PhD Studentship: The ACUTE study. Optimising support for Acute onCology patients: a mixed methods stUdy with healTh care professionals and patiEnts

3 Year, full-time PhD studentship (Nigel Groome Studentship)

Eligibility: Home UK/EU applicants who must be permanently resident in UK (settled or pre-settled status)

Bursary p.a: Bursary equivalent to UKRI national minimum stipend plus fees (current 2022/23 bursary rate is £17,668)

University fees and bench fees: University fees and bench fees will be met by the University for the 3 years of the funded Studentship.

Closing date: 7 May 2023

Interviews: 24 May 2023 (provisional) 

Start date:  September 2023

Director of Studies: Dr Lucy McGeagh

Other Supervisors: Dr Katie McCallum and Professor Eila Watson.

Advisors: Dr Verna Lavender and Professor Bass Hassan

Requirements:

Applicants should have a first class or upper second class honours degree from a Higher Education Institution in the UK or an acceptable equivalent qualification. EU Applicants must have a valid IELTS Academic test certificate (or equivalent) with an overall minimum score of 7.0 and no score below 6.0 issued in the last 2 years by an approved test centre.

Project Description:

Acute oncology is a unique area of medicine. Patients often present with an emergent medical issue, subsequently identified to be cancer-related. Alternatively patients with  cancer diagnoses may present to non-oncology areas with challenging symptoms.

This novel PhD aims to understand what it is like to experience the acute oncology pathway, for patients, acute oncology staff and other Health Care Professionals (HCPs) who interact with acute oncology patients, identifying unmet patient needs, exploring HCPs views on where improvements could be made, as well as understanding the unmet training, educational or other needs of HCPs.

Consisting of a systematic review, interviews with acute oncology patients and HCPs, and a national survey of acute oncology HCPs to explore experiences, views and unmet needs, inform the development of tools, training or resources needed to optimise support for acute oncology patients. HRA approval will be required and service users engaged throughout.

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Oxford Institute of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Research (OxINMAHR) - a vibrant, multi-disciplinary Research Institute. Sitting within the Supportive Cancer Care and Long Term Conditions group, this PhD would suit a researcher with experience of cancer, health care or health services research or a health care professional with research experience. Excellent interpersonal skills are essential, as is a passion for improving support for oncology patients and ability to work independently and at a high level, within a sensitive topic area. Some prior experience of qualitative research and/or survey design would be desirable. Experience with individuals with cancer would be favourable.

There is an additional requirement to undertake up to 6 hours undergraduate teaching/week during semesters and to participate in a teaching skills course without further remuneration.

How to apply: Contact hls-applications@brookes.ac.uk for instructions on how to apply via the online application system.

Contact hls-applications@brookes.ac.uk with any application queries.

Contact Dr Lucy McGeach with any project queries: lmcgeagh@brookes.ac.uk

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