I am Professor of Mental Health & Inclusivity in the Division of Psychology & Mental Health in the School of Health Sciences.   I am also The University of Manchester’s Academic Lead for Equality Diversity & Inclusion. In part fulfilment of the University’s commitment to Social Responsibility, the remit of my role is to provide academic leadership, direction, advice and support to colleagues involved in the delivery of Equality Objectives across Faculties, Schools & Professional Support Services (PSS). I have a focus on driving Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I)across a range of aspects, specifically:

• Staff & student recruitment, retention, experience, progression, and attainment
• Teaching & learning
• Supporting the progression of our Athena SWAN and Race Equality Charter Mark action plans
• Supplying recommendations, reports, and advice to the University’s highest level committees
• Providing academic leadership, advice and support to high profile ED&I initiatives

Reflecting my strong commitment to integrating research, policy and practice and to public service, I am actively engaged in working with communities to improve health and wellbeing – especially among those who are marginalised, socially excluded, and experience inferior access to health and care. Formerly, a Non-Executive Director of two NHS Mental Health Trusts in the North West of England, I have also held secondments to the national Care Standards Improvement Partnership (CSIP) and its precursor, the National Institute for Mental Health in England (NIMHE). NIMHE was established by the Department of Health (DH) to improve the lives of people who experience mental health problems, to promote mental health and resilience, reduce stigma and tackle inequalities.

I was awarded an NHS North West Doctoral Training Fellowship to undertake a Masters of Research (MRes) in Social Science (Salford, 2000) and PhD in mental health (Manchester, 2003). My postdoctoral research was facilitated by winning a Faculty of Medical & Human Science ‘Stepping Stones’ Award (University of Manchester, 2006-2010).

My research emanates from a passion to reduce inequalities in access, care, and outcomes experienced by under-served communities. I am particularly interested in improving understanding of: 

• Intersections between determinants of health and illness such as ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status and mental health
• Interrelationship between mental and physical health and wellbeing
• Individual and community-level strategies for building resilience and managing psychological distress
• Factors that influence individuals’ abilities to access appropriate support, care and treatment for mental health problems
   

Theory development in these areas is central to taking a life-course approach to providing more accessible services and developing interventions that meet the differing needs of all sectors of the population. 

My research is focused on improving outcomes and reducing inequalities by influencing policy, practice, and service delivery. I am also interested in researching the intersections between physical and mental health. Accordingly, the scope of my research has broadened beyond my doctoral work (perinatal mental health of Black Caribbean women in primary care) into wider areas of health and social care. My particular focus is on the health and experiences of health services of under-served populations, which can be sub-divided into the following areas:

• Interventions for schizophrenia and psychoses
• Digital Health interventions
• Perinatal mental health and child health
• Inequalities in health and mental health
• Intersectionality: Mental health, deprivation, ethnicity & gender
• Offender health
• Resilience and recovery in mental health
• Spirituality/Faith/Religion and mental health

Current and previous research includes a number of studies funded by the Department of Health/National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) such as:

• Co-production and evaluation of an e-learning resource to improve knowledge about schizophrenia and engagement with services in African Caribbean families: http://research.bmh.manchester.ac.uk/ReACH/research/rfpb
• Culturally-adapted Family Intervention for African Caribbean people with schizophrenia and their families: a feasibility study http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/hsdr/12500162
• The effectiveness of the Older prisoner Health and Social Care Assessment and Plan (OHSCAP): A Randomised Controlled Trial: http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/hsdr/12500121
• Critical Time Intervention for Severely Mentally Ill Released Prisoners: A Randomised Control Trial (CrISP): http://www.nets.nihr.ac.uk/projects/hsdr/09100415
• Evaluating Women’s Enhanced Medium Secure Services (WEMSS) women-centred secure psychiatric care
• Review of perinatal mental health of BME women in England, Scotland & Wales https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-perinatal-mental-health-project-report

I have a stong background in teaching, curriculum design, and evaluation. I supervise undergrduate and Masters-level dissertations as as doctoral students. I am Academic Advisor to a number of students.

