Patience Ndlovu Udonsi

Biography	I began my career as a History Teacher in Zimbabwe before transitioning to the UK, where I dedicated myself to working with individuals with autism and learning disabilities. I hold an Integrated Learning Disability Nursing and Social Work degree, with a focus on Mental Health in my Social Work pathway. Prior to my formal training as a Social Worker, I spent three years in various community roles within Mental Health Services, supporting individuals on Section 117 community treatment through group work and one-on-one mental well-being and recovery strategies. I have post graduate qualifications in Innovation and Leadership, which I have applied in developing services for learning disabled people. Throughout my undergraduate and postgraduate career, I have worked extensively with individuals experiencing enduring mental ill-health and a range of diagnoses, including Schizophrenia, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Personality Disorder, Psychosis, Eating Disorders, and Substance Misuse. My experience includes serving as an assistant shift coordinator (Nurse) on Mental Health Wards with the Cheshire and Wirral NHS Trust, where I supported adults with acute mental illness and older adults with dementia. I am deeply passionate about reducing health inequalities for all vulnerable adults within Health and Social Care, particularly those with learning disabilities and mental health disorders. As a Learning Disability Nurse, I have worked across three boroughs in Greater Manchester within multi-professional community learning disability teams. My career has focused on reducing health inequalities and improving health outcomes for people with learning disabilities. I led a project at Pennine Care NHS Trust to develop an end-of-life care pathway for individuals with learning disabilities, which included training multi-professional teams and social care staff to support individuals to die within their supported living homes rather than being moved at the end of their lives. I also trained Hospice staff teams across Greater Manchester in delivering end of life care to learning disabled people. In my role as a Behaviour Specialist Nurse, I conducted specialist behaviour assessments and intervention programmes for individuals displaying complex, distressed behaviours, focusing on neurodivergent individuals and those in contact with the criminal justice system. Additionally, I have experience supporting people with dementia and have delivered various Dementia Training Sessions in Greater Manchester. I also provide training and mentorship to other nurses and social workers and am an accredited Positive Behaviour Management Plus Trainer. In 2023, the Royal College of Nursing recognised my contribution to equity, diversity and inclusion, awarding me their Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award. In 2024, I was part for a team that won the prestigious Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) from Advance HE. This award recognised the work we have done and continue to do through our Minoritised Ethnic Students Collective in the School of Health and Society. Currently, I teach across a range of modules for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Nursing and Social Work. I am a Mental Health First Aider, supporting colleagues and students to respond to their wellbeing needs. My research interests include intersectionality, anti-discriminatory health care, neurodivergence, FASD, and intellectual disabilities.
Research Interests	Intersectionality Neurodivergence/Autism Spectrum Conditions Intellectual/Learning Disabilities Neurodevelopmental disorders Safeguarding Anti-racism Anti-Ableism FASD Positive Behaviour Support Trauma Informed Support End of Life Care for people with Learning Disabilities Health Inequalities

Biography

I began my career as a History Teacher in Zimbabwe before transitioning to the UK, where I dedicated myself to working with individuals with autism and learning disabilities. I hold an Integrated Learning Disability Nursing and Social Work degree, with a focus on Mental Health in my Social Work pathway. Prior to my formal training as a Social Worker, I spent three years in various community roles within Mental Health Services, supporting individuals on Section 117 community treatment through group work and one-on-one mental well-being and recovery strategies. I have post graduate qualifications in Innovation and Leadership, which I have applied in developing services for learning disabled people.

Throughout my undergraduate and postgraduate career, I have worked extensively with individuals experiencing enduring mental ill-health and a range of diagnoses, including Schizophrenia, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Personality Disorder, Psychosis, Eating Disorders, and Substance Misuse. My experience includes serving as an assistant shift coordinator (Nurse) on Mental Health Wards with the Cheshire and Wirral NHS Trust, where I supported adults with acute mental illness and older adults with dementia. I am deeply passionate about reducing health inequalities for all vulnerable adults within Health and Social Care, particularly those with learning disabilities and mental health disorders.

As a Learning Disability Nurse, I have worked across three boroughs in Greater Manchester within multi-professional community learning disability teams. My career has focused on reducing health inequalities and improving health outcomes for people with learning disabilities. I led a project at Pennine Care NHS Trust to develop an end-of-life care pathway for individuals with learning disabilities, which included training multi-professional teams and social care staff to support individuals to die within their supported living homes rather than being moved at the end of their lives. I also trained Hospice staff teams across Greater Manchester in delivering end of life care to learning disabled people.

In my role as a Behaviour Specialist Nurse, I conducted specialist behaviour assessments and intervention programmes for individuals displaying complex, distressed behaviours, focusing on neurodivergent individuals and those in contact with the criminal justice system. Additionally, I have experience supporting people with dementia and have delivered various Dementia Training Sessions in Greater Manchester. I also provide training and mentorship to other nurses and social workers and am an accredited Positive Behaviour Management Plus Trainer.

In 2023, the Royal College of Nursing recognised my contribution to equity, diversity and inclusion, awarding me their Outstanding Contribution to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Award. In 2024, I was part for a team that won the prestigious Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE) from Advance HE. This award recognised the work we have done and continue to do through our Minoritised Ethnic Students Collective in the School of Health and Society.

Currently, I teach across a range of modules for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Nursing and Social Work. I am a Mental Health First Aider, supporting colleagues and students to respond to their wellbeing needs. My research interests include intersectionality, anti-discriminatory health care, neurodivergence, FASD, and intellectual disabilities.

Research Interests

Intersectionality
Neurodivergence/Autism Spectrum Conditions
Intellectual/Learning Disabilities
Neurodevelopmental disorders
Safeguarding
Anti-racism
Anti-Ableism
FASD
Positive Behaviour Support
Trauma Informed Support
End of Life Care for people with Learning Disabilities
Health Inequalities