PhD opportunity: The provision and coordination of dementia services in primary care

We are delighted to invite applications for the following three-year full-time PhD studentship, available to UK registered nurses and allied health professionals working in the NHS in England. Applicants must be UK/EU nationals due to the nature of the award.

Due to commence in September 2015, funding provides an annual tax-free stipend of £16,500, coverage of tuition fees and all research project support costs.

People experiencing cognitive difficulties find themselves at the beginning of an unpredictable trajectory of health service need, and there is a great deal of variation in the provision of services in primary care. We encourage applicants to develop proposals out of their own interests in this area, however, the following provides some suggested areas of focus:

• Variations in commissioning and provision of dementia care services, in terms of funding allocated and sectors responsible for providing services
• Lack of coordination between different parts of the health service and different sectors, and lack of a consistent care pathway for dementia
• The effects of the label ‘dementia’, variations around early identification and management, and neglect of physical health needs for people with cognitive difficulties
• Questions concerning the appropriate balance between family care, social care and healthcare.

These are all known challenges, and yet there is a lack of practice-oriented research which seeks to explore the underlying reasons for these challenges, and find ways to address them. This PhD provides an opportunity to contribute to advancing knowledge and practice in this area.

The project will be based across Manchester Business School and the University of Manchester's School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work. The successful candidate will benefit from forming part of the wider cohort of postgraduate researchers currently working across our range of health and service research.

Candidates are expected to hold a minimum upper-second (or equivalent) undergraduate degree in a relevant social/health/psychological sciences subject. A Masters qualification or relevant research experience would be a distinct advantage.

Please direct applications in the following format to Yvonne Rossi (yvonne.rossi@manchester.ac.uk):

• CV
• Official academic transcripts
• Contact details for two suitable referees
• A brief statement (<300 words) describing your suitability for a PhD in dementia services research and how you view this area contributing to the overall objectives of CLAHRC Greater Manchester.

Any enquiries relating to the project and/or suitability should be directed to Professor Heather Waterman (heather.waterman@manchester.ac.uk).

The deadline for applications is Friday 27 February 2015.

Date Published: 10/02/2015