Our core purpose is to work with people and lead communities in improving their mental and physical health and wellbeing for a better life; through delivering excellent and responsive prevention, diagnosis, early intervention, treatment and care.
Research is the way in which evidence is gathered about ‘what works’ in order to improve patient treatments for the future.
Our Centre for Research & Development (R&D) was launched on 17 April 2013. This page explains more about our approach to research and our particular areas of interest.
To find out about getting involved in our research, visit our research studies page.
A key principle of the NHS Constitution is that the NHS aims for the highest standards of excellence and professionalism through:
The work of the Centre for Research and Development helps us to meet these pledges. It also helps us to deliver against the Trust’s strategy, vision and values.
As well as being home to our research teams, the Centre for Research and Development hosts conferences and training courses throughout the year. The library provides a wide range of services to support Trust staff to deliver patient care, evidence-based practice and service development, based on lifelong learning, education and research.
We work with our clinical services and external contacts to develop our knowledge and understanding in these areas with the aim of improving patient care and community wellbeing.
We are committed to the promotion and conduct of high-quality clinically focused research. We work within our local research networks to increase the number of opportunities for our service users to take part in these research studies. Our Clinical Research Team works with clinicians to promote, facilitate and deliver national studies within the Trust.
The Centre for Research & Development Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Kingsway Site Derby DE22 3LZ
Email: dhcft.research@nhs.net
Full contact details and directions.
For more information about named individuals in the research teams, please see below.
Training rooms at our Centre for Research & Development can be booked for external meetings and events. There is a range of rooms with modern facilities and the site has ample parking. To make an enquiry, please email peopledev-trainingenquiries@nhs.net.
The main team numbers for the research teams are 01332 623700 ext. 33215 or 33407. You can also contact the team via Twitter - see the latest tweets below.
Here are the contact details for individuals at the centre. Please note, any extension numbers are for 01332 623700.
Dr John Sykes
Medical Director and R&D Director
john.sykes1@nhs.net
01246 515971
Medical Director, Caldicott Guardian and Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry. Previously lecturer at Sheffield University. Executive Director, lead for Safety and Information Governance. Passionate about compassionate care and management culture.
Rubina Reza
Research and Clinical Audit Manager
rubina.reza@nhs.net
01332 623439
Clinical Audit
Ranjit Badhan
Clinical Audit & Research Coordinator
ranjit.badhan1@nhs.net
ext 31073
Clinical Auditor with 11 years’ experience in the field and close to 20 years' experience overall of working in the NHS for various organisations (Primary Care Group, Primary Care Trusts and Hospitals).
Centre for Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Research
Keith Waters
Director of Centre for Self-harm and Suicide Prevention
keith.waters@nhs.net
Having worked as a mental health nurse and team lead in the Derby acute general hospital setting, Keith has more than 25 years of clinical experience in liaison psychiatry, self-harm and suicide prevention. He is joint lead for the Derby site of the Multicentre Study of Self-harm in England; sits on the steering group for the National Suicide Prevention Alliance; and was awarded an Honorary Research Fellowship by Derbyshire Healthcare in 2013.
Jenny Ness
Health Services Research Lead
jennifer.ness@nhs.net
ext 33681
Research Project Manager for Liaison Psychiatry and the Centre for Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Research at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Joint lead for the Derby site of the Multicentre Study of Self-harm in England.
Laura Dunkley
Project Manager
laura.dunkley3@nhs.net
ext 33215
Masters in International Public Health. Current research interests include: substance misuse, public health, suicide and self-harm
Meghan Linscott
Anita Patel
Research Assistant
anita.patel33@nhs.net
ext 33579
MSc in Applied Forensic Psychology. Current research interests include: suicide, psychophysiology, self-harm and therapeutic alliance within inpatient settings.
Eleanor Spooner
Romaana Kapadi
Research & Clinical Audit Assistant
Portfolio Study Team
Graham Spencer
Research Nurse
graham.spencer@nhs.net
ext 33650
As a mental health nurse I worked on our wards for 20 years before moving into clinical research five years ago. I’ve been clinical lead for Schwartz since 2012. My interests include staff wellbeing, compassion and mental health research.
Lisa Thomson
Clinical Researcher
lthomson9@nhs.net
ext 33677
Gemma Harrison
gemma.harrison3@nhs.net
ext 33474
Mental Health Nurse for 18 years, six years of which have been spent in research. Special interests in older people and dementia.
Keeley Marriott
Clinical Studies Assistant
keeleymarriott@nhs.net
ext 33407
Audrey Williamson
audrey.williamson1@nhs.net
ext 33398
Mental health nurse for 37 years, having spent 16 years on our low secure facility, 15 years as a CPN, mainly working within Assertive Outreach Teams before becoming a Research Nurse for the past six years. My main interest remains with younger adults and psychosis but it has been nice reconnecting with older adults again.
Caroline Cheetham
caroline.cheetham@nhs.net
ext 33489
Mental Health Nurse for 18 years, having previously worked in an older adult day hospital and Memory Assessment Service. I moved to research five years ago. Areas of interest are older adults and dementia.
Debbie Risorto
Occupational Therapist
deborah.risorto@nhs.net
ext 33580
Qualified Occupational Therapist with many years' clinical experience in Older Adults CMHT. Recently joined the R&D Team on secondment with specific interest in promoting activity and independence in people with dementia.
Andy Dingwall
andy.dingwall@nhs.net
Mental Health Nurse on Adult Acute wards for seven years followed by 18 years on electronic health records projects. Joined Research Team in February 2018.
Marc Riley
Research Ambassador
marc.riley1@nhs.net
Originally a volunteer service user in Trust research projects and a volunteer peer support worker due to personal mental health issues – upon finishing treatment I became a community support worker for the Trust and a patient research ambassador. My current role bridges the gap between service users and staff, and helps shape research as an on-going commitment.
Centre for Dementia
Dr Simon Thacker
Director of Centre for Dementia
simon.thacker@nhs.net
01332 623683
Consultant Psychiatrist with special interest in later life for 22 years. Currently combines research work with Liaison Psychiatry at the general hospital and medical management.
Library
Marie Hickman
Library & Knowledge Manager
marie.hickman1@nhs.net
ext 33449
A librarian in the NHS for over 20 years. My role is to ensure access to the best available resources in support of evidence-based healthcare, research, education, training and strategic decision making. I am passionate about making sure the services we provide have an impact on patient care.
Meara Brooks
Library Trainee
meara.brooks@nhs.net
When I was at college, I did work experience in a library and subsequently gained an apprenticeship at Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Library.
Having been an apprentice as a library trainee, I am now a full-time employee as a library assistant. You can find me on the library desk. I can help Derbyshire Healthcare staff to obtain suitable books and journal articles. I can also help our staff to use computers and help them get through their e-learning.
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