Research Projects

NIHR ARC East Midlands is pleased to announce funding for up to 5 PhD studentships to commence in Autumn 2022.

NIHR ARC EM is an applied research centre working across the East Midlands. Our research aims to improve outcomes for patients and the public and to increase the efficiency, quality, accessibility and sustainability of health and care services.

Studentship 1: Fully-funded studentship to conduct applied research on mental health, ageing and frailty, or stroke rehabilitation, and to be hosted at the University of Nottingham.

Applicants are expected to offer their own research ideas in relation to the themes of mental health, ageing and frailty and stroke rehabilitation. It is recommended that you contact the ARC’s Training Lead, Dr Emma Rowley ([email protected]), to discuss your ideas prior to submitting your application, as the ARC does not support all areas of applied health and social care research.
The studentship will be offered at standard UKR&I studentship for Home (UK) students: https://www.ukri.org/skills/funding-for-research-training/. International students are eligible to apply, but will need to provide written evidence on how the shortfall in funding will be covered at the time of application. Awards will be made for 3 years (full time registration) or 6 years (part time status).
For full-time students, in 2022/23, ARC expects to award a tax-free stipend in the region of £15,850 per annum (tax free), and up to £4,600 towards registration fees which will be received by the university. Part-time awards will be pro rata these amounts.

Studentships 2-5: Part-funded to conduct applied research on mental health, ageing and frailty, stroke rehabilitation, multiple-long term conditions, health inequalities and ethnicity, data or implementation science.

Proposed PhDs should complement the ARC’s portfolio of applied research http://arc-em.nihr.ac.uk/about and respond to an identified health/social care issue. It is recommended that you contact the ARC’s Training Lead, Dr Emma Rowley ([email protected]), to discuss your ideas prior to submitting your application, as the ARC does not support all areas of applied health and social care research.
Successful applicants will be required to study for their PhD at one of the East Midlands’ eight universities (Nottingham, Nottingham Trent, Leicester, de Montfort, Lincoln, Derby, Northampton or Loughborough).
ARC will provide up to £31,247 towards a standard UKR&I studentship for Home (UK) students, with the requirement that the amount is at least matched, if not exceeded by a University, health and social care organisation or charity (or other funding source as appropriate).
There are no research, dissemination, training or travel costs included in this funding – and so these should be accounted for elsewhere.
For full time students, in 2022/23, ARC expects to award in the region of £7925 per annum (50% tax free stipend received by the student) and up to £2300 per annum (50% fees payment, received by the university). Part-time awards will be pro rata these amounts.

Full details of the studentships and the application process can be found at: https://arc-em.nihr.ac.uk/news-events/news/phd-opportunity-mental-health-ageing-and-frailty and https://arc-em.nihr.ac.uk/news-events/news/phd-funding-call-part-funded-studentships-available

Applications close 19/04/2022.

PhD funding call: 4 part-funded studentships available

We have an open, competitive call for PhD funding to commence by Autumn 2022 at an East Midlands university. Awards will be made at 50% UKR&I Home/EU rates and require top-up match-funding.

Deadline: 19/04/22

Full details: https://arc-em.nihr.ac.uk/news-events/news/phd-funding-call-part-funded-studentships-available

PhD opportunity: Mental health, ageing and frailty

We have funding for a PhD studentship to conduct original empirical applied research around the areas of mental health, ageing and frailty, and/or stroke rehabilitation which will be hosted at the University of Nottingham.

Deadline: 19/04/22

Full details: https://arc-em.nihr.ac.uk/news-events/news/phd-opportunity-mental-health-ageing-and-frailty

Physical activity promotion behaviour after stroke

My name is Dora Regoczi and I am a PhD researcher at Glasgow Caledonian University. For my first study, I aim to explore Health Care Professional’s physical activity promotion behaviour after stroke in hospital settings across the UK. As a secondary prevention measure it is recommended that all stroke survivors should be physically active however it is not known if this recommendation is translated into the stroke setting. Because you are working with stroke survivors in an in-patient setting, I am inviting you to participate in this research study by completing an online survey.

