A qualified and registered Social Worker with experience over 16 years as a practitioner and manager, with children and families, people with mental health problems, older people, and in a renal unit, Hilary Tompsett has been in Higher Education since 1991 and is now Professor of Social Work at Kingston University.

As Chair of JUC SWEC (Joint University Council Social Work Education Committee), she has contributed to national strategic government working parties and presented evidence to the House of Commons Select Committee on child and family professional social work training.

She is also Vice Chair of GSCC (General Social Care Council), and Co-Chair of the Education working groups for the national Social Work Reform Board and College of Social Work. Her research and teaching interests are in interprofessional practice, and decision-making, power and authority in professional practice. She recently led a government funded research project on Conflicts of Interest for GPs when Safeguarding Children (2006-10), and has been an invited speaker to seminars/conferences in Japan, Finland, Russia and South Korea on social care for older people.