Past research projects
2008/2009
Evaluation of Rosetta Life Social Arts Activities for the Pan Birmingham Palliative Care Network
PI: Gillian Hundt (Institute of Health)
Co-Investigators: Shelia Galloway (Education), Claudette Bryanston (Institute of Health), Maria Stuttaford (Institute of Health)
Rosetta Life is a UK leader in delivering innovative arts activities to those receiving Palliative Care through opportunities for creative expression through various art forms and via different platforms to share their output. The NHS Pan-Birmingham Palliative Care Network is supporting Rosetta Life activities with an evaluation of this work, focusing on partnership projects in the Midlands during 2008-09. These are: a drama project involving hospice users and Birmingham Repertory Theatre; two movement projects with people who have severe motor disabilities, and a film about living with life-threatening disease around the clock. Research methods include using a quality of life instrument, participatory learning events, interviews with participants, carers, staff and artists, alongside observation and feedback from audiences and staff.
January 2008- August 2009
Improving the Capacity of Healthcare Organisations to Act on Evidence in Patient Safety
PI and Co-applicants: Davide Nicolini (WBS), Justin Waring (Nottingham), Peter Spurgeon ( WMS) Jacky Swan (WBS) and Alessia Contu (WBS)
Funding body: EPSRC – the Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre
Amount: £222,529
Abstract: The project aims to investigate the practical problems and available solutions for healthcare practitioners doing Root Cause Analysis, a widely used methodology for reviewing patient safety incidents and preventing their re-occurrence. We aim at furthering the understanding of how this method is applied on the ground, what are the challenges it poses for the investigators and for the organization, whether it is perceived as useful, and whether it generates organisational learning. The research will be conducted by researchers from the Warwick Business School, the Warwick Medical School, and the School of Sociology & Social Policy of Nottingham University. The team will be actively supported by high level international Scientific Advisory Panel
2008-2009
A Study of the Ethical Understandings of Clinical Practice of Non UK Qualified Doctors
PI: AM Slowther (Warwick Medical School)
Co-Investigator: Gillian Hundt (Institute of Health)
Funding body: General Medical Council
The GMC commissioned a research study to explore the experiences of International Medical Graduates, including graduates from the European Economic Area, in adjusting to working within the GMC’s professional and ethical regulatory framework. The study used a mixture of qualitative and quantitative methods and included a review of the information available to doctors wishing to apply for registration with the GMC. The study findings show that non-UK qualified doctors have difficulty accessing information and support that would help them to apply GMC guidance in practice. The study made several recommendations including the provision of targeted information, in post induction and training, and ongoing mentoring for doctors beginning work in the UK having qualified in another country. A smaller sample of UK qualified doctors showed that this support would be of general benefit to all newly registered doctors but is more likely to be already available to UK qualifiers.
2007/2009
Khat and social identity in Uganda
PI: Dr Susan Beckerleg (Institute of Health)
Funding body: ESRC
The production and consumption of many psychotropic substances have been attributed with the power to destroy individuals, communities and even nations. For example, heroin production in Afghanistan and cocaine production in Colombia provide a good income for producers, but undermine the rule of law and civil society in ways that are unacceptable to the international community. Some academics, policy makers and lobbyists have made similar claims for khat (Catha edulis), a plant that acts as a stimulant when its leaves or stems are chewed.
October 2007 – September 2009
The Organization and Management of Clinical Trials
PI and co-applicants: Jacky Swan (Warwick Business School - WBS), Maxine Robertson (Queen Mary University of London - QMUL)
Research Fellow: Sarah Evans
Funding Body: EPSRC – the Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre
Abstract: This research responds to growing concerns expressed by UK scientists, clinicians and industrialists about the ‘translational gap’ between basic scientific discovery and innovations that will directly benefit patients, and about the decline of the UK’s clinical research base. The management of clinical trials is central to closing this gap and entails complex networks of relationships, often on a global basis, and increasingly involving large clinical research organizations and/or other service providers. This research, in collaboration with the Institute of Clinical Research, the Warwick Clinical Trials Unit and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, provides an extensive, systematic study and mapping of the different approaches to managing and organizing clinical trials in the UK context and the challenges these pose for key stakeholders involved. The research will develop theory on networked innovation using clinical trials as an exemplar.
