Mark Hughes PhD

Mark Hughes is a social worker and has worked in health, aged care and mental health settings in both Australia and the UK. He has also worked as a social work academic at the University of Queensland, the University of New South Wales, and Goldsmiths College, University of London. He is currently Chair of Social Work and Community Welfare, Southern Cross University.

Mark's research interests centre around ageing and the delivery of health and aged care services to older people. He has completed research projects on conflict and violence in care-giving relationships involving older people, dementia and care-giving, older people's transitions through health and community care systems, and educational initiatives to facilitate reflective practice with older people. In addition to work on ageing, Mark has also published more broadly on social work and social work education.

He is currently engaged in a program of research on ageing in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities, which has involved projects on sexual identity expression in health and aged care, lesbian and gay people's experiences and expectations in accessing services, and the care networks of older LGBTI people.