Postdoctoral Research Fellow with a history of Stroke Association funding and Felloswhips and previous affiliations with the Stroke Programme of the NIHR Greater Manchester Applied Research Collaboration (ARC).

For information on the stroke-related projects that were carried out within the ARCH (formerly the CLAHRC) please see the website: http://clahrc-gm.nihr.ac.uk/our-work/stroke/

I aim to conduct research that has potential to make a real difference to the quality of life of people with stroke and their familes.

My current project builds on my Stroke Association Fellowship to enhance the psychological support packaged we developed (WAterS) that aimed to help people psychologically adjust and cope with Life after Stroke. We aim to make WAterS more accessible and inclusive - with a focus on upskilling a wider workforce to reach stroke survivors from minoritised ethnic communities and people with communication disabilities. You can read more on our study website

My former project as a Stroke Association Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2019-2022) developed psychological support interventions for life after stroke; based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) 

My background is in psychology and I have been working as an applied healthcare researcher at the University of Manchester since 2005. My first project involved using Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) as a rehabilitative technology for amputees with phantom limb pain. I began my stroke research journey in 2006 as I worked up to Trial Manager on the ACT NoW Study (Assessing Communication Therapy in the North West).

My doctoral research was completed in 2015 and developed a patient-centred outcome measure for cognitive rehabilitation: PRECiS (Patient Reported Evaluation of Cognitive State). It is freely available under license here: https://uominnovationfactory.com/expressip/expressip-healthcare/precis/. 

I feel strongly about the benefits of involving users in research, having first-hand experience of the positive impact of their involvement in all my research to date, including the WAterS-2 Research Advisory Panel and the OSCARSS Carer Research User Group (part of the OSCARSS study, for which I was co-Chief Investigator).

My research interests are around improving long term support services for stroke survivors and their families / informal caregivers; with a particular interest in equity of access for those with cognitive and communication difficulties.

Service user collaboration and co-development is a core aspect of my work and I have experience with randomised trial methodologies, including feasibiliity trials, health economics, process evaluations and qualitative research.  

• Dr Audrey Bowen
• Professor Andy Vail
• Dr Maria Horne

Counil member for the Society for Research in Rehabilitation (SRR)

Graduate member of the British Psychological Society (BPS)

Member and former secretary of the Organisation for Psychological Research into Stroke (OPSYRIS)

Member of the World Federation for Neuro Rehabilitation (WFNR)

PhD Psychology (Ai)

BSc Psychology (1st class honours)

I have taught research methodoogy on several programmes, including:

• BSc Speech and Language Therapy (SLT)
• BSc Healthcare Science (Audiology)
• MRes Psychology

Tel: +44 (0) 161 275 3401   (or extension 53401 for internal callers)

Twitter: @DrPatchwood

G.704 Stopford Building, Division of Neuroscience and Experimental Psychology, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Oxford Road,  Manchester M13 9PT, UK