Nigel Groome Studentship: Food, Nutrition, and Health in female prisoners: A mixed-methods assessment of dietary sufficiency, intervention, and lived experience

This PhD offers an exceptional opportunity to address a critical public health challenge: improving the nutrition and health of female prisoners. Women in custody are highly vulnerable and face gender-specific unique dietary needs and elevated risk of poor mental and physical health, yet remain severely underrepresented in research. This project aligns with UK government priorities and has strong potential for policy impact.

This project builds on our research and policy-influencing record in this field, and will generate robust data to strengthen the current evidence base to inform and reform food provision and consumption. This research promises transformational benefits for female prisoner wellbeing, operational practices, and potentially wider social outcomes.

The study adopts a mixed-methods approach across the three years. A comprehensive quantitative analysis will assess total dietary intake from all food sources – meals provided, canteen bought items, and family contributions during visits – addressing an overdue gap in the evidence.

Qualitative research will explore female prisoners’ lived experience and perceptions of food provision before and after menu standardisation. An intervention trial evaluating the impact of vitamin D supplementation on health outcomes will be completed in order to replicate our research in male prisoners. This rigorous programme involves close collaboration with HMPPS and MoJ colleagues, and combines advanced methodology with
real-world application, ensuring high-quality evidence with potential for meaningful policy change.

The studentship requires you to undertake the equivalent of up to 6 hrs of teaching per week on average, during semester time, and to include preparation and marking (but no more than 20 hrs per week), and to participate in a teaching skills course without further remuneration.