About
Michael is a mental health services researcher with an interest in working alongside people who use services to research how these are experienced with the aim of generating new evidence to improve healthcare.
Professor Michael Coffey
Professor
Public Health
Available For Postgraduate Supervision
Areas Of Expertise
- Mental health
- Service delivery and organisation
- Qualitative research
Career Highlights
Research
Service Delivery and Organisation research development group
A group concerned with researching, and improving, the organisation and delivery of services. Members include people with personal experience of using services, academics, practitioners and managers, and people who work in universities, in the NHS, in campaigning and third sector organisations and in independent capacities.
Publications
Research Highlights
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Coffey, M., Lugg-Widger, F., Hannigan, B., Velikova, V., & Byrne, A. (2025). Severe mental illness and last year of life: Identifying service use from a National Health Service digital dashboard in Wales, UK. Journal of Mental Health, 34(5), 549-555.
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Rooney, G., Lawson, S., & Coffey, M. (2024). Understanding therapeutic relationships in mental health nursing. In Patrick Callaghan Tommy Dickinson Anne Felton (Ed.), Mental Health Nursing Skills (pp. 49-56). Oxford University PressSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67977
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Coffey, M., Cohen, R., & Edwards, B. (2024). Mental health care coordination. In Karen M. Wright and Mick McKeown (Ed.), Essentials of Mental Health Nursing (pp. 483-497). SageSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa66588
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Pritchard, A., Coffey, M., & Rance, J. (2023). Striking the Right Balance and Supporting Social Aspirations: How Agency and Choice Play out in a Recovery-Oriented Mental Health Service. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 44(12), 1237-1244.
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Hannigan, B., Edwards, D., Anstey, S., Coffey, M., Gill, P., Mann, M., & Meudell, A. (2022). End-of-life care for people with severe mental illness: the MENLOC evidence synthesis. Health and Social Care Delivery Research, 10(4), 1-206.
All Research
Journal Articles
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Hannigan, B. & Coffey, M. (2026). Principles, policies, and practices: reflections on recovery in the real world. Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, 43(1), 12-14.
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Coffey, M., Lugg-Widger, F., Hannigan, B., Velikova, V., & Byrne, A. (2025). Severe mental illness and last year of life: Identifying service use from a National Health Service digital dashboard in Wales, UK. Journal of Mental Health, 34(5), 549-555.
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Pritchard, A., Coffey, M., & Rance, J. (2023). Striking the Right Balance and Supporting Social Aspirations: How Agency and Choice Play out in a Recovery-Oriented Mental Health Service. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 44(12), 1237-1244.
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Hannigan, B., Edwards, D., Anstey, S., Coffey, M., Gill, P., Mann, M., & Meudell, A. (2022). End-of-life care for people with severe mental illness: the MENLOC evidence synthesis. Health and Social Care Delivery Research, 10(4), 1-206.
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Coffey, M., Edwards, D., Anstey, S., Gill, P., Mann, M., Meudell, A., & Hannigan, B. (2022). End-of-life care for people with severe mental illness: mixed methods systematic review and thematic synthesis of published case studies (the MENLOC study). BMJ Open, 12(2), e053223
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Edwards, D., Anstey, S., Coffey, M., Gill, P., Mann, M., Meudell, A., & Hannigan, B. (2021). End of life care for people with severe mental illness: Mixed methods systematic review and thematic synthesis (the MENLOC study). Palliative Medicine, 35(10), 1747-1760.
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Lord, E. & Coffey, M. (2021). Identifying and resisting the technological drift: green space, blue space and ecotherapy. Social Theory & Health, 19(1), 110-125.
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Cassidy, S., Coffey, M., & Murphy, F. (2020). Transparency of assessment decision-making when students are not meeting required levels of proficiency in clinical practice. Nurse Education in Practice, 43, 102711
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Terry, J. & Coffey, M. (2019). Too Busy to Talk: Examining Service User Involvement in Nursing Work. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 1-9.
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Coffey, M., Hannigan, B., Meudell, A., Jones, M., Hunt, J., Fitzsimmons, D., & Fitzsimmons, D. (2019). Quality of life, recovery and decision-making: a mixed methods study of mental health recovery in social care. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 54(6), 715-723.