The following questionnaire will require approximately 15-20 minutes to complete and it can be accessed through the following link: https://redcap.link/z6emr5fx

A downloadable information sheet can be found through the survey link or can be requested through email. Completion of the questionnaire will indicate your consent to participate in this study.

This study was reviewed by the GCU School of Health and Life Sciences departmental committee and given ethical approval on 06.04.2021 under the following approval code: HLS/PSWAHS/20/179.

Although there is no monetary compensation for responding you will be able to receive information on the findings of the study should you wish, which may be of value to the clinical application of stroke care and for the benefit of stroke survivors. To ensure that all information will remain confidential your name will not be required. If you choose to participate in this project, please answer all questions as honestly as possible. Participation is strictly voluntary, and you may decline to participate at any time. If you decide to withdraw during the survey completion, your data will be automatically deleted, however, once your data is anonymised, we are unable to delete your responses.

If you have any questions you would like to ask before participating, please contact either myself at [email protected] or my educational supervisor at [email protected]. The study is also being supervised by Prof. Frederike Van Wijck ([email protected]) and Prof. Mark Barber ([email protected]).

If you would like to receive a summary of the survey results please contact me on the email address below.

Thank you for taking the time to assist me in my research.

Kind regards,

Dora Regoczi PhD Researcher

([email protected])

Glasgow Caledonian University

Helping Ease Anxiety and Depression after Stroke – HEADS: UP Online

Stage 3 of HEADS: UP Randomised Controlled Pilot trial has started recruiting

Have you had a stroke? Do you know someone who has had a stroke?

Interested in finding out more about a research study investigating mindfulness to help with anxiety and depression following stroke? Read on …

We are looking for stroke survivors to take part in the HEADS: UP Online research. Stroke survivors can take part with a friend or family member, if they wish.

HEADS: UP Stage 3 RCT pilot trial is wishing to recruit adults who have had a stroke more than 3-months ago. The participants will be randomly divided into two groups of 15 people, a ‘treatment group’ and a ‘control group’.

For all participants taking part involves filling out questionnaires (we can help if needed). We will also ask people to take part in two focus groups or interviews. Some participants may also be asked to attend a nine-week online mindfulness course, HEADS: UP, led by an experienced mindfulness trainer.

The treatment group will receive the HEADS: UP online 9-week course; the control group will not. Participants in the treatment group will attend a 9-week HEADS: UP online course in October 2021 or in February 2022. We will compare the two groups to see whether attending HEADS: UP is effective for people affected by stroke. All participants in both groups will be asked to complete questionnaires at 3 or 4 time points and to participate in 2 online focus groups. This data will help us plan future HEADS: UP research. The HEADS: UP online 9-week Mindfulness course is facilitated by an experienced Mindfulness trainer. It is delivered using Zoom. Each session will last approximately two and a half hours with breaks included.

Recruitment is open NOW and will continue until we have recruited 90 participants.

If you are interested in finding out more, please contact the HEADS: UP research team, you can fill out the contact form on our webpage (https://bit.ly/3vu4bHN) or contact the HEADS: UP research team:

Professor Maggie Lawrence, Lead Researcher

Dr Bridget Davis, Project Manager

Ms Naomi Clark, Researcher

Email HEADS: UP: [email protected]

Phone the HEADS: UP team or leave a message: 0141 331 3421

Please download this flier to give out to potential participants.

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PPI Team-NIHR recruiting public members on to their research funding committees

The PPI Team-NIHR have recently launched their annual campaign to recruit public members on to their research funding committees. In particular they are keen to reach out to the people of Black African, Asian and Caribbean heritage who are currently underrepresented in their committees. Please share the information below with anyone who might be interested in getting involved. Haydee Garcia-The Programme Manager, for PPI Team-NIHR would be happy to discuss the opportunities with them.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60jpk7WaBnI&feature=youtu.be

Information about the roles on NIHR’s website:

https://www.nihr.ac.uk/vacancies/public-committee-member-national-and-regional-committees/23670