Curriculum Vitae

Dr Jo Soldan

Consultant Clinical Psychologist in Health

Name Joanna Ruth Soldan (married name Gray)

Date of Birth 03/05/1965

Address 11 Windsor Rd, Radyr, Cardiff CF15 8BQ

Telephone number 02920 216515

Mobile telephone 07847 742867

Email address [email protected]

Current professional role Clinical Psychologist & Mindfulness Teacher

Maggie’s Cancer Care

Personal Summary

Since postgraduate qualification I have specialized in the application of clinical psychology in

physical health settings. I am committed to the delivery of psychological care in these settings
through direct patient work and working with the clinical team and organisational structures.
Each post has involved working independently as a Clinical Psychologist, but as part of a
multidisciplinary team. This experience ensures that I am able to work in a self-directed
manner, within a network of colleagues and referrers. My clinical roles have also involved
liaison and teaching with a wide variety of specialties including Rheumatology, Anaesthetics,
Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology. I have always ensured line management and
supervision from the department of Clinical Psychology, and I have enjoyed and valued making
links with colleagues working within similar specialties locally and across the UK.

I have a wide range of clinical experience including adjustment to chronic illness, emotional
and behavioural change, pain management, post trauma reactions, oncology, individual and
family responses to crisis and chronic illness, organisational health monitoring and
interventions and psychological aspects of rare diseases and novel medical technology. More
latterly in my career my work has focused on staff well-being and resilience. I am currently
working in a Maggie’s Centre where my role enables me to combine both innovative patient
care and staff support and supervision.

20 years ago I went to University Massachusetts to learn to teach Mindfulness Based Stress
Reduction and have continued this training pathway in New Zealand and now back in the UK. I
am registered MBSR teacher with Mindfulness Training Institute Australia and New Zealand and
 now through the Mindfulness Network working in the UK.

I have utilised a range of interventions including individual and family work, group work,
developing written materials, stepped care, education and supervision of multi disciplinary
teams, establishing and facilitating patient, relative and staff support groups and public and
patient involvement.

I enjoy research - both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Unfortunately, my later

clinical jobs have not allowed as much scope for this as my earlier ones as is evident from my
publications.

I am a strong organiser, and enjoy planning developing and providing clinical services, and
submitting service bids with some success. I was secretary of the S E Wales Faculty of Clinical
Health Psychology. I maintain my continuing professional development with regular CPD and
have ensured continuous and regular supervision for my clinical work.

For 7 years I lived and working in Auckland New Zealand where I have specialised again in
Critical Care but focused on staff well-being. I enjoyed developing and delivering an evidence-
based Mindfulness course for health care staff – Mindfulness Based Resilience @ Work which
spread to a number of Healthcare trusts and setting and is ongoing. (see link for video
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cid=676A57C3212D552A&resId=676A57C3212D552A!363&authkey=!
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I also worked with colleagues to develop a mindful culture in our home DHB (Trust) with
introductory sessions, drop ins, a mindful nest, blogs, sessions on management/leadership
training and for junior Doctors and Nurses.

For the last 5 years I have been working with Maggie’s in Cardiff offering clinical interventions
(one to one and group). I am responsible for supervising/supporting a multidisciplinary team to
make psychological resilience building interventions available and accessible to patients and
their families at different stages of cancer in a drop in service format.

I have been involved in supervising Clinical Psychologists in healthcare setting and carried out
an external review of psychology in healthcare settings for an NZ hospital system.

Qualification

Date Institution Degree Subject

1987 University of Surrey BSc Hons 2.1 Psychology and Social

Biology

1992 British Psychological Society Diploma in Clinical Clinical Psychology

Psychology

Doctorate in Clinical
 2007 Cardiff University Doctorate Psychology. Thesis:’ Parent
Child Communication about
Familial Cancer Risk: A
Qualitative Study’

2005(12 wk Centre for Mindfulness in Medicine, Practicum in Mindfulness Mindfulness Based Stress
course) Health Care and Society, UMASS Based Stress Reduction Reduction
USA

Memberships

British Psychological Society. Division of Clinical Psychology and Division of Health Psychology,
Practitioner Status. Membership number 024347

Health Professions Council registered Clinical Psychologist and Health Psychologist. Reg No.
PYL21049.

New Zealand Psychologists Board - Registered Psychologist - scope of practise - Clinical

Psychologist. Registration Number 90-04726. Nov 2010. Now registered as non-practicing

UK Mindfulness Network – registered MBSR teacher July 2017

Work Experience
Date Organisation Description

1986 Springfield School Classroom assistant for special educational needs

1988 Crossroads scheme, CambridgeCare attendant

1989 Child Development Centre, Psychology Technician (Child health)

 Plymouth Health Authority

1989 Department of Child Health, Junior Research Assistant

Newcastle upon Tyne

1989/92 South Wales Clinical Clinical Psychology Trainee

Psychology training scheme Core placements in child services, adult mental health and

learning difficulties. Specialist placements in adult

psychotherapy, child psychotherapy and systems approach

to working with children and older adults.

