University makes shortlist in four of 12 categories of the North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards
The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) has been shortlisted for four regional healthcare awards.
It has been named in four of the 12 categories in the North West Coast Research and Innovation Awards (NWCA), an annual event that celebrates the excellent work being undertaken across the region in clinical research and innovation in health.
The categories are;
- Research for Wellbeing - Accelerating Delivery of Psychological Therapies after Stroke
- Partnership in Innovation - Innovation in Medicines Manufacture – Meeting the Needs of Children and Young People through 3D-Printed Doses
- Outstanding Contribution to Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) in Research – PAR Excellence: exploring shared decision making in mental health using participatory action research
- Research Student of the Year – Stephanie Heys
The Accelerating Delivery of Psychological Therapies after Stroke project aimed to develop a pathway to increase provision and access to psychological support for stroke suffers across hospital, community and voluntary services.
"Psychological support following a stroke is a neglected and under resourced area. Being nominated for this award is fantastic recognition for all the hard work from everyone involved across the University and our partner organisations."
Reader in Health Services Research Dr Liz Lightbody is the project co-ordinator. She said: “Psychological support following a stroke is a neglected and under resourced area. Being nominated for this award is fantastic recognition for all the hard work from everyone involved across the University and our partner organisations.”
UCLan has worked with a number of partners on Innovation in Medicines Manufacture – Meeting the Needs of Children and Young People through 3D-Printed Doses. These are; Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, Quotient Sciences Ltd., Alchemie Ltd. And Liverpool Young People’s Advisory Group.
Dr Mohamed Albed Alhnan, senior lecturer in pharmaceutics at UCLan, said: “Children and young people do not have equitable access to medicines designed for their needs. This can lead to problems of increased adverse drug reactions, poor compliance and acceptability and lack of efficacy. Our partnership has driven forward innovation in 3D-printed medicines, customised for children and available on demand.”
PAR Excellence: exploring shared decision making in mental health using participatory action research, was established by UCLan PhD student Katherine Allen under the supervision of Professor Joy Duxbury and Dr Mick McKeown. It is a team of six mental health service users formed to conduct a participatory action research (PAR) project in adult NHS mental health services. The work of the group in developing and evaluating a process for shared decision making within mental health services forms the basis of her PhD studies.
"The biggest joy for me in this journey is being able to actively participate in improving the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable women and reducing health inequalities in the North West."
In addition, Community Health and Midwifery PhD student Stephanie Heys has been nominated for the Student of the Year Award for her study that aims to reduce experiences of birth trauma amongst disadvantaged women by developing an educational intervention for maternity professionals.
Stephanie’s research is funded by the Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care North West Coast (CLAHRC NWC). The Burnley General Hospital midwife said: “I am thrilled to be nominated for Student of the Year. The biggest joy for me in this journey is being able to actively participate in improving the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable women and reducing health inequalities in the North West.”
The awards are a collaboration between three organisations who are key to driving research and innovation forward in the region:
• The Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for the North West Coast, part of the National Institute for Health Research. (CLAHRC NWC)
• The Clinical Research Network for the North West Coast, part of the National Institute for Health Research (CRN NWC)
• The Innovation Agency, the Academic Health Science Network for the North West Coast
The award winners will be announced at a ceremony held at Preston North End on the winners will be announced at an awards ceremony being held in Preston on Thursday 8 March.