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Coffey, M., Hannigan, B., Barlow, S., Cartwright, M., Cohen, R., Faulkner, A., Jones, A., & Simpson, A. (2019). Recovery-focused mental health care planning and co-ordination in acute inpatient mental health settings: a cross national comparative mixed methods study. BMC Psychiatry, 19(1)
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Hannigan, B., Simpson, A., Coffey, M., Barlow, S., & Jones, A. (2018). Care Coordination as Imagined, Care Coordination as Done: Findings from a Cross-national Mental Health Systems Study. International Journal of Integrated Care, 18(3)
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Jones, A., Hannigan, B., Coffey, M., & Simpson, A. (2018). Traditions of research in community mental health care planning and care coordination: A systematic meta-narrative review of the literature. PLOS ONE, 13(6), e0198427
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Simpson, A., Coffey, M., Hannigan, B., Barlow, S., Cohen, R., Jones, A., Faulkner, A., Thornton, A., Všetečková, J., Haddad, M., & Marlowe, K. (2017). Cross-national mixed-methods comparative case study of recovery-focused mental health care planning and co-ordination in acute inpatient mental health settings (COCAPP-A). Health Services and Delivery Research, 5(26), 1-234.
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Coffey, M., Hannigan, B., & Simpson, A. (2017). Care planning and co-ordination: imperfect solutions in a complex world. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 24(6), 333-334.
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Weaver, N., Coffey, M., Hewitt, J., Coffey, M., & Hewitt, J. (2017). Concepts, models and measurement of continuity of care in mental health services: A systematic appraisal of the literature. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 24(6), 431-450.
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Coffey, M., Cohen, R., Faulkner, A., Hannigan, B., Simpson, A., & Barlow, S. (2017). Ordinary risks and accepted fictions: how contrasting and competing priorities work in risk assessment and mental health care planning. Health Expectations, 20(3), 471-483.
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Sayers, D., Harding, J., Barchas-Lichtenstein, J., Coffey, M., & Rock, F. (2017). Speeding up or Reaching out? Efficiency and unmet need as policy priorities in Wales. Journal of Language and Politics, 16(3), 388-411.
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Cassidy, S., Coffey, M., & Murphy, F. (2017). ‘Seeking authorization’: a grounded theory exploration of mentors’ experiences of assessing nursing students on the borderline of achievement of competence in clinical practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 73(9), 2167-2178.
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Coffey, M., Hannigan, B., Meudell, A., Hunt, J., Fitzsimmons, D., & Fitzsimmons, D. (2016). Study protocol: a mixed methods study to assess mental health recovery, shared decision-making and quality of life (Plan4Recovery). BMC Health Services Research, 16(1)
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Simpson, A., Hannigan, B., Coffey, M., Barlow, S., Cohen, R., Jones, A., Všetečková, J., Faulkner, A., Thornton, A., & Cartwright, M. (2016). Recovery-focused care planning and coordination in England and Wales: a cross-national mixed methods comparative case study. BMC Psychiatry, 16(1)
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Simpson, A., Hannigan, B., Coffey, M., Jones, A., Barlow, S., Cohen, R., Všetečková, J., & Faulkner, A. (2016). Cross-national comparative mixed-methods case study of recovery-focused mental health care planning and co-ordination: Collaborative Care Planning Project (COCAPP). Health Services and Delivery Research, 4(5)
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Coffey, M., Pryjmachuk, S., Duxbury, J., & Coffey, M. (2015). The shape of caring review: what does it mean for mental health nursing?. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 22(9), 738-741.
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Simpson, A., Hannigan, B., Coffey, M., Jones, A., Barlow, S., Cohen, R., Všetečková, J., Faulkner, A., & Haddad, M. (2015). Study protocol: cross-national comparative case study of recovery-focused mental health care planning and coordination (COCAPP). BMC Psychiatry, 15(1)
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Coffey, M. (2013). Time and its uses in accounts of conditional discharge in forensic psychiatry. Sociology of Health & Illness, n/a, n/a-n/a.
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Coffey, M. & Hannigan, B. (2013). New roles for nurses as approved mental health professionals in England and Wales. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 50(10), 1423-1430.
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Coffey, M. & Coffey, M. (2012). Negotiating identity transition when leaving forensic hospitals. Health: An Interdisciplinary Journal for the Social Study of Health, Illness and Medicine, 16(5), 489-506.
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Coffey, M. (2012). A risk worth taking? Value differences and alternative risk constructions in accounts given by patients and their community workers following conditional discharge from forensic mental health services. Health, Risk & Society, 14(5), 465-482.
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ASTON, V., COFFEY, M., & Coffey, M. (2012). Recovery: what mental health nurses and service users say about the concept of recovery. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 19(3), 257-263.
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Jones, M. & Coffey, M. (2011). Voice hearing: A secondary analysis of talk by people who hear voices. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, 21(1), 50-59.
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Hannigan, B. & Coffey, M. (2011). Where the wicked problems are: The case of mental health. Health Policy, 101(3), 220-227.
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Coffey, M. (2011). Resistance and challenge: competing accounts in aftercare monitoring. Sociology of Health & Illness, 33(5), 748-760.
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Coffey, M. & Hewitt, J. (2008). ‘You don't talk about the voices’: voice hearers and community mental health nurses talk about responding to voice hearing experiences. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(12), 1591-1600.