I teach at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in Research Methods, Evidence Based Practice, and Cultural Competence. I co-ordinate and teach on the 'Interventions to Improve Mental Health & Wellbeing' Course Unit within the BSc (Hons) Psychology programme. I teach on the Masters in Clinical & Health Psychology and Masters in Research (MRes) programmes. Previously, I facilitated sessions and contributed to writing final assessment for the MSc Psychiatry programme, The University of Manchester. Additionally, I have taught undergraduates and postgraduates within the School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work (e.g. the Advanced Practice Interventions for Mental Health (APIMH)) and on the Doctorate in Counselling, Faculty of Humanities, The University of Manchester.

Current postgraduate supervision:

5 PhD students (School of Health Sciences)

2 Clincal Psychology Doctorate (Clin Psy D) (Division of Psychology & Mental Health)

3 Masters (MSc) in Clinical & Health Psychology/Masters in Research (MRes)

Collaborators include:

• Jenny Shaw, Professor of Forensic Psychiatry, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Health & Risk Sciences, University of Manchester
• Kathryn Abel, Professor of Women’s Mental Health & Director Centre for Women's Mental Health, University of Manchester
• Jane Senior, Research Manager, Health & Risk Sciences, University of Manchester
• Christine Barrowclough, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Manchester
• Richard Drake, Senior Lecturer / Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist, IBBMH, University of Manchester
• Nicholas Tarrier, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Manchester
• Dinesh Bhugra, Professor of Mental Health and Cultural Diversity, Institute of Psychatry (KCL)
• Sarah Cotterill, Research Fellow & RDS Adviser, Uinversity of Manchester & Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust
• Shon Lewis, Professor of Adult Psychiatry & Adademic Lead, IBBMH, University of Manchester
• John Baker, Professor of Mental Health Nursing, Uinversity of Leeds
• Katherine Berry, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Division of Pychology & Mental Health, The University of Manchester 
• Nusrat Husain, Profess of Psychiatry, University of Manchester
• Annie Bartlett, Professor Population Health Sciences and Consultant Psychiatrist, St George’s University of London
• Matt Sutton, Professor Health Economics, Division of Population Health, Univesity of Manchester
• Kevin Ronan, Professor of Clinical Psychology, CQ University, Australia
• Alicia Moxon, Clinical Psychologist, Highbury Whanau Centre, New Zealand
• Rachel Meacock, Senior Research Fellow, Division of Popupation Health, University of Manchester
• Ishtar Govia, Lecturer in Epidemiology, Caribbean Institute for Health Research, The University of the West Indies, Jamaica
• Richard Elmsley, Professor of Medical Statistics, Division of Population Health, The University of Manchester 
• Warren Mansell, Reader in Clinical Psychology, Division of Pychology & Mental Health, The University of Manchester 
• Filippo Varese, Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, Division of Pychology & Mental Health, The University of Manchester 
• Sandra Bucci, Senior Lecture in Clinical Psychology, Division of Pychology & Mental Health, The University of Manchester 

Selected

• 2017 - Present: Invited member, Student Mental Health Task Force, Greater Manchester Health & Social Care Partnership
• 2016 - Present: Elected member of Senate
• 2016 - Present: Patron, Greater Manchester Law Centre
• 2013 - Present: Founder Member Board of Govenors, Longsight Community Pimary Free School
• 2009 - 2013: Board member Afiya Trust
• 2008 - 2015: Non-Executive Director Pennine Care Foundation NHS Trust
• 2005 - Present: Member Business in the Arts NW Board Bank
• 2005 - 2010: Board Member – START: Salford in the arts (mental health) project
• 2003 - Present Member Manchester Race and Health Forum
• 2000 - 2005 Non-Executive Director, Bolton, Salford, & Trafford Mental Health NHS Trust
• 1999 - 2001 Member Education & Training Action Group Tackling Racial Harassment in the NHS

Methodological & Related Expertise:

• Qualitative methods and analysis
• Mixed/multi- methods research
• Cultural competence & cultural-adaptation
• Survey methods
• Health Services Research
• Process evaluation
• Service delivery and evaluation

• PhD (Medical Sociology), University of Manchester. Awarded 2003
• Masters in Research (MRes) in Social Sciences, University of Salford. Awarded 2000 (Distinction)
• Certificate of Education, University of Manchester. Awarded 1994
• Diploma Teaching Physiotherapy, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. Awarded 1994.
• BSc (Hons) Health Care and Welfare, University of Salford. Awarded 1993 (1st Class)
• Graduate Diploma & Member Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (MCSP). Awarded 1985