Robin is a Registered Children and Young Peoples Nurse, Nurse Teacher as well as an Independent and Supplementary prescriber with the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC), UK.  He is also a qualified Advanced Paediatric Nurse Practitioner.

He initially completed a Bachelor of Nursing degree (Child Health) with distinction from Edinburgh Napier University in 2004.   In 2008, Robin was successfully awarded an educational scholarship from the Scottish Government to undertake a Masters of Science (MSc) degree in Advanced Paediatric Practice at Liverpool John Moore's University, graduating with merit in 2012.   In 2016, he successfully completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (PgCertTLHE) award with Fellow of the Advanced HE.  More recently, Robin gained Senior Fellow of the Advanced HE, recognising his significant contribution towards undergraduate and postgraduate provision, specifically leading and supporting the development of others including staff as well as learners. 

Robin has held a broad range of clinical and academic positions both in Scotland and England.  Some key projects include; contributing towards the development of the first hospital at night neonatal and paediatric Advanced Practice service in Scotland.  In 2012-2014, as a practice educator, Robin supported a unique NHS Education for Scotland (NES) funded collaborative project between the University of the West of Scotland and Edinburgh Napier University, creating pathways for neonatal speciality, advanced and paediatric advanced practice education in Scotland.   From 2016-2017, Robin was invited to join a special government advisory group for Post-Graduate Education.   As part of the Transforming Roles for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals (NMaHP) review, commissioned by the Scottish Government, he contributed towards the development of national standards for Advanced Practice as well as competencies for paediatric speciality.   From 2018-2020, Robin contributed to the East of Scotland Advanced Practice Academy, supporting the development and governance of Advanced Practice accross a range of professions and fields in the region.   In 2019, as the then Programme Lead for Advanced Practice and Non-Medical Prescribing programmes at Edinburgh Napier University, Robin led a large scale review of the curricula with NHS partners including services users and students, as well as leading upon developments in the national network of programme leads for prescribing, culminating in the successful school and university approval of a brand new currciula mapped to national frameworks in 2020.  

In August 2020, Robin joined Northumbria University as a Senior Lecturer prior to migrating to the universities new academic structure, assuming the position of an Assistant Professor in Children's Nursing in 2022.   Since joining Northumbria University, Robin has held a number of Faculty and Department Leaderships positions including module and programme lead for children's nursing.  As part of the wider team, Robin has supported the development of children's nursing at Northumbria University, leading to the programme being placed as number 1 and number 3 in the Guardian League Tables for Children's Nursing provision (2022 and 2023) as well as nominted in the Student Nursing Times Awards (2023) Best Programme provision.   

In 2022, he was assigned responsibilities as Interim Faculty Director of Practice Placements for five months during which time he led a review of processes surrounding practice placements in relation the University UK Suicide Safer Placements Guidance.   This work has culminated in a number of ongoing collaborative workstreams across the University as well as with Regional partners.  More recently, Robin has been appointed to the responsibilities of Head of Accreditation and Quality for the Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, leading upon and supporting key projects, and quality assurance of PSRB provision across the department.  He actively contributes to a number of departmental and university level committees as well as regional and national groups related to Children and Young Peoples nursing including Advanced Practice.   Earlier this year, Robin was elected to the position of Honorary Secretary and Trustee for the Association of British Paediatric Nurses, the oldest association and charitable organisation for the profession in the UK.  In this role, Robin is currently a member of the advisory group overseeing a collaborative research project Fit4CYP, working with colleagues across the UK to examine the impact of the NMC Future Nurse Standards on pre-registration children's nursing.  

He is currently in Year 4 of his PhD studies conducting a Realist Evaluation of Advanced Practice within a Children and Young Peoples health care setting.   This work aims to contribute towards a better understanding of such workforce developments through developing and testing theories to establish if, how, why and in what circumstances such initiaties may work or not for services/healthcare.  Robin has published aspects of his work related to this field in peer reviewed journals as well as contributing to  the broader field of Advanced Practice and nursing within a number of international textbooks.  Similarly, he has been an invited speaker to present on children and young peoples health topics including Advanced Practice in the UK and at International conferences. 

Robin has been an external consultant at a number of educational approval events for both children and young people's nursing, advanced practice as well as prescribing educational programmes.  He is currently a  external examiner for programmes related to Children's Nursing at Liverpool John Moore's University.  

His research and scholary interests include; realist evaluation research principles, advanced practice, neonatal and paediatric workforce modelling as well as collaborative nursing educational initiatives.