Dr Joy Spiliopoulos

Dr Joy Spiliopoulos joined the SAPPHIRE research group, Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Leicester, UK, in June 2023.  She is part of the NIHR-funded Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GM PSRC) as a Research Associate ('Enhancing cultures of safety' theme).  She is a Visiting Fellow for the Centre of Health Innovation, Leadership and Learning (CHILL) at the Nottingham University Business School, UK.  

Joy is a sociologist, with expertise in migration, especially the migration of healthcare workers.  Her background is in Applied Social Science/Social Work, and she holds a PhD from the Department of Applied Social Science (now Department of Sociology), Lancaster University. 

She has worked for academic institutions in the UK (Lancaster University, University of Leicester and Sheffield College) and China (University of Nottingham Ningbo China, and Zhejiang University) and taught in the subject areas of sociology, international relations, criminology, gender studies, qualitative research methods.  She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

As a qualitative researcher, she has worked on a number of collaborative research projects funded by NGOs and government bodies (NIHR, ESRC, DFID, Oxfam, UK Home Office, local authority funded projects).   She recently completed two funded projects on the effects of 'Brexit' on the retention and recruitment of migrant NHS nurses; and on returnee Filipino nurses.   The collaborative project she led, 'Retention and recruitment of migrant nurses post-Brexit', has received international media attention, including television and radio interviews, and features in television, newspaper, think tanks and internet blogs in the USA, China, Singapore, the UK and other European countries, also from bodies such as the Royal College of Nursing (Nursing Standard journal), and others.

Joy's research focuses on issues of migration, gender, racism, exploitation and discrimination, UK race relations, social and health inequalities, adult social care, and others, using primarily feminist theory (intersectionality, critical feminist theory). Much of her work has focused on the positioning of nurses, care workers and domestic workers, in the NHS and the social care sector, in the UK and elsewhere (the Philippines), and more recently on the retention and recruitment of migrant nurses post-Brexit. She has a particular interest in social impact, public engagement and co-creation with stakeholders.

Weis, C., Spiliopoulos, G., Ignatowicz, A., Conroy, S., Mannion, R., Lasserson, D., & Tarrant. Help-seeking and access to care for stroke and heart attack during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study. Sociology of Health & Illness, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.13848 (2024).

Coombes, E., Halliday, E., Spiliopoulos, J., Holt, V., Madigasekera-Elliot, L., Wilkinson, B., Cannon, J., and Flitcroft T. Building and facilitating system capability to create healthy environments: A qualitative process evaluation. PHIRST NIHR Research Briefing, January 2024, Healthy environments LA briefing final (nihr.ac.uk) (2024).

Timmons, S. and Spiliopoulos, G. The NHS relies on nurses from poorer countries to fill jobs – here’s how to tackle this problem (Blog), The Conversation, Jul 14, https://theconversation.com/the-nhs-relies-on-nurses-from-poorer-countries-to-fill-jobs-heres-how-to-tackle-this-problem-208265 (2023)

McKeown, M., Nyasoro, G., Spiliopoulos, G. and Tuckwood, S. International nursing recruitment: We must do better (Editorial), Journal of Clinical Nursing, Feb 21, https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.16659 (2023)

Goetze, C. and Spiliopoulos, G. Father State and Its Migrant Daughters, Globalizations, 20:4,661-678,  https://doi.org/10.1080/14747731.2022.2153492 (2023)

Spiliopoulos, G. and Timmons, S. Migrant nurses as ‘tolerated’ citizens in post-Brexit Britain, The Sociological Review, 71:1, 183-200,  https://doi.org/10.1177/00380261221092199 (2022)

Spiliopoulos, G.  Brexit uncertainties: Political rhetoric vs British core values in NHS.  In G. Rawnsley, Y. Ma, K. Pothong (Eds.) Research Handbook of Political Propaganda. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. (2021)

Spiliopoulos, G., Cuban, S. and Broadhurst, K. Migrant care workers at the intersection of rural belonging in small English communities, Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, 19:2, 213-226. https://doi.org/10.1080/15562948.2020.1801941 (2021)

Spiliopoulos, G. and Timmons, S. How can the NHS recruit and retain migrant nurses after Brexit?, UoN Asia Research Institute Policy Brief, https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/asiaresearch/documents/policy-briefs/policy-brief-spiliopoulos.pdf (2019)
 
Spiliopoulos G. and Timmons S. 'How can the NHS recruit and retain migrant nurses after Brexit?', UoN Asia Research Institute Policy Brief Background Report,   https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/asiaresearch/documents/policy-briefs/policy-report-spiliopoulos.pdf (2019)
 
Tan-Mullins, M. and Spiliopoulos, J. Key lessons for rebuilding disaster affected communities (blog post for Asia Dialogue) https://theasiadialogue.com/2017/10/30/key-lessons-for-rebuilding-disaster-affected-communities/ (2017) 

Tan-Mullins, M., Atienza, M.E., Berja, C., Eadie, P., Go, J. R., Mangada, L. and Spiliopoulos, J. ‘Four years on: Rebuilding disaster affected communities for a sustainable future – policy take-away for Poverty Alleviation in the Wake of Typhoon Yolanda’ (policy brief) http://www.projectyolanda.org/policy-recommendations.aspx (2017)

