Debra Westlake
Research groups
Debra Westlake
Researcher
Biography
I am a qualitative and mixed methods researcher with experience in applied health services research, including development of theory using Realist Evaluation. I have a specific interest in ethnography and embedded research that involves patients and practitioners in research co-design, analysis and implementation. I qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist and have practiced in education, health and social care settings as well as internationally.
I am interested in long-term conditions, complex interventions, family health care, refugee mental health and global health. My specialist areas are person-centred care and social prescribing.
I have worked on studies at the Universities of Liverpool and Plymouth as well as conducting embedded research in voluntary sector and NHS organisations. I have been joint Principle Investigator on a Global Challenges Research Fund project and am a Co-applicant on an NIHR funded study of a peer support intervention for refugee mental health.
Previous projects include:
- Researcher-in Residence evaluation of social prescribing implementation across Devon, University of Plymouth, commissioned by the Devon Integrated Care System,
- Principle Investigator: STS Study of cultural adaptations to neonatal life support in rural Cambodia, University of Plymouth, funded by Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).
- Kupumua – research to co-develop a culturally-adapted programme of pulmonary rehabilitation including music, dance and singing in Uganda, funded by GCRF
- Evaluation of Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) across the South West of England, funded by local health providers.
- Avoidable Acute Admissions Study of different models of emergency and urgent care for the University of Plymouth, funded by National Institute for Health Research
- Study of community child health for The Children’s Society, commissioned by local health and social care services.
- GP attitudes to completing benefit claim forms for the Health and Community Care Research Unit (HaCCRU) at the University of Liverpool, commissioned by Department of Work and Pensions
- Impact of government policy on family health management for the Health and Community Care Research Unit (HaCCRU) at the University of Liverpool, commissioned by Department of Health
I am the co-founder of a project in Peru and a UK registered charity that provides preschool education and community development for families in shanty towns of Lima, Peru.
Recent publications
-
Impact of COVID‐19 on social prescribing across an Integrated Care System: A Researcher in Residence study
Journal article
Westlake D. et al, (2022), Health & Social Care in the Community
-
Terms of engagement for working with patients in a person‐centred partnership: A secondary analysis of qualitative data
Journal article
Westlake D. et al, (2022), Health & Social Care in the Community, 30, 330 - 340
-
Music and dance in respiratory disease management in Uganda: a qualitative study of patient and healthcare professional perspectives
Journal article
Philip KEJ. et al, (2021), BMJ Open, 11, e053189 - e053189
-
Admission Decision-Making in Hospital Emergency Departments: The Role of the Accompanying Person
Journal article
Rance S. et al, (2020), Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 7, 233339362093002 - 233339362093002
-
Collaborative action for person-centred coordinated care (P3C): An approach to support the development of a comprehensive system-wide solution to fragmented care
Journal article
Lloyd HM. et al, (2017), Health Research Policy and Systems, 15