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Coffey, M. (2006). Researching service user views in forensic mental health: A literature review. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 17(1), 73-107.
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Hewitt, J. & Coffey, M. (2005). Therapeutic working relationships with people with schizophrenia: literature review. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 52(5), 561-570.
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Coffey, M. & Hannigan, B. (2005). Community mental health in the UK: Restructuring for the 21st century. Sociale Psychiatrie, 24(75), 25-30.SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa18148
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Emslie, L., Coffey, M., Duggan, S., Bradshaw, R., Mitchell, D., & Rogers, P. (2005). Including the excluded: developing mental health in-reach in south west England. Mental Health Practice, 8(6), 17-19.
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COFFEY, M., HIGGON, J., KINNEAR, J., & Coffey, M. (2004). 'Therapy as well as the tablets': an exploratory study of service users' views of community mental health nurses' (CMHNs) responses to hearing voices. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 11(4), 435-444.
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Coffey, M. & Jenkins, E. (2002). Power and control: forensic community mental health nurses' perceptions of team-working, legal sanction and compliance. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 9(5), 521-529.
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Jenkins, E., Coffey, M., & Coffey, M. (2002). Compelled to interact: forensic community mental health nurses' and service users' relationships. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 9(5), 553-562.
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Trenchard, S., Hannigan, B., Coffey, M., & Burnard, P. (2002). Education for community mental health nurses: a summary of the key debates. Nurse Education Today, 22(3), 258-264.
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Higgon, J. & Coffey, M. (2001). Auditory Hallucinations. Mental Health Nursing, 21(2), 18-22.SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa28043
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Coffey, M. & Coleman, M. (2001). The relationship between support and stress in forensic community mental health nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 34(3), 397-407.
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Coffey, M. & Coffey, M. (2000). Stress and coping in forensic community mental health nurses: Demographic information and qualitative findings. Journal of Research in Nursing, 5(2), 100-111.
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Coffey, M. & Bishop, N. (2000). Crisis plans in forensic mental health nursing.. Mental Health Practice, 4(4), 22-25.SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa24984
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Coffey, M. (1999). Psychosis and medication: strategies for improving adherence. British Journal of Nursing, 8(4), 225-230.
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Coffey, M. & Coffey, M. (1999). Stress and burnout in forensic community mental health nurses: an investigation of its causes and effects. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 6(6), 433-443.
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, . & Coffey, M. (1998). Provision of out-of-hours support to a forensic population: strategies and research potential. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 5(5), 367-376.
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Coffey, M. (1998). Schizophrenia: a review of current research and thinking. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 7(6), 489-498.
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COFFEY, M., JONES, S., THORNICROFT, G., & Coffey, M. (1996). A brief mental health outcome scale: relationships between scale scores and diagnostic/sociodemographic variables in the long-term mentally ill. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 3(2), 89-93.
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Jones, S., Thornicroft, G., Coffey, M., Dunn, G., & Coffey, M. (1995). A brief mental health outcome scale-reliability and validity of the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). The British Journal of Psychiatry, 166(5), 654-659.
Book Chapters
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Rooney, G., Lawson, S., & Coffey, M. (2024). Understanding therapeutic relationships in mental health nursing. In Patrick Callaghan Tommy Dickinson Anne Felton (Ed.), Mental Health Nursing Skills (pp. 49-56). Oxford University PressSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa67977
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Coffey, M., Cohen, R., & Edwards, B. (2024). Mental health care coordination. In Karen M. Wright and Mick McKeown (Ed.), Essentials of Mental Health Nursing (pp. 483-497). SageSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa66588
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Coffey, M., Cohen, R., & Edwards, B. (2018). Mental health care coordination. Essentials of Mental Health Nursing (pp. 354-367). SageSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa39101
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Coffey, M. (2016). ‘Being Diplomatic with the Truth’: The Discursive Management of Risk in Accounts of People Leaving Forensic Psychiatric Settings. Communicating Risk (pp. 36-50). Palgrave MacMillan
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Baker, J., Coffey, M., & Doyle, M. (2011). Helping people with mental health problems who come into contact with the criminal justice system. Mental Health Nursing: An evidence-based introduction. (pp. 399-432.). Sage PublicationsSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa10034
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Hewitt, J., Coffey, M., & Rooney, G. (2009). Forming, sustaining, and ending therapeutic interactions. Mental Health Nursing Skills (pp. 63-73). Oxford University PressSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa17925
Conference Contributions
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Coffey, M. (2017). Risk, discourse and identity work: what we do and how we could do it differently. In Inaugural Mental Health Nurse Academics UK Lecture23rd International Mental Health Nursing Research Conference.SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa35424
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Coffey, M. (2015). Ordinary risks and accepted fictions: how contrasting and competing priorities work in risk assessment care planning. In 21st International Network for Psychiatric Nursing ResearchSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa23389
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Coffey, M., Hannigan, B., Meudell, A., & Hunt, J. (2014). Shared decision making and recovery in mental health care. In 20th Network for Psychiatric Nursing Research international conference
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Coffey, M. & Hannigan, B. (2013). Nurses as approved mental health professionals: a poor fit or politically astute?. In 19th International Network for Psychiatric Nursing Research conferenceSU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa21330
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Coffey, M. (n.d.) Talking about risk, doing risk assessment.