Research project – ‘Evaluation of Behaviour problems in

boys with DMD and effectiveness of a parent training

manual for their management.’

1992/95 Institute of Medical Genetics, Clinical Psychologist in Medical Genetics

Cardiff Application of clinical psychology models in a

multidisciplinary healthcare and research setting.

Clinical service to staff and patients undergoing genetic

testing and investigation.

Research work with patients at risk or affected by

Huntingdon’s disease. Grant submission,

devising/establishing protocol, appointing and supervising

research psychologist.

Administrative duties – placement and supervision of work

experience undergraduate and management of Research

Psychologist.

1995/97 North Glamorgan NHS Trust Clinical Psychologist in Community Mental Health Team –

0.2 WTE Post Trauma.

Ran support groups for CMHT clients and relatives

involved in a fatal coach accident, rapid assessment prior to

 post traumatic stress counselling and coordination of post

trauma needs.

1995/98 Cardiff Community Health CareClinical Psychologist in Chronic Pain Management.

0.6 then 0.8 Trust, Chronic Pain Individual interventions for patients and families, running

WTE Management Team multidisciplinary chronic pain management groups,

attending medical clinics, consultation and supervision of

multidisciplinary staff concerning psychological aspects of

work.

2007 Locum hours to cover Clinical Psychology role in Chronic Pain

Management Groups

1999/02 Critical Care Unit, Cardiff and Clinical Psychologist in Critical Care. Providing a clinical

0.6 then 0.3 Vale NHS Trust service to address psychological needs of patients, relatives

WTE and staff in this acute medical setting. Consultative model -

equipping others with relevant psychological skills.

Therapeutic work, teaching, supervision, Latterly reduced

hours to 0.3 WTE with a supervisory role for a counsellor

and psychology assistant

2002/06 Career break to have children. A year spent in USA whilst my husband completed a fellowship.

Worked on my doctoral thesis and trained in Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction

2006/10 Critical Care Unit, Cardiff and Consultant Clinical Psychologist in Critical Care. As above

0.3 (one Vale University Health Board plus developments of the role including organisational health

year 0.6) monitoring and interventions, working to develop public and

WTE patient involvement mechanisms and on issues of quality and

safety.

2011- 2015 Critical Care Complex Counties Consultant Clinical Psychologist in Critical Care.

Manukau DHB, Auckland Developing a new service to patients, families and the MDT.
 Focus on creating a healthier psychological environment within

this often traumatizing medical setting.

2015- 2017 Freelance Resilience and Running 8 week MBSR courses and 4 week MBR@W courses in

Mindfulness teacher – Auckland hospital settings. Teaching range of healthcare staff and

developing mindful culture. Working to bring MBSR teacher

training to New Zealand. Nominated for NZ HR award

External reviewer – Psychology Services for Physical Health

2018- currentMaggie’s Cancer Care Clinical Psychologist

Group and individual interventions to address psychological distress an

build resilience at different stage of cancer diagnosis and treatment

Responsible for supervision and supporting multidisciplinary team to

deliver drop in support service for patients and family

Registered Mindfulness Teacher (MBSR & MBCT)

Feb -Nov 22 Velindre NHS Trust Cardiff Consultant Clinical Psychologist & Head of Psycho Oncology

(mat leave (mat leave cover) in local NHS Trust.

cover) Managing and supervising team of psychologists, counsellors and

complementary therapists

Private Supervision and Training

2000/04 Facilitating monthly group supervision for clinical nurse specialists in cancer care,

Tenovus Cancer Charity, Wales

2007/09 Facilitating monthly group and individual supervision for clinical nurse specialists in

cancer care, Cancer Care Cymru, Wales

2015-2017 Supervising Health Psychologist in Critical Care

2022 – Supervising Clinical Psychologist inpatient oncology ward work

current

2020 – Resilience workshops for students, housing service staff, healthcare staff

Current

Summary of Publications

Genetic counselling protocols for hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer: a

survey of UK regional genetics centres. Brain K, Soldan J, Sampson J, Gray J. Clin
Genet. 2003 Mar;63(3):198-204.

Daytime somnolence in myotonic dystrophy. Phillips MF, Steer HM, Soldan JR, Wiles
CM, Harper PS. J Neurol. 1999 Apr; 246(4):275-82.

Predictive testing for Huntington's disease: II. Qualitative findings from a study
of uptake in South Wales. Binedell J, Soldan JR, Harper PS. Clin Genet. 1998
Dec;54(6):489-96.

Predictive testing for Huntington's disease: I. Predictors of uptake in South

Wales. Binedell J, Soldan JR, Harper PS. Clin Genet. 1998 Dec; 54(6):477-88.

Huntington's disease: psychiatric practice in molecular genetic prediction and

diagnosis. Scourfield J, Soldan J, Gray J, Houlihan G, Harper PS. Br J Psychiatry. 1997
Feb; 170:146-9.

