Dr Sara Glithro
- 01202973249
- sglithro at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
- http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5825-2070
- Head of Apprenticeships
- Bournemouth Gateway Building BG405, St Pauls Lane, Bournemouth, BH8 8GP
Biography
Dr Sara Glithro is Head of Apprenticeships at Bournemouth University (BU), providing strategic leadership for the development, delivery and quality assurance of the University's apprenticeship provision. She brings together extensive experience in higher education, healthcare, professional regulation and senior operational management, with a particular focus on workforce development, educational quality and widening access to higher education.
Sara played a key role in BU achieving an **'Outstanding' rating across all areas** in its first full Ofsted apprenticeship inspection in June 2024. She continues to lead the strategic development of apprenticeship provision, working closely with academic colleagues, employers and regional partners to deliver high-quality programmes that respond to evolving workforce needs and national skills priorities.
Passionate about the transformative potential of apprenticeships, Sara is committed to creating accessible, inclusive pathways into higher education and professional careers, particularly for individuals who may not otherwise have considered university study... Her work focuses on strengthening employer partnerships, developing sustainable apprenticeship provision and ensuring that academic excellence is combined with meaningful workplace learning and professional development.
A registered chiropractor and Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors (Pain Faculty), Sara has extensive clinical experience, having established and managed a successful private practice specialising in the management of chronic pain. Her career also includes senior operational management roles within the Virgin Group and Royal Bank of Scotland, providing valuable commercial and cross-sector perspectives on leadership, service improvement and organisational development.
Sara's academic research focuses on chronic pain, neuroplasticity, sensory function and perception. Her PhD, *Neuroplasticity and chronic low back pain: an investigation into altered tactile discrimination, body schema and motor function*, explored the relationship between altered sensory processing, body representation and motor function in individuals experiencing chronic low back pain.
She has considerable experience in curriculum development and teaching across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes. Since 2017, she has led a final-year interprofessional education unit involving up to 600 students annually, promoting collaborative learning and preparation for professional practice. Her wider teaching experience includes anatomy and physiology focused areas, musculoskeletal medicine, therapeutic communication, evidence-based practice, professional development and research skills.
Alongside her academic and clinical career, Sara served two terms (2017–2025) as a registrant panel member of the General Chiropractic Council's Investigating Committee. This role involved considering professional conduct and fitness to practise cases, contributing to the protection of patients, professional standards and public confidence in healthcare regulation.
Through her current leadership role, Sara is particularly interested in the relationship between higher education, employers and regional skills development, and how degree apprenticeships can support workforce transformation, social mobility and lifelong learning.
moreExpertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person's work contributes towards the following SDGs:
Good health and well-being
"Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages"
Quality education
"Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all"
Journal Articles
- Glithro, S., Newell, D., Burrows, L., Hunnisett, A., Cunliffe, C., 2015. Public health engagement: Detection of suspicious skin lesions, screening and referral behaviour of UK based chiropractors. Chiropractic and Manual Therapies, 23 (1).
Conferences
- Glithro, S., clark, C., Osborne,, N., Newell,, D., Docherty, S., 2017. Tactile acuity, body schema and motor control and clinical outcome measures – A comparison study of adults with chronic low back pain and matched controls. In: British Pain Society - 50th Aniversary Annual Scientific Meeting 03/05/2017 Birmingham. The British Journal of Pain.
- Glithro, S., Clark, C., Osborne,, N., Newell,, D., Docherty,, S., 2017. Chronic low back pain: The source of pain or a symptom? In: Bournemouth University 9th Post-Graduate Researchers Conference 08/03/2017 Bournemouth.
- Glithro, S., clark, C., Osborne,, N., Newell,, D., Docherty, S., 2017. Tactile acuity, body schema and motor control impairment in adults with chronic low back pain – A systematic review and comparison of chronic low back pain and pain free subjects. In: Royal College of Chiropractors Winter conference 01/02/2017 London. Conference Proceedings.
- Glithro, S., Clark, C., Osborne,, N., Newell,, D., Docherty, S., 2016. Tactile acuity, body schema and motor control impairment in adults with chronic low back pain – A systematic review and comparison of chronic low back pain and pain free subjects. In: International Association for the Study of Pain – 16th World Congress on Pain 26/09/2016 Yokohama, Japan. International Association for the Study of Pain.
- Glithro, S., Clark, C., Newell, D., Osborne, N., Docherty, S., 2016. Tactile acuity, laterality discrimination and motor control impairment in adults with chronic low back pain - A review. In: British Pain Society 10/05/2016 Harrogate.
Theses
- Glithro, S., 2019. Neuroplasticity and chronic low back pain: an investigation into altered tactile discrimination, body schema and motor function. Bournemouth University, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences.
Posters
- Glithro, S., Clark, C., Osborne, N., Newell, D., Docherty, S., 2016. Tactile acuity, laterality discrimination and motor control impairment in adults with chronic low back pain - A review. In: British Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting.
External Responsibilities
- General Chiropractic Council, Investigating Committee member (registrant) (2017-), https://www.gcc-uk.org/
Qualifications
- PhD in Neurophysiology (chronic pain) (Bournemouth University, United Kingdom, 2019)
- MChiro in Chiropractic (University of Wales, 2012)
- BSc (Hons) in Aquatic Bioscience (University of Glasgow, 1996)
Honours
- Fellow of the Royal College of Chiropractors (Pain faculty) (Royal College of Chiropractors, 2020)
Memberships
- Royal College of Chiropractors, Member (2011-), http://rcc-uk.org/