April 2007 – June 2008
Understanding the Historical Evolution of Pharmacy Practice. A Cross National Study
PI: Davide Nicolini
Funding body: WBS R&D Fund
Amount: £3000 (UK budget only)
The aim of the project is to investigate the evolution of pharmacy work in the UK, comparing it with the situation and the historical trends in other OECD countries. The research will be articulated in two main stages: the investigation in the UK and the cross national comparison. The UK study will last 7 months and will be based on a combination of expert interviews and collection of historical and archival data. This stage will be carried out in parallel with the other national studies that will be carried out by the University of Bergamo (Italy), the Goteborg Research Institute (Sweden), and the University Of Alberta School Of Business (Canada). The cross national comparison will be carried out through two workshops in Bergamo (Italy) in October 2007 and Warwick University (UK) in March 2008. Web links: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/wbs/research/ikon/research/pharmacy/
2007-2008
Evaluation of The Apnee Sehat Diabetes/Metabolic Clinic in the Gurdwara
PI: Chris Coe (Institute of Health)
Funding body: Sanofi –Aventis, Charitable grant
The prevalence of premature diabetes and heart disease in the south Asian community (ethnic groups originating from the Indian subcontinent) is six fold higher than the national average and rising. This was the basis for the development of a healthy lifestyle intervention programme for the south Asian community in a Midlands town whose community is predominantly, eighty per cent, of Sikh Punjabi origin. This particular community currently holds the largest concentration of Punjabis in one town outside London. The need for a diabetes/ metabolic clinic was identified by the community, and commenced in January 2007.
February 2007 – January 2008
Mapping Nurse Led Social Care Interventions in Emergency Departments (EDs) across the UK: A survey and Systematic review of their objectives, extent, organisation and function
PI and Co-applicants: Joint PIs Dr Eileen McLeod and Dr Joanne Fisher, Co-Applicants: Prof Paul Bywaters, Prof Matthew Cooke, Mr Gary Swann.
Funding body: The Burdett Trust for Nursing
Amount: £62,054.
The study represents the first UK survey of the objectives, extent, organisation and function of nurse led ED based social care interventions, including multi-professional social care teams, as an essential basis for further testing and developing this model of intervention. It also comprises the first systematic UK and international literature review of nurse led ED based social care interventions in emergency care, and of UK locality based evaluations, identifying key lessons for policy, practice and research. In collaboration with key stakeholder representatives, it will develop, disseminate and review an evidence based checklist of good practice, derived from the study.
May 2007 – December 2007
Evaluation of Contact & Connect for Age Concern, Coventry
PI and Co-applicants: Dr. Denise Tanner, Andrew Gibson
Funding body: Age Concern Coventry
Amount: £7,250
Contact & Connect is a project, commissioned by Older People’s Partnership, Coventry that aims to provide a single gateway to a range of services designed to support older people to live independently in their own homes. The project has two-year funding from Community Services and Supporting People. The evaluation is designed to investigate the effectiveness of the project from the perspectives of current funders, partner organisations and older people who have received the service. It comprises analysis of documentary data, interviews with funders and partner organisations, and telephone and face-to-face interviews with older people.
September 2007 – December 2008
Evaluation of the stop smoking service run by the national organisation QUIT for young people who smoke.
PI Dr Wolfgang Markham
Funding Body: Cancer Research UK
The trial is designed to answer four questions.
1. How many more quitters are generated by attending smoking cessation groups run by stop smoking advisors than by receiving one-to one support from stop smoking advisors?
