Impact

1. Improving quality of life for people living with and beyond a diagnosis of cancer

Researchers: Prof Eila Watson, Dr Jo Brett, Dr Lauren Matheson, Prof. Mary Boulton

The prevalence of cancer survivors is growing, and will reach four million by 2030. The work of the Supportive Cancer Care Research Group has had a significant impact on improving the experiences and outcomes of people living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis. 

The group has significant expertise in generating understanding of patient (and family members) experiences of living with and beyond a cancer diagnosis, and identifying and addressing unmet supportive care needs. This includes major commissioned and competitive research grants to undertake research exploring the health outcomes, experiences and supportive care needs of people with:

  1. prostate cancer (funded by Prostate Cancer UK/Movember),
  2. pancreatic cancer (funded by Pancreatic Cancer UK),
  3. pelvic cancers (funded by MacMillan Cancer Support),
  4. head and neck cancer (funded by NIHR) and
  5. breast Cancer (funded by NIHR). 

2. Condition Informed Framework for exercise and physical activity

Researchers: Prof Helen Dawes, Dr Johnny Collett and Dr Patrick Esser

The research carried out by this interdisciplinary team has had national and international influence on how exercise and physical activity is supported and delivered for people with long term neurological conditions (LTNC). 

An estimated 16.5 million people in the UK have a LTNC and, for many, exercise was discouraged or poorly supported. Supported by 26 external competitive grants, the research team have led developments in participation in physical activity and effective safe exercise for people through over 50 publications.

3. Children’s missed healthcare appointments and increasing safety: The “Was Not Brought” approach.

Research Lead: Prof Jane Appleton

Children missing scheduled health care appointments is a major challenge and concern for health and social care practitioners. Children who fail to attend scheduled hospital appointments may be at increased risk of abuse and/or neglect.

Despite policy and practice guidance that required health care providers to follow up children who had missed health care appointments, the research raised concerns that this was not yet routine practice. The group’s work started to question the DNA label that led to a lack of recognition of children’s needs and their individual rights, the likelihood of just re-sending an appointment, or (even worse) discharge from the waiting list for lack of engagement and a referral letter to the GP.