Health and Wellbeing

Aims of the programme

This programme directly supports the research activities of a large group of researchers  and academics within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, who investigate a broad range of research themes from an applied perspective that are directly relevant to mental health, physical health and wellbeing. 

Main themes of research activities:

  • Body image and health
  • Caregiver and family health
  • Chronic disease  
  • Health behaviour change 
  • Mental wellbeing & Suicide 
  • PROMS & Digital health  
  • Psycho-Social Oncology
  • Psychology of Addiction  
  • Reproductive & Maternal health
  • Shared decision making

Externally Funded Projects

Dr Rhys Turner-Moore (PI) & Dr Kate Milnes (PI).

Funding: It's Our Day. £7,956.

Dr Trish Holch (Co-applicant) and radiotherapy colleagues from Leeds Cancer Centre Helen Melling (PI).

Funding: College of Radiographers, £10,000.

Professor Georgina Jones (PI) and colleagues.

Funding: Shire, £120,000.

Professor Georgina Jones (PI), Dr Rachael Moss, Dr Frances Darby, Dr Neda Mahmoodi and colleagues

Cancer, Fertility and Me is a project to develop a patient decision aid to better support women of childbearing age and diagnosed with cancer to make fertility preservation decisions.

Funding: Yorkshire Cancer Research, £250,000.

Dr Lisa Harkry (Co-applicant), Dr Mark Fabri (PI), & Colleagues (Co-Investigator).

Funding: Erasmus+ £360,000.00.

Adaptation and replication testing of the benefits of online psychological support for cancer survivors.

Dr Laura Ashley (Co-applicant) and colleagues from the University of Chester.

Funding: North West Cancer Research, £294,646.

Dr Trish Holch (LBU), Ms Rebecca Hitchen (PPI) and Professor Georgina Jones (LBU).

Funding: Sir Halley Stuart Trust, £5,000.

Dr Trish Holch (LBU), Ms Seren Hughes (PPI), and Professor Anne-Marie Bagnall (LBU).

Funding: Eve Appeal, £2,500.

Psychological self-management intervention. Dr Suzie Xu Wang (Co-applicant), Professor Maggie Lawrence (PI) at Glasgow Caledonian University and colleagues.

Funding: The Stroke Association: £364,694. 

Dr Jim Morgan (Principal investigator), Dr Matteo Curcuruto and Dr Trish Holch (Co-applicants)

A randomised controlled trial of clinical and cost effectiveness of Gonadotrophin Releasing Hormone Analogues with add back hormone replacement therapy versus repeat Laparoscopic surgery (The REGAL Trial).

Professor Georgina Jones (co-investigator) and colleagues.

Funding: Health Technology Assessment, £1.7m. PI: Dr Lucky Saraswat, University of Aberdeen.

Quality of Life (QOL) in patients following video assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) resection or stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer.

Dr Trish Holch and colleagues (Co-applicants), Dr Cecilia Pompilli, Mr Kostas Papagiannopolus & Mr Alex Brunelli (NHS thoracic surgeons); Dr Kevin Franks & Dr Matthew Callister (Clinical Oncologists) and Professor Galina Velikova (Medical Oncologist University of Leeds.

Funding: Yorkshire Cancer Research. £200,000

The development and pilot testing of a patient decision aid to better support patients with ulcerative colitis choose between ongoing medical treatment and surgical treatment options (DISCuSS).

Professor Alan Lobo (Principal investigator), University of Sheffield. Professor Georgina Jones (co-investigator), Miss Anne-Mairead Folan and colleagues.

Funding: Crohn’s and Colitis UK. £120,000.

Professor Georgina Jones (co-investigator), Dr Nina Martin and colleagues.

Medical Research Council. PI: Professor Paul Kaye (University of York) 

Role guiding the scoping review and environmental scan.

Dr Lisa Harkry (Principal Applicant), Dr Trish Holch and Dr Suzie Wang (Co-applicants).

Funding: Wellcome Trust (£45,000).

A qualitative interview study with patients and clinicians to identify theory-based intervention targets, strategies and implementation options. Dr Laura Ashley (Principal investigator) and colleagues.

Funding: NIHR RfPB, £149,784.

Internally funded projects

meetings and events

PsyCen Conferences
In 2019 the Director of PsyCen, Dr Trish Holch, hosted the 4th UK National PROMS conference. The PROMS (Patient Reported Outcome Measures) conference welcomed clinicians, researchers, academics, patient partners, students, early career researchers and others working or interested in the field.

The programme contributes internal and external speakers to the PsyCen seminar series. Previous speakers include:

Our members also have leading roles and contribute to the following national and international societies:

Members of the health and wellbeing research programme