Biography

Dr Lyndsey Withers worked in crop conservation and international development prior to retirement. An alumna of the University of Nottingham, she held research and honorary teaching posts there, and in the Universities of Leicester and Birmingham. Initially graduating with an Honours BSc in Botany and Zoology, she carried out her doctorate research on plant protoplast fusion, before conducting post-doctoral research on aspects of cryopreservation and in vitro genetic conservation. Moving into the agricultural research and development sphere, Lyndsey managed a programme to develop and build capacity in novel in vitro genebank technologies, and served as a senior manager in Bioversity International’s global genetic resources conservation programme.

Much of Lyndsey’s time is now devoted to volunteering in community projects and organisations supporting people experiencing homelessness. She has volunteered for many years with Plymouth Soup Run which supports people experiencing food poverty and other disadvantages. She has a particular interest in health inclusion and recognises that homelessness is a health as well as a housing issue. As a volunteer with University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, Lyndsey serves as Patient Safety partner and is a lay member of the Ethical Decisions Support Group. In these roles, she aims to represent the patient viewpoint and voice, especially on behalf of disadvantaged and vulnerable individuals.

Lyndsey has collaborated for many years with the University of Plymouth, facilitating community outreach learning opportunities for medical and dental students as well as those training in allied healthcare professions. She also collaborates with researchers in the university addressing aspects of medical education research and inclusion health, and was an active partner in the development of the Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise Community Dental Clinic.

Publications
Over the course of her work in biological and agricultural research, Lyndsey wrote over 50 refereed publications and edited 5 books. Her recent publications from collaborations with the University of Plymouth are below:

Nguyen Tan, Withers L, Witton R, Paisi M. (2024) Economic evaluation of a community dental care model for people experiencing homelessness. British Dental Journal (in press).

Paisi M, Withers L, Erwin J, Horrell J, Witton R, Shawe J, Byng R. (2023) Embedding health and wellbeing opportunities for people experiencing homelessness in a wider support system. Perspectives in Public Health 143(3): 126–128. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10225991/

Paisi M, Crombag N, Burns L, Bogaerts A, Withers L, Bates L, Crowley D, Witton R, Shawe J. (2022) Barriers and facilitators to hepatitis C screening and treatment for people with lived experience of homelessness: A mixed-methods systematic review. Health Expectations 25(1):48-60. doi: 10.1111/hex.13400.

Paisi M, March-McDonald J, Burns L, Snelgrove-Clarke E, Withers L, Shawe J. (2021) Perceived barriers and facilitators to accessing and utilising sexual and reproductive healthcare for people who experience homelessness: a systematic review. BMJ Sexual and Reproductive Health 47(3):211-220. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33122258/ doi: 10.1136/bmjsrh-2020-200799.

Price T, Brennan N, Wong G, Withers L, Wanner A, Cleland J, Gale T, Prescott-Clements L, Archer J, Bryce M. (2021) Remediating doctors’ performance to restore patient safety: A realist review (RESTORE 1) (HS&DR 17/06/04) Health Services and Delivery Research 9(11). https://doi.org/10.3310/hsdr09110.

Price T, Wong G, Withers L, Wanner A, Cleland J, Gale T, Prescott-Clements L, Archer J, Bryce M, Brennan N. (2021) Optimising the delivery of remediation programmes for doctors: A realist review. Medical Education 55(9):995-1010 https://doi.org 10.1111/medu.14528.

Paisi M, Baines R, Worle C, Withers L, Witton R. (2020) Evaluation of a community dental clinic providing care to people experiencing homelessness: A mixed methods approach. Health Expectations 23(5):1289-1299. https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.13111

Paisi M, Witton R, Withers L, Plessas A, Burrows M, Morrision S, McDonald L, Kay E. (2020) Strategies to improve oral health behaviours and dental access for people experiencing homelessness: a qualitative study. British Dental Journal https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-020-1926-7.

Paisi M, Kay E, Burrows M, Withers L, Plessas A, McDonald L, Witton R. (2019) 'Teeth Matter': engaging people experiencing homelessness with oral health promotion efforts. British Dental Journal. 227:187–191. http://hdl.handle.net/10026.1/14888.

Paisi M, Witton R, Burrows M, Allen Z, Plessas A, Withers L, McDonald L, Kay E. (2019) Management of plaque in people experiencing homelessness using ‘Peer Education’: A pilot study. British Dental Journal. 226:860–866 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41415-019-0361-0.

Webb L, Sandhu S, Morton L, Witton R, Withers L, Worle C, Paisi M. (2019) A dental student view on learning gained through Inter-Professional Engagement with people experiencing homelessness. Education for Primary Care 30(5):1-3 doi: 10.1080/14739879.2019.1636719.

Pettinger C, Parsons J, Letherby G, Cunningham M, Withers L, Whiteford A. (2019) Participatory food events as collaborative public engagement opportunities. Methodological Innovations 2(2): doi:10.1177/2059799119863283.

Pettinger C, Letherby G, Parsons JM, Withers L, Cunningham M, Whiteford A, D’Aprano G, Ayres R, Sutton C. (2018) Employing participatory methods to engage an under-researched group: Opportunities and challenges. Methodological Innovations 11: 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2059799118769820

Price T, Brennan N, Cleland J, Prescott-Clements L, Wanner A, Withers L, Wong G, Archer J. (2018) Remediating doctors' performance to restore patient safety: a realist review protocol. BMJ Open. 2018;10 28;8(10):e025943. Epub 2018 Oct 28 https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/8/10/e025943.

Pettinger C, Parsons JM, Cunningham M, Withers L, D’Aprano G, Letherby G, Sutton C, Whiteford A, Ayres R. (2017) Engaging homeless individuals in discussion about their food experiences to optimise wellbeing: A pilot study. Health Education Journal 76: 557-568.