2. Do smoking cessation groups affect smoking prevalence at the school-level?
3. What features distinguish participants who stop smoking from those who try and fail? In particular, what is the concurrent and predictive validity of different dependence scores amongst young people who smoke, as shown by the association of the scores with baseline cotinine and carbon monoxide and the degree to which these scores predict likelihood of success in quitting?
4. How is smoking prevalence related to young peoples’ perceptions of their relationships with their carers and their perceptions of their relationships with schooling and schools?
December 2006-December 2009
Net Effects: The Internet, Health and Health Care
PI: John Powell ( WMS)
Funding body: NCCRCD
Amount: £366176
Abstract: A ‘mixed methods’ design using both qualitative and quantitative methods to identify and understand: the motivations and outcomes of internet health information use, the use of virtual communities in relation to long-term chronic illness, the role of the internet in supporting healthcare decision-making. The findings will inform future service provision by identifying how the internet can be harnessed as a tool to improve public health, to support health and social care, and to enhance patient and carer experience. The main partner for this research is NHS Direct New Media.
April – September 2006
Knowledge Management Systems For ‘Lean’ Healthcare
PI and Co-applicants: Davide Nicolini (Warwick Business School), John Powell (Warwick Medical School), Laura Martinez-Solano (Warwick Manufacturing Group)
Funding body: EPSRC – the Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre
Amount: £33,900
Abstract: This scoping project investigated Knowledge Management concepts, policies and practices within the UK healthcare sector in order to identify priorities for future R&D activity. The study explored the ways in which KM is being perceived (as useful or otherwise), and surveyed the types of KM initiatives that exist both at a local and national level. The project incorporated literature review, stakeholder interviews, international benchmark, and interviews with NHS staff in the West Midlands. We worked closely with the NHS Institute for Innovation and the final project seminar was held in conjunction with the NHS Institute. Web links: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/wbs/research/ikon/research/leanhealthcare/
March 2005-October 2006
Learning from Practice
PI and Co-applicants: Jacky Swan, Harry Scarbrough, Maxine Robertson (QMUL),
Research Fellows: Paul Conville, Douglas Archibald. Advisors: Richard McDermott, Andrew Parker
Funding Body: EPSRC (Warwick Innovative Manufacturing Research Centre)
Amount: £78,000 (plus industry contribution of £6,700)
Abstract: The aim of this practitioner focused research project was to examine the different approaches to learning from practice used by organizations across industry sectors in the UK (including healthcare among others) in order to identify the barriers and enablers to sharing learning from practice. Post project reviews were used in the majority of cases (over 80%) but were also fraught with difficulties. Supporting informal ‘communities of practice’ was deemed more useful so the latter part of the research focused on this aspect and included the development of both a survey instrument to ‘benchmark’ communities and a report on the challenges and enablers of managed approaches to community development. Weblink: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/wimrc/p1/phase_1_projects/ribik9003/
2005-2008
PI: Dr Ann Jackson (Warwick Medical School), Professor Gillian Lewando-Hundt (Institute of Health)
Funding body: The Burdett Trust for Nursing Grant (Ref number: 109/124)
This nurse led action research will address several critical issues in end of life care occurring in nursing homes, A&E departments and wards in a local hospital. The two main areas of research will be decision making at the time of referral to A&E via the ambulance service and the quality of end of life care given in A&E. Its ultimate aim is to ensure that patients and relatives experience good end of life care in an environment which is appropriate to their needs. The action research will identify patient pathways and critical junctures where interventions could improve care. The findings will play an important part in identifying the resources needed currently, and in the future, to deliver quality end of life care. The findings from this locality will be transferable and comparable to other local district hospitals.
