Search
photo of Kirsty Harrison

Kirsty Harrison

Senior Lecturer

School of Health Sciences Division of Language and Communication Science

Contact details

Address

Kirsty Harrison M101, Myddelton Street Building
City, University of London
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
United Kingdom

About

Overview

Kirsty is a speech and language therapist who became an Honorary Lecturer at City, University London in 2020. Kirsty is also a Senior Lecturer at the University of East Anglia.

Prior to this, Kirsty worked at City, University of London as a Senior Lecturer. to teach motor speech disorders, dysphagia and neurology for speech and language therapy students.

Kirsty initially studied linguistics at the University of York in 1996-1999. This sparked her interest in all things related to communication and she decided to train as a speech and language therapist. She undertook the MMedSci course in Clinical Communication Studies at the University of Sheffield 2000-2002. She took her first job as a speech and language therapist in Waltham Forest PCT where she worked with children in special schools and adults in a hospital setting.

She moved to City and Hackney PCT in 2004 to work at the Regional Neurological Rehabilitation Unit and the Community Neurological Rehabilitation Team, where she developed a keen interest in working with adults in a community setting. Kirsty then moved back to Waltham Forest to lead the Community Adult Neurology Speech and Language Therapy Team before joining City, University of London in 2008. Kirsty completed the PGDip in Academic Practice in 2014 and is a Senior Fellow of the HEA.

Qualifications

  1. MMedSci Clinical Communication Studies (with distinction), University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
  2. PGDip Academic Practice in Higher Education (with distinction), City, University of London, United Kingdom
  3. BA (Hons) English Language and Linguistics (2:1), University of York, United Kingdom
  4. Senior Fellow, Higher Education Academy, United Kingdom

Employment

  1. Senior Lecturer, University of East Anglia, Jan 2020 – present
  2. Honorary Lecturer, City, University London, Jan 2020 – present
  3. Senior Lecturer, City, University London, Jan 2015 – Jan 2020
  4. Lecturer, Division of Language and Communication Science, City, University London, Jan 2008 – Jan 2015
  5. Senior Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Waltham Forest PCT (Adult Community Neurology Team Lead), 2005 – 2008
  6. Developing Specialist Speech and Language Therapist, Homerton Foundation Trust Hospital, City and Hackney PCT (Brain Injury Rehabilitation and Adult Community Neurology), 2004 – 2005
  7. Speech and Language Therapist, Waltham Forest PCT (Special Schools, Adult Acute Hospital), 2002 – 2004

Fellowships

  1. Fellow of Higher Education Academy

Memberships of professional organisations

  1. Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
  2. Health and Care Professions Council

Teaching

Under-graduate

SL3004: BSc3 Professional Studies Module (Module lead, clinical tutor and lecturer).
SL1006: BSc1 Professional Studies Module (Clinical Tutor).
SL2005: Communication and Swallowing Disability (Motor Speech Disorders and Dysphagia teaching).
SL2002: Biomedical Science (Neurology of speech and swallowing and neurological conditions teaching).

Post-graduate (pre-registration)

SLM004: Communication and Swallowing Disability (Motor Speech Disorders and Dysphagia teaching).
SLM002: Biomedical Science (Neurology of speech and swallowing and neurological conditions teaching).

Post-graduate (post-registration)

HCM007: Disorders of eating and drinking (Joint module lead).

Research

Research overview

Kirsty is interested in communication and swallowing disorders in people with progressive neurological conditions. She has a special interest in Parkinson's disease and is currently working on a research project to help widen access to speech and language therapy for people with Parkinson's disease, using a delegated delivery model.

Kirsty is also conducting pedagogical research and is currently leading a team of academics and student counsellors to evaluate reflective development groups in facilitating the development of professional and personal identity.

Research centres

Centre for Language Communication Sciences Research.
Adult Assessment and Intervention of Language and Speech Disorders.
Social Disadvantage and Quality of Life in Speech and Language.

Principal collaborators

Katerina Hilari
Celia Harding

Research students

BSc Students

Thesis title: Mealtime interactions across the lifespan in typically developing children and adults without neurological disease.

BSc students

Thesis title: Evaluation of student-supported LSVT for people with Parkinson's.

MSc Students

Thesis title: Dysphagia practice in Ghanaian hospitals

Publications

Publications by category

Chapters (2)

  1. Marshall, J., Hilari, K., Cruice, M. and Harrison, K. Acute Stroke Nursing (second edition). In Williams, J., Perry, L. and Watkins, C. (Eds.), Acute Stroke Nursing Wiley-Blackwell.
  2. Marshall, J., Hilari, K. and Cruice, M. Communication. Acute Stroke Nursing (pp. 184–204). Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 978-1-4051-6104-6.

