Laura Jefferson

I am a Senior Research Fellow in Health Workforce and Policy, specialising in primary care workforce research within the Health Organisation, Policy and Economics Research Group, in the Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research. I am a mixed methodologist, with a particular interest in novel qualitative approaches. My main area of research addresses one of the most pressing challenges facing the NHS: retaining and supporting the GP workforce. In 2025 I was awarded an NIHR Advanced Fellowship to support a six-year programme of research – PROSPER-GP – which will develop evidence-informed strategies to support GP retention.

My research places a strong emphasis on equity and inclusion, drawing on my doctoral research exploring gender differences in doctors’ working lives. This has informed recent research projects exploring gendered barriers to GP careers and an NIHR-funded research project that seeks to understand how to support women GPs to thrive in their roles. Previously, I worked as a core member of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) funded ‘PREPARE’ programme, at the University of York, delivering broad health policy research in rapid timeframes.

I am a mixed methodologist, most frequently employing the following methods:

• Qualitative methods, including traditional methods (interview, focus group, observation) and novel methods (asynchronous online focus group methods).
• Systematic reviews and umbrella reviews.
• Surveys and data analysis.
• Social media analysis.

• PhD Health Sciences, University of York
• MSc Health Services Research, University of York
• BSc Health Sciences, University of York

Health Services Research UK

NIHR Research for Patient Benefit committee panel member 

Open to PhD supervision in the field of workforce research and policy.