faculty of Health Studies
E-mail
D.K.Jones1@bradford.ac.uk
Dr. Danielle Jones
16 publications

Biography

Danielle is a medical sociologist and is an experienced dementia researcher, specialising in qualitative methodologies and Conversation Analysis. Danielle’s research includes exploring family communication when a person has dementia, and interaction between healthcare professional, people living with dementia and their companions. Danielle is currently leading project which explore how clinicians communicate dementia risk and Brain Health in diverse healthcare settings. Danielle is a member of the INTERDEM Dementia Prevention taskforce. She is also a member of International Society for Conversation Analysis (ISCA), and sits on the organising committee of the Qualitative Dementia Research Network (DemiQual).

Danielle plays a leading role in the design, development and delivery of dementia education within the Centre for Applied Dementia Studies and within the wider Faculty of Health Studies at the University, having previously led on both the BSc Dementia Studies and MSc Advanced Dementia Studies programmes. She is the current programme lead for the Postgraduate Certificate for Practitioners with Advanced or Extended roles in Dementia. She has recently co-produced, with 22 people living with dementia, a new postgraduate dementia education called "Understanding the me in Dementia". This is the first module of its kind in existence, created from the very beginning by people with dementia. The module has been nominated and shortlisted for prestigious awards including being commended for its ‘outstanding contribution to teaching and learning excellence’ at the University of Bradford’s Outstanding Achievement Awards, 2024; a finalist in the Dementia Care Awards 2024 ‘Living-well with dementia: Co-production and Partnership’ award category; the National INSIGHT: Public Involvement Quality Recognition and Awards 2024 for ‘Leading’, and it was shortlisted for its ‘Outstanding contribution to the Local Community’ at the Times Higher Education awards 2024. Danielle is a member of the Higher Education Dementia Network (HEDN) and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
    

Research

I am a qualitative researcher and conversation analyst, with expertise and a special interest in medical and social care communication involving people living with dementia. I was chief investigator on the 'Communicating the risk of dementia' (CoRD) project which explored how dementia risk is communicated to patients in both primary care and secondary care settings. The first output in the British Journal of General Practice, explored the role of GP's in dementia prevention. I am a member of the INTERDEM Dementia Prevention Taskforce. I am currently working with Bradford District Care Trust, leading a project which seeks to investigate the current landscape of secondary dementia prevention to identify those optimal commissioning, structures, and processes of integrated Brain Health Services. I am interested in Communication, Brain Health and dementia risk research, particularly exploring how risk is communicated in different settings and to different populations. 

I am involved in educational research, primarily exploring the impact of dementia education on allied health professionals preparedness to care for people with dementia. I recently led two projects working alongside Paramedic Sciences and Radiography, examining the impact of dementia education on paramedic students knowledge, confidence and attitudes towards dementia and Dementia education for Diagnostic Radiography students: Impact on confidence, knowledge, and attitudes towards dementia. I am leading a project supported by the NIHR ARC exploring the experiences of people with dementia during paramedic care. 




Teaching

Danielle is passionate about advancing dementia education and fostering meaningful change in dementia care. Her teaching work is dedicated to creating research-informed, innovative, and stakeholder-engaged curricula that empower the dementia care workforce with the skills, knowledge, and compassion needed to provide exceptional care. By integrating the latest research insights with input from a range of stakeholders including people living with dementia, she strives to ensure that educational programs are both evidence-based and responsive to the diverse needs of those impacted by dementia.

Current Roles

Programme Lead:  Postgraduate Certificate for Practitioners with Advanced or Extended Roles in Dementia
Module Leader: Understanding the me in dementia, module on the MSc Advanced Dementia Studies
MSc Supervisor: MSc Advanced Dementia Studies final year dissertation supervisor

PhD Supervisor: 
Amanda Briggs: Co-designing and evaluating simulation as an approach to delivering dementia education for student nurses

 
Overview: I take a leading role within the Centre for Applied Dementia Studies in relation to Dementia education. I have been involved in creating the curriculum for the new MSc Advanced Dementia studies programme (launched Sept 2019). As programme lead during the development of the curriculum I took oversight of curriculum design and delivery, undertaking University programme approval and quality assurance processes, taking leadership of the design of the curriculum and the development of innovative resources and content for its modules, which are delivered via distance learning. I was responsible for overseeing student attainment and monitoring as well as marketing, recruitment, admissions and induction. I was responsible for leading the development of, and delivering, the module Evidence Appraisal and Synthesis. I have more recently lead the development of a new postgraduate module, Understanding the me in dementia, which has been designed, created and is soon to be delivered by people living with dementia. This  an award winning and unique module where people living with dementia have co-produced the content from the beginning.

I am the current programme lead for the Postgraduate Certificate for Practitioners with Advanced or Extended roles in dementia. This innovative postgraduate certificate is the first course of its kind in England. It is designed for practitioners from a variety of clinical backgrounds working in health care settings where diagnostic services and post-diagnostic support for people with dementia are provided. The programme aims to support learners to develop high-level skills in assessment, diagnosis, clinical management and ongoing support for people with dementia and their carers. 

I am also responsible for embedding dementia education with the Faculty of Health Studies at the University of Bradford, leading on education within the BSc Paramedic Sciences programme. I also teach on the Clinical Sciences programme. 

Professional activities

  • University of York - BA (Hons)
  • University of Bradford - Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education and Practice
  • University of York - MA
  • University of York - PhD

  • University of Bradford - Associate Professor in Dementia Studies (30 September 2019)
  • University of Bradford - Lecturer in Dementia Studies (8 July 2013)
  • University of York - Research Associate (1 April 2012)

  • INTERDEM, Member (21 November 2017)
  • Higher Education Academy, HEA Fellow (21 June 2017)
  • International Society for Conversation Analysis, Member (8 November 2016)

Publications

  • Good reason for non-standardisation in the administration of cognitive assessments

    Jones, D., Jackson, C., Wilkinson, R (2024) Dementia and Language: The lived experience in interaction. In P. Muntigl, C. Plejert, D. Jones editor(s) Cambridge University Press. 25-49.

  • Language and Cognition in conversations with a person with Alzheimer’s disease

    Jones, D (2024) Dementia and Language: The lived experience in interaction. In P. Muntigl, C. Plejert, D. Jones editor(s) Cambridge University Press. 269-291.

  • Interaction research and dementia

    Muntigl, P., Jones, D., Plejert, C. (2024) Dementia and Language: The lived experience in interaction. In P. Muntigl, C. Plejert, D. Jones editor(s) Cambridge University Press. 3-24.

  • Pathways within dementia diagnosis: Conversation Analytical perspectives

    Plejert, C; Jones. D and Peel, E (2017) Life with Dementia: Relations, Responses and Agency in Everyday Life. Palgrave Macmillan.