Huntington's disease predictive testing: the case for an assessment approach to

requests from adolescents. Binedell J, Soldan JR, Scourfield J, Harper PS. J Med Genet.
1996 Nov;33(11):912-8. Review.

Selection for presymptomatic testing for Huntington's disease: who decides?

Binedell J, Soldan JR, Harper PS. J Med Genet. 1996 Feb;33(2):173-4.

Non Participation in Huntingtons Disease predictive testing: Reasons for caution

in interpreting findings. Binedell L, Soldan J. J Genet Couns. 1997;6(4):419-432.
 A conceptual approach for the issues faced by families with genetic conditions.
Street E, Soldan J. Families, Systems and Health. 1997;16 (3):217-231.

Behavioural and emotional problems in boys with Duchenne muscular

dysytrophy: parental confidence and perception. Soldan J, Guildea ZES, Antao V,
Street E, Sibert JR. Ambulatory Child Health. 1999;5:331-8

Psychological model for presymptomatic testing interviews – lessons learned in

Huntingtons Disease. Soldan J, Street E, Gray JR, Binedell J, Harper PS. Journal of Genetic
Counselling. 2000;9 (1); 15-31.

Chapters

Chronic illness and disability. Street E, Soldan J. In Keithley J, Marsh G. 1995. Counselling in
primary health care. Oxford General Practice Series. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Predictive tests in Huntingtons Disease. Harper PS, Soldan J, Tyler A. In Harper PS (Ed)
1996. Huntingtons Disease – Second Edition. WB Saunders Company Ltd London

Special problems of genetic counselling in adult onset diseases: Huntingtons Disease

as a model. Gray JR, Soldan J, Harper PS. 1996. In Baker HF, Ridley RM. (eds) Prion Diseases.
Humana Press Inc, New Jersey.

Posters

Isolation of the gene: what has it meant to families? Soldan J, Street ES, Harper PS. 15th
International meeting, world federation of neurology research group on Huntingtons Disease,
Boston USA 1993

Adolescent requests for presymptomatic testing. Soldan J, Binedell J, Street E, Harper PS.
16th International meeting world federation of neurology research group on Huntingtons
Disease, Leuven, Belgium. 1995

Application of Prochaska and Di Clementes stages of change model to decision

making concerning presymptomatic testing. Binedell J, Soldan J, Harper PS. 16th
International meeting world federation of neurology research group on Huntingtons Disease,
Leuven, Belgium. 1995

The capacity of adolescents to make decisions about presymptomatic testing.

Binedell J, Soldan j, Street E, Harper PS. British Medical Genetics Conference, University of York,
1995

Introducing a process orientated approach to understanding uptake of predictive

testing for Huntingtons Disease: applications of Prochaska and Di Clementes stages
of change model. Binedell J, Soldan J, Harper PS. British Psychological Society special group in
health psychology conference, University of the west of England 1995

Stages of change and chronic pain management. Soldan J, Chamberlain S, Harris B, Finlay
I. National chronic pain management conference. 1997

Letters

Selection for presymptomatic testing for Huntingtons disease: who decides? Binedell
J, Soldan J, Harper PS. J Med Genet. 1996;33:173-176

Oral Presentations

Behaviour problems in boys with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Muscular Dystrophy

Group study days, Newcastle and mid Wales

Psychological aspects of screening – 4 sessions annually,1998-2000 in the principals and

practice of antenatal screening for congenital abnormalities, University of Wales College of
Medicine

Psychological aspects of presymptomatic testing. South of England clinical genetics

training day

Support group after a major incident. South Wales special interest group in post traumatic
stress

Efficacy of the biopsychosocial approach to chronic pain management. Bro Taf Health
authority Masterclass 1997

Psychological aspects of dysmorphology diagnosis. Workshop, Cardiff 1998

Advanced cognitive behavioural techniques in chronic pain management. Workshop

leader at Chronic pain management national conference, 1998

Psychological aspects of genetic counseling. Foundation in Genetics course. Welsh school

of nursing and midwifery, 1994-2000.

Psychosocial issues faced by families with genetic conditions. Macmillan national

symposium. Genetics, the future agenda. 1999

Critical Care Psychology. Welsh intensive care society summer meeting, 2002

Critical Care Psychology. British association of critical care nurses study day. 2002

Psychological factors of Critical Care. Diploma in Critical Care. University of Glamorgan

2006

Building Resilience in Frontline Healthcare. Jo Soldan & Debbie Minton APAC 2015

Mindfulness in the Workplace APAC intensive 2015- Jo Soldan & Dianne May
Could Mindfulness be part of a blueprint for healthier future for healthcare staff – Jo
Soldan & Timothea Goddard APAC 2016

Workplace Mindfulness:Developing Resilient Individuals in Healthcare Systems APAC

Intensive 2016 Jo Soldan & Timothea Goddard

Awards

Finalist in NZ HR 2016 Award for Health, Safety and Wellbeing- ‘Mindfulness Based Resilience
@ Work’- Ko Awatea & Counties Manukau DHB