2006/2008 Evaluation of the Role and Impact of User Representation and Involvement in Neonatal Network Boards
PI: Gillian Lewando-Hundt (Institute of Health)
Co-Investigators Dr Loraine Blaxter and Mr Andrew J. Gibson (Institute of Health)
Funding body: BLISS, WMSSA, Grace Research Fund
This is an action research project in which the research team will work in partnership with the members of the Neonatal Network Boards during two years. The study is funded from several sources - BLISS, WMNHSS will be co funding with the Grace Research Fund. It will be both a local and national study. At the national level, a survey will be undertaken of all neonatal network boards to establish the different modalities of user involvement in use. Two more detailed areas studies would then be undertaken to gain a more nuanced understanding of the process and mechanisms involved in the role of users and professionals on Neonatal Network Boards. Conference Paper: 'Weak and Strong Publics: Drawing on Nancy Fraser to Explore Parental Participation in Neonatal Networks'. Presented at the British Medical Sociological Association Medical Sociology Group Annual Conference in September 2007.
2006-2007
ESRC Research Seminar Series: Social Work and Health Inequalities Research
PI and co-applicants: Warwick University, Coventry University, the University of Sydney and others.
Funding body: ESRC
Amount: £15,312.63
This ESRC funded seminar series has brought together academics, practitioners, managers and researchers from the UK and across the world to explore and develop the agenda for social work research on health inequalities. Attended by invited colleagues including a group of post-graduate research students the seminars have produced in a unique archive of over 30 papers, which have been stored on the Social Work and Health Inequalities Network website in the Institute of Health at Warwick (www.warwick.ac.uk/go/swhin). To date, 5 articles have been accepted for publication in peer reviewed journals. Weblinks:http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk
The Evolution of Biomedical Knowledge: Interactive Innovation in the UK And US
Funding Body: ESRC/EPSRC Research Grant under the Evolution of Business Knowledge Programme.
PI and Co-applicants: Jacky Swan (WBS), Maxine Robertson (QMUL), Sue Newell (Bentley College Boston and WBS), Mike Bresnen (University of Leicester).
Research Fellows: Markus Perkmann (to February 2005), Miriam Mendes (to July 2005), Anna Goussevskaia (from May 2005), Ademola Obembe (from Sept 2005).
Amount: £525,000 (£425,000 ESRC, £100,000 EPSRC).
Abstract: An increasing number of breakthroughs in scientific knowledge (e.g. in genomics) have the potential to radically change medical practice. However, creating new knowledge is not enough to ensure its application. If knowledge is to be fully exploited novel forms of integrated, multi-disciplinary and networked working arrangements are required – i.e. ‘interactive innovation’. This multilevel study focused on understanding and improving the organization and management of interactive innovation through an examination of the ways in which knowledge is acquired, integrated and applied in projects located in different organizational and institutional contexts. The comparison of innovation projects in the US and UK, focusing on early stage development, generated insights into the impact of the institutional environment (e.g. regulatory, professional, financial, and healthcare systems) and varied modes of organizing projects on the innovation process. Weblink: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/wbs/research/ikon/research/biomed/
ESRC, Research Grant Scheme
Can we count them? Disabled children and their households
Dr Janet M. Read, Professor Emeritus Nick J. Spencer, Ms Clare M. Blackburn
2004-2005
Wellcome People Award, Wellcome Trust
The use of Live Performance and Electronic media to explore the social and ethical impacts of genetic prenatal screening
Professor Gillian Hundt, Claudette Bryanston, Dr Kevin Spencer and Professor Jane Sandall
2004-2005
ESRC, Research Grant Scheme (Ref number: RES-000-22-0618)
Collective Rights to Health: Exploring the Experiences of Homeless Families
Dr Maria Stuttaford, University of St Andrews; Professor Gillian Hundt, Institute of Health, Warwick University
and Professor Panos Vostanis, Greenwood Institute of Child Health, Leicester University
2004
Low Vision Services Implementation Project, Royal National Institute of the Blind
Evaluation of the Low Vision Services Implementation Project
Prof Gillian Hundt and Dr Maria Stuttaford, University of St Andrews
2003 -2006
Foyer Federation
Evaluation of Mental Health Service Provision for Young Homeless People in Foyers
Prof Panos (Greenwood Institute, University of Leicester),
Bob Broad (De Montfort University, Leicester)
and Dr Maria Stuttaford University of St Andrews)