Paula Smith is a health psychologist with a community nursing background and a special interest in family caregiving, and pain assessment and management in older people requiring supportive palliative care. She has been involved in health services and palliative care research for the last eleven years, and has presented and published her work widely. Her teaching reflects her clinical and theoretical backgrounds focusing on applied health psychology and palliative care. This has been delivered to a range of health and social care professionals at both undergraduate and post graduate levels. Paula is currently working as a Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University.