Dr Anna Jack-Waugh is a senior lecturer in dementia and a registered mental health nurse at the Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice, School of Health & Life Sciences, University of the West of Scotland. With extensive experience in dementia care, nursing education, and interprofessional learning, she is a nationally and internationally recognised expert in dementia education and practice development.

Her research focuses on the lived experience of people with advanced dementia and their carers, the effectiveness of dementia education, and innovative approaches to interprofessional training. She has led and contributed to international collaborations across Europe, Canada, and India, helping to adapt and share Scotland’s dementia education expertise globally.

Anna has published over thirty academic outputs and co-edited the forthcoming interdisciplinary volume Multi-Species Dementia Studies (Policy Press, 2025). Her recent publications include evaluations of carer education initiatives (Healthcare, 2024), innovative learning models in secure care (Mental Health Practice, 2025), and international adaptations of Scottish dementia training (Canadian Journal on Aging, 2022).

She leads the Alzheimer Scotland Centre for Policy and Practice Carers Academy project (2024–2026), supervises PhD and MRes research on trauma-informed dementia diagnosis and risk negotiation in home care, and integrates dementia education into undergraduate and postgraduate Nursing and Paramedic programmes at UWS.

Dr Jack-Waugh’s excellence in education and research has been recognised with multiple team awards, including the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (2020), the Herald Higher Education Award for Outstanding Community Contribution (2023), and the Mental Health Forum Award for Best Educational Initiative (2021). She is also a peer reviewer for BMJ Open, Dementia, Nurse Education Today, and BMC Geriatrics.

I am an active member of the Higher Education Dementia Network  

Please find me on Twitter at @annawaugh1

The interprofessional experience of teaching and learning about dementia care, including the development, delivery and evaluation of Scotland National Dementia Champions Programme, 2011-2022.

Working with people with dementia and their families as co-educators and co-researchers focusing on person-centred care and challenging stigma.

Multi-species Dementia Care, including being a co-convenor of an international network of academics. https://multispeciesdementia.org/about-us/

Educational theory and practice with a focus on simulation and constructivist learning and teaching approaches and dementia education in HEIs

Grounded Theory methodology with a particular interest in Constructivist Grounded Theory and Symbolic Interactionism

To continue in developing educational excellence in the field of experiential and digital learning for health and social care professionals, with a focus on working with people with dementia.

All statutory and third sector organisations in the field of health and social care provision.

All HEIs engaged in innovative experiential learning and teaching developments. in the field of health and social care.