Healthcare professionals' migration and return migration (especially nurses)

Retention and recruitment of internationally trained nurses in the NHS

Adult social care sector (workforce and care practices)

Race and gender inequalities using intersectionality

Race relations in the UK

Acculturation, identity and belonging for diasporic communities

Global health governance and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Gender, aid and development

Dr Joy Spiliopoulos is a sociologist and migration expert, with particular expertise in nurse migration, specifically the lived experiences of migrant nurses, care workers and domestic workers in the NHS and the care sector in the UK.  Some of her more recent work has focused on return migration for Filipino nurses, while her research into the effects of 'Brexit' and the Covid-19 pandemic on the retention and recruitment of migrant nurses in the NHS, also the experiences of Filipino nurses in the UK, has also attracted international media attention.

07/2022    Awarded competitive funding ‘WT-ISSF Creating New Opportunities Pump-Priming’, University of Leicester, for project titled: ‘Positioning African nurses, care workers and health assistants in the UK healthcare sector post-Brexit, post-Covid: how are inequality regimes reproduced and challenged’.

10/2020     Nominated for University of Nottingham ‘Rising Star: Impact’ and ‘Rising Star: Public Engagement’ awards across all three campuses (UK, China, Malaysia).

05/2019     Awarded competitive funding by the Asia Research Institute, University of Nottingham, UK, to produce policy brief and full report titled: ‘How can the NHS recruit and retain migrant nurses after Brexit?’, based on findings of ‘Retention and recruitment of migrant nurses post-Brexit’ project.

04/2019    Awarded competitive funding (match funding) by the School of International Studies, University of Nottingham Ningbo China, for ongoing research work on the titled project: ‘Retention and recruitment of migrant nurses post-Brexit’. 

11/2018    Awarded University of Nottingham Research Priority Areas Development Fund competitive funding among all three University of Nottingham campuses (seed funding) for ‘Retention and recruitment of migrant nurses post-Brexit’ project for pilot study in the Midlands and Southwest England. 

05/2018   Awarded Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (FHSS) Competitive Research Grant Scheme (University of Nottingham Ningbo China) for exploratory fieldwork research in the Philippines ('Opportunities and challenges for returnee Filipino nurses' project). 

Invited guest speaker:

07/2023 Spiliopoulos G. “Migrant NHS nurses as ‘tolerated’ citizens post-Brexit”, Migrant Nurses in the NHS – historical legacies and current challenges conference, Global Inequalities Research Centre, London Metropolitan University, UK.

11/2022 Spiliopoulos G. “Global nurse migration and its sustainable future” , CHILL/ICCSR symposium on Sustainable Healthcare, invited speaker for the 'Professions, Work and Workforce' panel, 17 November, Nottingham University Business School, Jubilee Campus, University of Nottingham, UK.

04/2022 Spiliopoulos G. “UK Code of Ethical Recruitment – Reading between the lines”, panel discussion on ethical recruitment of migrant healthcare workers, UNISON 2022 Health Care Service Group Conference, 25 – 27 April 2022, ACC Liverpool, Kings Dock Street, Liverpool, UK, https://www.unison.org.uk/health-news/2022/05/unison-health-conference-liverpool-2022-nursing-and-midwifery-digest/  

01/2020 Spiliopoulos G. ‘Rural settlement and complex belongings for migrant care workers in northwest England’, Keynote presenter, The Immigrant Education Society 2020 ‘Refugee and Newcomer Women’s Emotional Un-wellness as a Barrier to Economic Integration’ conference, 30 January 2020, Calgary Public Library, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

01/2020 Spiliopoulos G. & Timmons S. ʺI feel I can easily go to another country because of Brexit, I don’t feel quite settled as I would like to beʺ - the unsettling of migrant NHS nurses and the experiences of being ‘othered’ in the current political climate of Brexit’, Eventbrite public talk, joint seminar ICEMiC & CHILL,15 January 2020, University of Nottingham, UK.

11/2019 Spiliopoulos G. ‘Filipino nurses on the move: old and new destinations, old and new challenges’, Asia Research Institute series of seminars, 7 November 2019, The Helmsley, University Park, University of Nottingham, UK.

10/2019 Spiliopoulos G. & Timmons, S. ‘Brexit meant to us that they are not happy for us to be here’ - The unsettling effects of ‘Brexit’ on the retention and recruitment of migrant NHS nurses’, JOURNÉE D’ÉTUDES (workshop), ‘Circulations du personnel de santéà diplôme européen et non-européen dans l’UE et l’AELE. Parcours, dispositifs d’insertion et processus de discrimination’, 11 Octobre 2019, La Vieille Charité, Marseille, France.

Other conference presentations (selected):

09/2021 Spiliopoulos G. “Migrant healthcare workers at the eye of the cyclone – structural inequalities and increased risks”, Doctors within Borders Workshop 3: Healthcare on the Move – Future Directions (online).

