In my role:

1. I lead research and enterprise in the broad area of occupational therapy and occupational science under the auspices of the Institute of Health and Community.

2. I contribute to the management, academic development and quality of occupational therapy & related programmes.

3. I am responsible for embedding research into all occupational therapy and occupational science and related programmes.

I am the Deputy Director of The University of Plymouth Centre for Innovations in Health and Social Care: a Centre of Excellence of the Joanna Briggs Institute, co-lead of the Participation in Everyday Life research group, co-convener of the IHC Plymouth Public Health Forum, Visiting professor at the Faculty of Rehabilitation, Riga Stradins University, Latvia and a co-editor of the 5th edition of Creek’s Occupational Therapy in Mental Health.

Research

My research is within the field of adult mental health, with a particular interest in the contribution of occupational therapy to increasing participation and systematic reviews.

Examples of recentlycompleted/ ongoing studies include:

- Systematic reviews of the interventions to support employment for people with anxiety and depression

- A umbrella review of occupational therapy to increase participation for people with a mental health condition

- An evaluation of workplace wellbeing in Plymouth

- The Institute of Health and Community Plymouth Case Study Research Project (which is using single case studies to increase research and research capacity in occupational therapy)

- Exploring the current education levels and practices for the assessment and treatment for post-stroke anxiety and depression of occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists in the UK

-    Higher Education Academy, 2004 - present (Senior Fellow since 2013)

-    Member, College of Occupational Therapists Specialist Section in Mental Health (previously the Association of Occupational Therapists in Mental Health), 1997 - present

-    Member, British Association of Occupational Therapists, 1995 - present.

-    Member, World Federation of Occupational Therapists, 1995 - present.

-  External Assessor (Selection Committee Lectureship in Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy) School of Clinical Therapies, University College Cork, 2017

-  External evaluator (Suitability of a candidate for appointment as professor/ head of department in the department of occupational therapy) University of Pretoria, South Africa, 2017

-  Disciplinary Reviewer for occupational therapy, Research Quality Review University College Cork (UCC), Ireland, 2015

-  Member of the external panel for the Professional Standards Framework, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2013 – 2015

-  Guest editor, World Federation of Occupational Therapists Bulletin special edition focused on evidence based practice, 2014

-   York St John University representative, European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE), 2012- 2014

-  Founder member. Count me in network (Children and Young People’s participation), 2011 - 2017

-   Member, Mental Health Research Network North East Advisory Board, 2011–2014

-  Member of the editorial board of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Bulletin, 2010-2012

-  Member of the editorial board of the British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 2010-2012

-  Consultancy (to supervise PhD students), University of Northampton, 2010

-  External panel member, Best practice awards, The Retreat, York, 2009-2014

-  Elected member for Research & Development of Executive Committee COT Specialist Section - Mental Health, 2008 - 2010

-  Co-opted member for Research & Development of Executive Committee COT Specialist Section - Mental Health, 2007– 2008

-  Vice Chair, Council of College of Occupational Therapists, 2006-2007

-  Visiting scholar, University of Western Sydney, Australia,2006

-  Research & Development member, Council of College of OccupationalTherapists, 2004-2007

-  Chair Research and Development Board, College of OccupationalTherapists, 2004-2007

-  Member, British Association of Occupational Therapist Northern & Yorkshire Regional Committee, 2002-2007

-  Member, County Durham & Tees Valley Allied Health Professions Research & Development Forum, 2002-2005

-  Vice-chair, Northern and Yorkshire Allied Health Professions and Nursing Research & Development Advisory Group, 2001–2004

-  Member of Research Advisory Group, British Association of Hand Therapists, 2000-2008

-  Co-opted member, Joint Therapies Research Group (a joint committee of the College of Occupational Therapists, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy), 1997-2000

-  Chair, North Riding British Association of Occupational Therapists sub-group,1996-1999

PhD awarded to Leonie Boland for a thesis entitled 'Transitioning from homelessness into a sustained tenancy: What enables successful tenancy sustainment? (The Moving on Project)' Awarded January 2018 University of Plymouth

PhD awarded to Joanne Inman for a thesis entitled 'The effectiveness of occupational therapy at enabling individuals, with a diagnosis of psychosis, living in the community, to improve participation in activities of everyday life.' Awarded September 2017 University of Plymouth

M Res awarded to Samantha Gascoyne for a dissertation entitled ‘A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Continuation Phase CBT for the Prevention of Relapse in People with Depression.’ Awarded September 2014 York St John University

1.     Teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level:

• Occupational therapy, with a special interest in adult mental health
• Evidence based practice/ research methodology
• Systematic reviews (including qualitative meta synthesis)

2.     Supervision of Masters and PhD students, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches.