Research groups
Abi Eccles
DPhil BSc
Senior Researcher
As a qualitative and mixed methods researcher, my work examines patients’ experiences of accessing healthcare, as well as clinicians’ views, often combining perspectives to gain comprehensive understandings of the challenges.
My previous research focuses on access systems, digital approaches (online booking, online triage and remote consultations), and women’s health (menopause and child birth injuries), all including a focus on inequalities in accessing care. Currently, my work examines use of Generative AI (informally and formally) in adult social care and I am developing research to investigate the current and evolving use of AI Ambient Scribes in primary care.
My passion for research comes from a motivation to understand reasons behind inequalities and challenge assumptions. In the context of primary care, innovations promising to solve some of the challenges may not work entirely as intended in messy real world settings, sometimes with unintended consequences. Qualitative and mixed methods enquiry allows in-depth exploration of how healthcare and such innovations are actually experienced and their influence, as well as examination of mediating factors shaping disparities in access to care.
I am also part of the Applied Digital Health team. As well as teaching and tutoring, I am the dissertation lead, for the MSc in Applied Digital Health course.
Key publications
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Patient use of an online triage platform: a mixed-methods retrospective exploration in UK primary care.
Journal article
Eccles A. et al, (2019), Br J Gen Pract, 69, e336 - e344
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Access systems in general practice: a systematic scoping review
Journal article
Eccles A. et al, (2024), British Journal of General Practice, 74, e674 - e682
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Patient experiences of remote consulting with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and fibromyalgia: a qualitative study.
Journal article
Leach H. et al, (2025), BJGP Open, 9
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GP’s role in supporting women with anal incontinence after childbirth injury: a qualitative study
Journal article
Eccles A. et al, (2024), British Journal of General Practice, 74, e587 - e594
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Delayed diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in males: may account for and dispel common understandings of different MS 'types'.
Journal article
Eccles A., (2019), Br J Gen Pract, 69, 148 - 149
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Investigating Patient Use and Experience of Online Appointment Booking in Primary Care: Mixed Methods Study.
Journal article
Atherton H. et al, (2024), J Med Internet Res, 26
Recent publications
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Access to General Practice appointments and sustainable change: Focused ethnographic case study.
Journal article
Atherton H. et al, (2025), Br J Gen Pract
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Accessing Equitable Menopause Care in the Contemporary NHS - Women's Experiences.
Journal article
Eccles A. et al, (2025), Br J Gen Pract
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Menopause care for diverse communities: a qualitative study of GP clinician experiences.
Journal article
Mann C. et al, (2025), Br J Gen Pract
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Formulating outputs from a mixed-methods study of access to general practice: a series of collaborative stakeholder workshops.
Journal article
Atherton H. et al, (2025), Health Soc Care Deliv Res, 1 - 9
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Patient experiences of remote consulting with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis and fibromyalgia: a qualitative study.
Journal article
Leach H. et al, (2025), BJGP Open, 9