Research
My research focuses on psychological processes in healthcare and clinical research, with the overall goal of improving patient care. I specialise in the use of qualitative methods to investigate ways to improve treatments and services, patient-practitioner communication, and recruitment and consent to clinical trials. This includes learning from the perspectives of patients and other stakeholders to enhance clinical research. I also have longstanding research interests in understanding and addressing the difficulties affecting children and families with complex physical and mental healthcare needs.
Overview
Research grants
Personalising renal function monitoring and interventions in people living with heart failure: RENAL-HF (RENAL-HF)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
February 2022 - July 2027
CONservative TReatment of Appendicitis in Children – a randomised controlled Trial (CONTRACT2)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
October 2021 - May 2025
Outcomes and Predictors of Outcome for Children and Young People Referred to UK Gender Identity Development Services: A Longitudinal Investigation
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
February 2019 - January 2026
A qualitative study exploring the experience of treatments for BXO
CHILDRENS RESEARCH FUND (UK)
June 2022 - December 2025
Exercise as medicine in oncology: a feasibility study investigating a patient-centred approach to exercise for head and neck cancer survivors (ACTIOHN study)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2022 - March 2024
SAVER - Sodium valproate for epigenetic reprogramming in the management of high risk oral epithelial dysplasia
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
January 2018 - November 2025
Better Care Northern Partnership
HEALTH DATA RESEARCH UK - HDRUK (UK)
May 2020 - March 2028
Making research more accessible to patients from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds by optimising trial communication
LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK)
March 2021 - September 2021
The development of the CoV-Sym questionnaire: a psychometrically validated patient reported outcome measure for the use in COVD-19 intervention trials (Cov-Sym)
LIVERPOOL UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST (UK)
August 2021 - January 2022
NIHR ARC 2 national social care implementation projects
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK), LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK)
October 2019 - March 2026
Phase 3 evaluation of PET-guided, Response-Adapted therapy in patients with previously untreated, high tumour burden follicular lymphoma (PETReA)
CANCER RESEARCH UK (UK)
November 2016 - December 2023
Developing theory based behaviour change interventions to minimise drop-out in randomised trials
CHIEF SCIENTIST OFFICE SCOTLAND (UK)
August 2017 - September 2019
The TRECA study: TRials Engagement in Children and Adolescents
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
February 2016 - July 2020
From evidence to guidance on patient recruitment to clinical research in intensive care units.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
September 2016 - May 2020
MIROR Methods in research on research
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
March 2016 - February 2020
Personalised assessment and intervention packages for children with conduct problems in child mental health services
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
January 2016 - September 2019
Radiation versus observation following surgical resection of Atypical Meningioma: a randomised controlled trial (ROAM)
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
November 2014 - March 2026
Patient-centred trials: developing measures to improve the experience of people taking part in clinical trials
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
February 2018 - July 2019
CONservative TReatment of Appendicitis in Children – a randomised controlled Trial.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
July 2016 - October 2018
Methods for Patient and Public Involvement in Clinical Trials: A Research Priority and Agenda Setting Exercise.
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2015 - May 2017
North West Hub for Trial Methodology Research (NWHTMR)
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2008 - August 2014
Adverse Drug Reactions in Children.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
December 2007 - April 2013
Paediatric Accrual and Recruitment Workshop
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
December 2010 - November 2012
North West Research Design Services (Phase 2).
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
April 2015 - September 2018
Alleviating Emotional Distress in Adolescent Survivors of Cancer
CLIC SARGENT
September 2009 - March 2012
Quality of life and childhood disability.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
September 2004 - February 2006
Development of Alcohol-Related Aggression Scripts and Alcohol-Related Aggression in Alcohol-Naive Adolescents.
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
April 2014 - September 2017
Development of a quality assessment tool for core outcome set development
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
October 2014 - December 2017
Process in recruitment to randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of medicines for children.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
December 2007 - May 2010
Relationships Between Parents and Practitioners Regarding Children with Leukaemia: the Rapport Study.
CANCER RESEARCH UK (UK)
October 2006 - November 2009