Urgent and Emergency Health Care and Workforce Research Group
Advancing urgent and emergency care through research.
About the Group
Our research group collaborates with the NHS, including St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust, as well as partner universities.
We focus on clinical, organisational and system-level research in urgent and emergency care. Our approach uses diverse methods to explore key issues and improve services for patients.
Our work includes:
- Mixed-methods studies on data sharing across emergency care services.
- Research into new professional roles in emergency departments.
- Investigations into ambulance service professionalism and clinical care topics.
We are committed to nurturing the next generation of research leaders and welcome applications for pre-doctoral fellowships and PhD opportunities.
Objectives
- Deliver research that improves urgent and emergency care for patients and services.
- Act as a hub for NHS and clinical partners to develop ideas, support grant applications and collaborate on research.
- Build a strong research identity to secure external funding and partnerships.
- Support research students and develop future leaders in urgent and emergency care.
- Provide clinical colleagues with opportunities to participate in research for professional growth.
- Enhance student experience by embedding research-informed teaching into learning.
People
- Dr Mary Halter, Associate Professor
- Professor Heather Jarman, Clinical Academic Lead, Emergency Department, St George's University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Professor Rachael Fothergill, Head of Research and Audit, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
- Emeritus Professor Tom Quinn
Internal members:
- Catriona Brice, Research Associate
- Professor Vari Drennan, Professor of Health Care and Policy
- Lucia Gavalova, Honorary Research Fellow
- Dr Gillian Pedley, Associate Professor (School of Nursing)
- Francesca Taylor, Research Associate
- Dr Ruth Wood, Associate Professor (School of Education)
- Dr Chao Wang, Senior Lecturer in health and social care statistics
External members:
- Samantha Laws, Senior Lecturer Paramedic Science, St George's University of London
- Dr Dimitra Nikoletou, Associate Professor (Department of Rehabilitation, Centre for Allied Health, St George's University of London)
- Elaine Cole, Director of Research and Innovation, Pan London Major Trauma System, Queen Mary and Westfield, University of London
- Deborah Dawson, Consultant Nurse Critical Care, St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Visiting Senior Fellow, ÖØ¿ÚζSM
Patient and public involvement:
- Mr Glenn Davies
- Ms Elizabeth Lloyd Dehler
Visiting international researchers:
- Aidan Baron
- Dr Stefan Tino Kulnik
Rasmus Lyngby
- Project title: Improvement of CPR quality among Emergency Medical Service providers in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
- Supervisor: Tom Quinn
Petra Petrocnik
- Project title: Facilitating physiological birth in Slovenia: myth or reality? Exploring the experiences of childbearing women, midwives and student midwives in the hospital birth environment.
- Supervisor: Mary Halter
John Renshaw
- Project title: An exploration of regional variability in pre-hospital resuscitation.
- Supervisor: Tom Quinn
Projects
SkillMix-Ed: Implementing non-medical practitioners in urgent and emergency care
- Lead Investigators: Dr Mary Halter and Professor Vari Drennan
- Lead Organisation: ÖØ¿ÚζSM
- Funder: NIHR
- Award Value: £776,000
- Dates: March 2021 – Present (30 months)
This NIHR-funded study explores the role of non-medical practitioners in NHS hospital emergency departments and urgent treatment centres. The goal is to identify the ideal "skill-mix" – the ratio of non-medical practitioners to doctors and nurses – to improve care and efficiency.
The research includes:
- National data analysis.
- Observing non-medical practitioners in action.
- Detailed case studies on patient experiences and outcomes.
TRIM: Evaluating triage models for 999 COVID-19 callers
- Chief Investigator: Professor Alan Watkins
- Lead Organisation: Swansea University
- PI at ÖØ¿ÚζSM: Professor Tom Quinn
- Funder: Medical Research Council (DHSC/UKRI COVID-19 Rapid Response Initiative)
- Award Value: £358,400
- Dates: July 2020 – Present
This mixed-methods study assesses the effectiveness and safety of triage models used by ambulance services for 999 callers with suspected COVID-19 in England, Wales, and Scotland.
Key aims include:
- Comparing triage models' safety and effectiveness.
- Addressing implementation challenges.
- Providing guidance for future pandemics.
This collaboration involves Swansea University, Public Health Wales, the University of Stirling, ÖØ¿ÚζSM, St George's University of London, and several ambulance services across the UK.
Contact us
Dr Mary Halter
- Email:
- [email protected]