Edited Books
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Coffey, M. & Byrt, R. (Eds.). (2010). Forensic mental health nursing : ethics, debates, and dilemmas. Quay.SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa6590
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Hannigan, B. & Coffey, M. (Eds.). (2003). The handbook of community mental health nursing. Routledge, London.SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa6588
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Chaloner, C. & Coffey, M. (Eds.). (2000). Forensic mental health nursing : current approaches. Blackwell Science.SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa6589
Other Research Outputs
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Brown, A., Jones, S., Grant, A., Coffey, M., & Mayers, A. (2021). An evaluation of the Peppy Baby Programme in Manchester University Foundation Trust.SU Repository: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa58909
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Timmins, F., Cassidy, S., Nugent, O., Lydon, C., Part, S., Keane, L., Dennehy, C., Fenn, H., Prizeman, G., Murphy, F., & Coffey, M. (2017). Reluctance to fail nursing students in practice-implications for nurse managers
Supervision
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Understanding the mental well-being of older adults in residential care. (awarded 2023)
PhDOther supervisor: Dr Charles Musselwhite
Taught Modules
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SHN3051 Research and Development in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) Practice
This core module builds on students¿ previous knowledge of research and aims to expand their knowledge and understanding of the research process to include an appreciation of how practice and research are interrelated and its application to community nursing practice. There is an emphasis on 'action learning' approaches - which means that students are encouraged to read, notice and reflect on their practice and knowledge development and share their progress/difficulties in an educative, supportive and challenging arena (with other students, teachers, lecturers and practice teachers).
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SHNM30 Evidence Based Practice and Nursing Research (Adult)
This module will develop your knowledge and critical understanding of evidence-based practice and nursing research, supporting you to integrate research evidence into safe, effective, and person-centred clinical care. You¿ll explore how research informs clinical guidelines, service delivery, and patient outcomes across a range of healthcare settings. You¿ll also learn about research methodologies, critical appraisal skills, and ethical research governance, allowing you to analyse and synthesise research evidence, policy documents, and grey literature, to inform clinical decision making and quality improvement within nursing practice. You¿ll apply this knowledge to develop a detailed proposal for your dissertation, supporting progression into independent scholarly enquiry. Learning is delivered through a blended approach incorporating lectures, seminars, group learning, digital learning activities, and placement learning. This integrated approach supports you to link research theory with clinical practice, developing your professional confidence in evidence-based decision making, and preparing you for postgraduate scholarly research within contemporary healthcare environments.
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SHNM42 Evidence-Based Practice and Nursing Research (Mental Health)
This module will develop your knowledge and critical understanding of evidence-based practice and nursing research, supporting you to integrate research evidence into safe, effective, and person-centred clinical care. You¿ll explore how research informs clinical guidelines, service delivery, and patient outcomes across a range of healthcare settings. You¿ll also learn about research methodologies, critical appraisal skills, and ethical research governance, allowing you to analyse and synthesise research evidence, policy documents, and grey literature, to inform clinical decision making and quality improvement within nursing practice. You¿ll apply this knowledge to develop a detailed proposal for your dissertation, supporting progression into independent scholarly enquiry. Learning is delivered through a blended approach incorporating lectures, seminars, group learning, digital learning activities, and placement learning. This integrated approach supports you to link research theory with clinical practice, developing your professional confidence in evidence-based decision making, and preparing you for postgraduate scholarly research within contemporary healthcare environments.
Other Roles
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Chair, Mental Health Nurse Academics UK
2011 - 2014
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Chair of Scientific Committee, RCN International Network for Psychiatric Nursing Research
2011 - 2014
Key Grants and Projects
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Planning for Recovery (P4R): Assessing mental health recovery, care and treatment planning in social care 2013 - 2015
National Institute for Social Care and Health Research (NISCHR), £207,844
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Cross national comparative study of recovery-focused mental health care planning and co-ordination (COCAPP) 2012 - 2014
NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research, £400,000
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Cross-national comparative study of recovery-focused mental health care planning in acute inpatient mental health settings (COCAPP-A) 2014 - 2016
NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research, £366,618