Conference papers and proceedings (4)

  1. Murphy, R. and Harrison, K. (2017). APCP Neonatal Group Conference. APCP Annual Conference 2017 3-4 November, Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel.
  2. Murphy, R., Harrison, K. and Harding, C. (2017). What is the decision making process for SLTs/SLPs in deciding to feed infants on high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC). 4th Annual Study Day for neonatal PT, OT and SLT: Working together in neonataology 28 September.
  3. Murphy, R., Harrison, K. and Harding, C. (2017). What is the decision making process for SLTs/SLPs in deciding to feed infants on high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC). RCSLT Conference 2017 27-28 September, Edinburgh.
  4. Murphy, R. and Harrison, K. (2017). RCSLT Conference, 2017. Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Conference 2017 27-28 September, Scottish Event Campus (SEC), Glasgow.

Journal articles (7)

  1. Bharal, M., Morgan, S., Husain, T., Hilari, K., Morawiec, C., Harrison, K. … Culkin, A. (2019). Volume based feeding versus rate based feeding in the critically ill: A UK study. Journal of the Intensive Care Society, 20(4), pp. 299–308. doi:10.1177/1751143719847321.
  2. Wade, R., Harrison, K. and Harding, C. (2018). Feeding infants on high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy: Exploration of speech-language pathologists’ decision-making processes. Journal of Clinical Prctice in Speech - Language Pathology, 20(3), pp. 121–129.
  3. Northcott, S., Moss, B., Harrison, K. and Hilari, K. (2016). A systematic review of the impact of stroke on social support and social networks: associated factors and patterns of change. Clinical Rehabilitation, 30(8), pp. 811–831. doi:10.1177/0269215515602136.
  4. Harding, C., Wade, C. and Harrison, K. (2013). Communication between children and carers during mealtimes. Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 13(4), pp. 242–250. doi:10.1111/j.1471-3802.2012.01261.x.
  5. Hilari, K., Needle, J.J. and Harrison, K.L. (2012). What are the important factors in health-related quality of life for people with aphasia? A systematic review. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 93(1 SUPPL.). doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2011.05.028.
  6. Harrison, K., Harding, C., Bukhari, S. and Hickin, J. (2012). The People in Control Conference at City University, London: ‘‘We have opinions to share about our lives’. Tizard Learning Disability Review, 17(4), pp. 169–176. doi:10.1108/13595471211272514.
  7. Smith, C., Harrison, K., Harding C, , Cocks, N. and Vyas, C. (2011). A problem solving framework fro clinicians supervising junior staff working in paediatric dysphagia. Speech and Language Therapy in Practice.

Professional activities

Clinical activity

  1. LSVT/Motor Speech Clinic, The Compass Centre

Editorial activity

  1. Reviewer for International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, Reviewer.

Events/conferences (4)

  1. 4th Annual Study Day for Neonatal PT, OT and SLT: Working together in neonataology. (2017).
    Paper: What is the decision making process for SLTs/SLPs in deciding to feed infants on high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC)?
    Author: Wade, R.
    Co-authors: Harrison, K.; Harding, C.
  2. RCSLT Conference 2017. Edinburgh (2017).
    Paper: What is the decision making process for SLTs/SLPs in deciding to feed infants on high flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC)?
    Author: Wade, R.
    Co-authors: Harrison, K.; Harding, C.
  3. Annual Speech and Language Therapists' Practice Educators' Workshop. University College London (2016).
    Description: Delivered a talk entitled 'Supporting student development of professional identity: using reflective development groups'.
  4. Annual Speech and Language Therapists' Practice Educators' Workshop. University College London (2015).
    Description: Delivered a talk entitled: Making placements work for everyone: student-supported LSVT placement.

Keynote lecture/speech

  1. Dementia, dysphagia and the end of life: have we got it right? [Key note speaker at 4th Meeting of UK Swallow Research Group Biennial Conference]
    http://www.uksrg.org.uk/conference2012/UKSRGconferencebook(2).pdf.     Institute of Child Health, London. (2012). Invited key note speaker at this international biennial conference.

Other

  1. Kirsty is the co-lead for City Health within the Division of Language and Communication Science. She has written and co-delivered innovative training sessions for nurses and healthcare assistants driving standards in the care of people with swallowing impairments..