07/2021 Spiliopoulos G. “Filipino migrant and returnee nurses resisting an ‘ideal migrant’ self”, as part of a panel of European researchers, titled ‘Immigration, Immigrants and the labour market in Europe’, 18th IMISCOE annual conference (online) ‘Crossing borders, connecting cultures’.  

03/2021 Goetze, C. & Spiliopoulos G. “Migration and IR: Migration as global economy of population exchange”, panel titled: ‘Globalization and Migration’, ISA 2021 Annual Convention “Globalization, Regionalism and Nationalism: Contending Forces in World Politics”, April 6th - 9th, 2021 (Virtual Platform).

07/2020 Spiliopoulos G. & Timmons S ʺI feel I can easily go to another country because of Brexit, I don’t feel quite settled as I would like to beʺ - the unsettling of migrant NHS nurses and the experiences of being ‘othered’ in the current political climate of Brexit’, panel titled: 'European and non-European Health Professional mobility: Pathways, integration and discrimination process' with research collaborators from France, Switzerland and Portugal, 17th IMISCOE annual conference, online, 1-2 July 2020, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands.  

09/2019 Spiliopoulos G. & Timmons, S. ‘Brexit meant to us that they are not happy for us to be here’ - The unsettling effects of ‘Brexit’ on the retention and recruitment of migrant NHS nurses’, 51st BSA Medical Sociology Conference, 11-13 September 2019, University of York, UK.

08/2019 Spiliopoulos G. & Timmons, S. ‘ʺI feel I can easily go to another country because of Brexit, I don’t feel quite settled as I would like to beʺ - The unsettling of migrant NHS nurses and the experiences of being ‘othered’ in the current political climate of ‘Brexit’, 14th ESA Conference ‘Europe and Beyond: Boundaries, Barriers, and Belonging’, 20-23 August 2019, Manchester, UK.

03/2019 Spiliopoulos G. ‘Filipino migrant nurses’ opportunities and challenges for return – is ‘return’ permanent, feasible or imagined?’, IMISCOE Spring Conference, Transforming Mobility and Immobility: Brexit and Beyond 28-29 March 2019, Sheffield, UK.

08-09/2017 Spiliopoulos, G. ‘‘I’m not really looking at myself as staying here in the care home forever’ - Migrant care workers’ strategies of resistance and adaptation and agency in dealing with complex belongings’, European Sociological Association (ESA) conference, 29 August to 1 September, Athens, Greece.

02/2017 Spiliopoulos, G. ‘‘We’re not really contented with staying here’ – Non-belonging, immobility and strategies of resistance and adaptation for migrant care workers in rural northern England’, International Studies Association (ISA) Baltimore conference, 22-25 February, Maryland, USA. 

02/2016 Spiliopoulos, G. ‘Filipino nurse migration to the UK and economic (in)security’, IAPS and Sustainable Development RPA Workshop on ‘Human Security in the Global South’, Institute for Asia and Pacific Studies, University of Nottingham, Ningbo, China, 24-25 February, China. 

06/2009 Spiliopoulos, G. & Cuban, S. ‘Immigrant care networks in rural England’, CRONEM, University of Surrey, Guilford, 11-12 June, U.K. 

02/2009 Cuban, S. & Spiliopoulos, G. ‘Intersectionality and Social Capital’, Feminist Research Methods conference, Stockholm University, Stockholm, 4-6 February, Sweden.

06/2007 Spiliopoulos, G. ‘Mobile Motherhood (refugee mothers)’, 3rd Hellenic Observatory PhD Symposium on Contemporary Greece: Structures, Contexts and Challenges, London School of Economics (L.S.E.), London, 14-15 June, U.K. 

Media Interviews:

07/2020                    Invited scholar for the Intellisia think tank publication, Southeast Asia Insight (Scholar’s point of view), on the phenomenon of Filipino nurse migration to the UK and the more recent impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on Filipino migrant nurses.  Southeast Asia Insights (vol. 39)

12/2019                   Channel NewsAsia (Singapore) television interview   

08/2019                   BBC Radio Nottingham (U.K.) radio interview

Media features (UK and international media outlets):
U.S.A.: NBC-2, ABC-6, ABC-7, News on 6, Business Wire; Belgium: The Brussels Times; U.K.: BBC 1 news East Midlands, Nottingham Post, The Voice Online (aimed at the Black British communities), Nursing Standard, Nursing Notes.

Podcast:

04/2020                   Asia Research Institute, University of Nottingham UK, title: 'Overseas Filipino Nurses to the UK'

05/2019                      Recognition as Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) (Ref. no. PR165326).

09/2005-08/2013        Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Social Science (part-time PhD studies), Department of Applied Social Science (now Department of Sociology), Lancaster University - title of thesis ‘Migrant identity and belonging in rural England’.

01/2001-06/2005       Degree in Social Work, Department of Social Work, Technological Educational Institute (T.E.I.) of Athens, Greece (distinction/first class degree, award ‘excellent’ – mark 8.9/10; recipient of three national awards as highest performing student on the degree course for three consecutive years 2002, 2003 and 2004).