Victoria Lee, PhD. MSc. BSc (Hons.)

I joined The University of Manchester in January 2000, as a Research Associate within Health Services Research. My background is in Psychology, specialising in both verbal and nonverbal communication and possible links with health. My research interests include ways of improving self-management of long-term conditions and the testing of complex interventions through Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs).

Throughout my time in the Department I have become responsible for recruiting General Practices to trials, and through regular contact with GPs, Practice Managers, and other Healthcare Professionals, I ensure that Practices and therefore patients are retained within studies. Over the years I have formed excellent working relationships with many Practices over the Greater Manchester area.

I joined The University of Manchester in January 2000, as a part-time Research Associate within Health Services Research. My background is in Psychology, specialising in both verbal and nonverbal communication and possible links with health. My research interests include ways of improving self-management of long-term conditions and the testing of complex interventions through Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs).

From 2000-2004, I led an RCT evaluating the effects of a self-help guidebook in the management of irritable bowel syndrome in primary care. I recruited 54 GP Practices and 420 patients to the trial, conducted qualitative patient interviews, ran patient focus group meetings, set up databases and co-authored papers.

From 2004-2008, I was involved in the management of the RCT arm of the National Evaluation of the Expert Patients' Programme (EPP), and subsequent research regarding the implementation of the EPP On-line course. It was my responsibility to liaise, in the first instance, with the 63 trainers around the country, and then the nominated EPP leads within the 304 Primary Care Trusts, in order to recruit participants to the trial. From April 2005-February 2006, I devised, ran and evaluated a national, postal survey of PCT EPP Leads, in order to examine both the evolvement of EPP during its pilot stage and future plans for the programme. All 299 questionnaires were eventually returned – a 100% response rate!

From 2008-2012, I worked on the WISE (Whole Systems Informing Self-Management Engagement) trial. I was responsible for recruiting all 44 participating Practices within Salford and Bury PCTs, resulting in the recruitment of over 5500 patients with diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and irritable bowel syndrome; keeping up-to-date and accurate notes and records of all practice telephone conversations and visits in Access database; carrying out observational data in GP surgeries; preparing and agreeing interview schedules and conducting semi-structured interviews and focus group meetings with GPs, Practice nurses, Practice Managers and administration staff within Salford Practices.

From 2012 – 2014: I worked on the BRIGHT (BRinging Information and Guided Help Together) trial – an RCT that evaluated an intervention aimed at improving support for people with early stage chronic kidney disease to better manage their health. I recruited 24 GP Practices to the trial, conducted baseline, face-to-face visits with patients in order to inform them of the research and recruit them to the study, and through regular contact and visits to GP Practices, I oversaw the recruitment of 440 patients, co-ordinated patient visits to GP Practices at specific time points within the trial, ensured that necessary data was collected, and co-authored associated papers.

From 2014 – 2015: I worked on the BARACK-D (Benefits of Aldosterone Receptor Antagonism in Chronic Kidney Disease) Trial, a clinical RCT that will determine the effect of aldosterone receptor antagonism on mortality and cardiovascular outcomes (onset or progression of cardiovascular disease) in patients with stage 3b CKD. The trial is being led by the University of Oxford, and is funded by the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) School for Primary Care Research. I visited and recruited Practices across Greater Manchester, and beyond, to collaborate – and the trial is still ongoing.

From September 2014 – present: I have been working on the 3D trial – Improving the Management of Patients with Multimorbidity in General Practice. It is a complex intervention, with 4 main components: identification and prioritisation of patients with multimorbidity; improving patient-centred care; reducing the burden of illness and treatment; and improving integration. This RCT, which is funded by the NIHR Health Services and Delivery Research Programme, is being led by the University of Bristol, and the University of Glasgow is also collaborating. Initially, I liaised with Practice Managers across a number of Practices within Greater Manchester in order to both ascertain which primary care clinical system they were using (for the confines of this trial this needed to be EMIS-web), and subsequent expressions of interest. Where feedback was positive, I visited Practices and presented at various initial meetings and then Group Practice meetings, in order to inform and drive collaboration.

BSc (Hons.) Psychology (1989) – The University of Manchester

MSc Psychology (1992) – The University of Manchester

PhD Psychology (2000) – The University of Manchester