Helen Brooks

Overview

I am a full-time, fixed-term Research Fellow in the Division of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work at the University of Manchester working in a multi-disciplinary team of world-leading academics. I manage the implementation work package on a 5-year NIHR PGfAR-funded project (EQUIP, RP-PG-1210-12007). EQUIP has developed and tested the effectiveness of a training package for health professionals to improve service user/carer involvement in care planning. The implementation stream uses theories of implementation science to understand individual and organisational barriers and facilitators to user/carer involvement.

My work has contributed significantly to the body of evidence demonstrating the value of networks in the management of chronic conditions. I have led on a number of qualitative research projects including narrative and social network interviews exploring the ‘work’ associated with illness management. The publications resulting from these studies have been the first to quantify and qualitatively explore the role of social networks and directly compare different types of network members. I have a particular interest in the role of pets in the management of chronic conditions.

Impact from current position:

• Ministry of Health, Indonesia invited presentation at the first national psychosis conference.
• Engaged with 10 NHS Trusts to develop and evaluate an innovative, evidence-based user/carer led training programme for mental health professionals.
• Co-developed with users/carers, innovative patient-mediated materials to disseminate and share learning.
• Mentored service user and carer researchers, culminating in user and carer lead author papers.
• Engaged with SME to develop prototype electronic care-planning toolkits.
• Published 5 peer-reviewed publications in the last 12 months, (2 lead, 3 second author.
• Lead authored BMC Psychiatry publication recognised for potential reach and impact:
  • Significant national and international press coverage (over 240 media outlets).
  • Subject of a video abstract and guest blog. 

Biography

I am a psychology graduate and have completed a masters level research degree in social science and health. I joined the University of Manchester in 2009 as a research associate in the Centre for Primary Care. My work at the Centre focused on the social networks involved with long-term condition management, narrative approaches to understanding the experience of illness and I was also involved in a randomised control trial for patients with chronic kidney disease. I was previously employed by the University of Central Lancashire and the Primary Care Development Centre within Northumbria University. During these roles I have been involved in a number of projects spanning mental and physical health including a national evaluation of innovations in mental health, a case study evaluation of the Assistant Practitioner role within the NHS, a longitundinal community mental health survey, an audit of drugs related deaths and an evaluation of a specialist weight management service and the proposed electronic booking system within primary care.

During my career, I have developed a particular interest in self-management and recovery as a result of my previous experience and both my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. This interest in recovery arose, in part, due to its interface between psychology and sociology which is reflective of my career to date. This relates specifically to the fact that recovery incorporates how an individual sees them self as well as implicating a wider group of people around the individual. This led to me completing a PhD exploring the perceptions and expectations of recovery and prognosis for patients with chronic physical conditions in 2013.