Research
My research is within the theme of "living well and ageing well "
Specifically :
Improving the care of depression and low mood in patients with advanced disease. Along with colleagues at the University of Liverpool we devised and validated the Brief Edinburgh Depression Scale (BEDS) within the advanced cancer population. The BEDS is widely translated including within resource poor countries and is widely used nationally and internationally.
Our longitudinal study of mood and depression over 6 months is still producing publications with national and international collaborators and via ODA seed funding developing research with the Mexican Cancer Institute where over 70% of patients present with advanced disease and where depression and psychosocial distress are a major problem.
I collaborate and lead on studies to improve the care and support offered to older people living with life limiting illness including dementia within the community and interventions for their families by researching the most effective methods of respite and researching how we can best support family carers by providing educational interventions.
Psychosocial Research
Psychosocial research in palliative care ; Innovative methods of assessing depression and other forms of psychological morbidity in palliative care patients ; Innovative interventions for psychological morbidity in patients with life limiting illness; Interface of palliative care with primary care and secondary care; Palliative care for marginalised groups e.g. patients with co-existing mental health needs or dementia; Determining outcomes for older people attending day care services.
I Chair the Psychosocial Studies Awards Committee for the cancer charity Tenovus.
Member of Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Committee
Member of Yorkshire Cancer Research Grants Committee
Member of NCRI Advanced Disease and End of Life Care Committee
Research grants
Feasibility work in advance of randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a focussed narrative intervention for moderate to severe depression in palliative care patients with advanced cancer – DISCERN Trial
LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK)
February 2019 - December 2020
NIHR ARC 2 national social care implementation projects
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK), LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK)
October 2019 - March 2026
A feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of an educational booklet to support and give practical advice to informal carers of patients with advanced cancer
LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK)
February 2019 - December 2022
Peer support to maintain psychological wellbeing in people with advanced cancer: A feasibility study for a Randomised Controlled Trial.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
October 2015 - October 2018
A randomised controlled trial to determine the clinical and cost effectiveness of a self-management intervention for the respiratory distress symptom cluster (breathlessness-cough-fatigue) in lung cancer.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
January 2017 - June 2019
Can Volunteers support increased activity in older people with long term conditions attending volunteer-led group social day care provision?
LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK)
March 2018 - March 2019
Day Care Provision ad Service Utilisation for Older people with Long Term Conditions - a comparison of socio economic areas and cost analysis a pilot feasibility study
LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK)
January 2016 - June 2019
A randomised trial to determine clinical and cost effectiveness of narrative intervention for depression in patients with advanced cancer
LCCG - LIVERPOOL CLINICAL COMMISSIONING GROUP (UK)
December 2015 - March 2016
What do carers of patients with cancer & advanced progressive illness find burdensome during the final year of life; how might this be alleviated by the adoption of an alert system
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
February 2011 - March 2013
Improving psychological care for patients with advanced cancer.
LIVERPOOL PRIMARY CARE TRUST (UK)
February 2013 - September 2015
The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of acupressure for the control and management of chemotherapy-related acute and delayed nausea.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
February 2009 - June 2011
Rehabilitation needs and acceptability of rehabilitation services in patients newly diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer (Jo Bayly Fellowship).
NATIONAL CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE (UK)
January 2014 - December 2015
Advanced Dementia - what care do patients and carers need?
ST LUKES CHESHIRE HOSPICE (UK)
October 2008 - June 2015
A R&D programme to increase equity of access to high quality mental health services in primary care
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
December 2007 - November 2012
Evaluation of the palliative care initiative.
NATIONAL LOTTERY CHARITIES BOARD (UK)
April 2003 - March 2007
A prospective longitudinal study to determine the prevalence, aetiology and natural history of depression and demoralisation in patients with advanced metatastic cancer
BIG LOTTERY FUND (UK)
May 2007 - April 2010
Public Health and End of Life Issues
ST LUKES CHESHIRE HOSPICE (UK)
February 2012 - July 2016
Palliative Care for Dementia.
ST LUKES CHESHIRE HOSPICE (UK)
December 2013 - June 2021
Cancer Experience Collaborative.
NATIONAL CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE (UK)
May 2006 - December 2015
Pilot feasibility randomised trial of a novel non-pharmacological intervention for the management of the respiratory distress symptom cluster (breathlessness, cough, fatigue) in patients with advanced lung cancer.
CANCER RESEARCH UK (UK)
July 2012 - April 2014
Mental health needs in patients with advanced cancer - implications for primary health care teams.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
December 2003 - November 2006
Development and Evaluation of an Intervention to Assist Lay Carers to Provide Physical Care to Family Members with Cancer at End of Life
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE (UK)
January 2011 - September 2013
Clara e burgess charity trust.
CLARA BURGESS TRUST (UK)
October 2006 - July 2016
"We didn't know where to turn." When a parent with dependent children has advanced cancer: A qualitative study of family experiences and services.
CLARA BURGESS TRUST (UK)
December 2003 - November 2006