Fully-funded PhD Studentship in Dementia Care Mapping

The award-winning Centre for Applied Dementia Studies at the University of Bradford is inviting applications for a full-time, fully-funded PhD studentship in Dementia Care Mapping (DCM). The University of Bradford has a global reputation for its work in DCM. This practice development methodology was originally developed at the University of Bradford over twenty years ago by Professor Tom Kitwood. Since then it has been widely adopted nationally and internationally by both dementia practitioners and researchers. It is a systematic process of observation and feedback regarding the quality of care received by people living with dementia. The observational data are used to recognise excellence in dementia care and to recommend improvements to care practice.

The successful applicant will have an MSc (or equivalent) in a related area and be passionate about taking forward our work in DCM in order to improve care for people living with dementia. He/she will have some familiarity with, and aptitude for, observational research and psychometric measurement. The successful applicant will explore any aspect of DCM including but not limited to: creating a psychometrically robust simpler version of the tool for practice and for research; demonstrating utility and psychometric properties for certain client groups e.g. people living with dementia, learning disabilities, mental health difficulties or neurological impairments or for children in receipt of services.

The Centre for Applied Dementia Studies carries out internationally leading research which makes a positive difference to care for people living with dementia (https://www.bradford.ac.uk/dementia/). Our impact case study was rated as outstanding in the last Research Excellence Framework and we were awarded the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for our research excellence and impact (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWRoPxLJR2k). The Centre hosts a Doctoral Training Centre in Improving care and services research and runs an MSc in Advanced Dementia Studies.

The University of Bradford in partnership with the University of Leeds and clinicians from Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS have established the Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research (CAHR) (https://wolfsoncahr.uk/). The Wolfson Centre brings together health professionals and researchers to develop quicker ways of translating excellent academic research into better care.