About the Project
Improving symptoms, outcomes and access to care for those with advanced progressive long term conditions, multi-morbidity and frailty within primary care (4 PhD Scholarships)
To celebrate the University's research successes, the University of Hull is offering a full-time UK/EU PhD Scholarship or International Fees Bursary for candidates applying for the following project in the Hull-York Medical School.
Closing date: - 13th March 2017
Studentships will start on 1st October 2017
BackgroundIn the UK the proportion of older people is growing, with an increase in long-term conditions, often with several together (multi-morbidity) and frailty. This brings a corresponding increase in related symptoms for the person concerned and a direct impact on healthcare resource use. Care in the last year of life provided for those with long-term conditions accounts for 27% of all healthcare expenditure. Integrated health services are needed for this changing population, which will need a better understanding of i) how to identify those with long-term conditions, multi-morbidity and frailty, who have symptoms and other concerns which need treatment, ii) how to ensure they receive timely and appropriate treatment to improve quality of life, and iii) how early symptom-based treatments can reduce overall resource use (e.g. unplanned hospital admissions and emergency department attendances, which account for 70% of resource use in last year of life).
Proactive symptom management and palliative care support is needed. Early provision of palliative care has been shown to reduce symptom burden, improve quality of life, and reduce use of low-benefit and high-cost hospital-based interventions in last year of life. However, access to palliative care remains inconsistent. Overall, only a minority who need palliative care, perhaps as low as 14%, receive it.
The following PhD projects are in response to this need and aim to improve our understanding with regard to identification and management of symptoms in primary care in people living in the community. All will work with, in addition to their supervisors, a research associate working on a community based cohort of patients with chronic medical conditions.
All students will join a vibrant community of current PhD students/fellows. Dr Julie Seymour oversees a monthly morning academic programme which fosters group identify, support and integration into the group. The group also hosts a monthly Seminar programme and termly methodology masterclasses which encourages interaction between doctoral students, research associates and fellows. HYMS registered students also have access to the research training modules provided by the Universities of both Hull and York.
Project DescriptionPrimary care is changing rapidly, with increased focus of public health/prevention, monitoring of long term conditions, and growing integration (of varying success) with the acute sector. This is occurring at a time of major demographic change, with rapidly rising numbers of older people, and prolonged time living with long term conditions. Resources (especially for social care) are severely constrained. These and other factors are profoundly influencing the nature and quality of primary care; yet it is within primary and community care that most of these challenges need to be met. This PhD will explore the changing nature of primary care through qualitative study; seeking to provide deeper understanding of how explicit and tacit knowledge of symptom management and related interventions (from whatever source) can best be implemented.
This project is suitable for a student with experience in qualitative research and a degree in health, social science or psychology. The PhD will provide the opportunity for the student to become expert in the application of social science methods in health care. They will have the opportunity to become expert in evidence synthesis and qualitative methods in particular as well as developing their quantitative skills.
How to ApplyTo apply for these Scholarships please click on the Apply button below.
Applications should be made through the HYMS web site stating the project title and supervisor’s name.
Full-time UK/EU PhD Scholarships will include fees at the ‘home/EU' student rate and maintenance (£14,553 in 2017/18) for three years, depending on satisfactory progress.
Full-time International Fee PhD Studentships will include full fees at the International student rate for three years, dependent on satisfactory progress.
PhD students at the University of Hull follow modules for research and transferable skills development and gain a Masters level Certificate, or Diploma, in Research Training, in addition to their research degree.
Successful applicants will be informed of the award as soon as possible and by 8th May 2017 at the latest.
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