There is currently a vacancy for Professor in Health Services Research

The Health Services Research Unit (HSRU) has an exciting opportunity for an outstanding individual to join an internationally renowned research unit.  HSRU is core funded by the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorate as a national centre for health services research relevant to the NHS in Scotland.  The Unit has grown since it was first established in 1988, into one of the premier groups of its kind in the UK with a reputation for its substantial programme of high quality research.  Health services research is an area of high policy relevance for the Scottish Government and for NHS Scotland.

HSRU contributes teaching to the:

• Master of Public Health (MPH) 
• MSc in Global Health and Management 
• Research Methods for Health (PgCert). 

We offer a number of student projects each year to students on the MSc and Intercalated BMEdSci courses.

Staff in HSRU are fully supported in undertaking a PhD.  They are also encouraged to provide supervisory support for full or part-time PhD students. 

Ongoing 

• Complex designs in randomised clinical trials – a case study in dentistry - Beatriz Goulao
• Interrupted times series (ITS) evaluation - Jemma Hudson
• Making clinical trials more efficient: consolidating, communicating and improving knowledge of patient recruitment interventions - Heidi Gardner
• Towards improvement in care delivery in Huntington's disease (HD) - Daniela Rae
• What is the best way to avoid recruitment and retention problems in trials? - Adel El Feky

Recently Completed 

• Mobile Bone Density Scanning Services in the UK: an implementation and outcome evaluation - Rosemary Hollick
• The relationship between perceived decision difficulty, decision time and decision quality in General Practitioners’ decision-making - Nicola McCleary

Experts from our Clinical Trials Unit (CHaRT) and HSRU deliver a 12 week short course on Designing Real World Trials. 

This course takes you through the process of designing a randomised controlled trial (RCT). The course will focus on trials in the evaluation of real-world healthcare and public health settings.  The course aims to develop your knowledge and awareness of how to design a fair test, the appropriate use of trials and alternative trial designs, involving patients and the public, the logistics and practicalities of designing real-world trials and the role of clinical trials units.

To find out more visit the course page or contact Dr Kirsty McCormack

Clinical

HSRU actively mentors NHS Research Scotland (NRS) fellowships.  Recent NRS Clinical Fellows were:

Completed

• Mr Jan Jansen, Consultant Surgeon, NHS Grampian - Geospatial Evaluation of Systems of Trauma Care for Scotland.
   
• Dr Andy Keen, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, NHS Grampian - The application of psychological interventions (including mindfulness based approaches) to health and illness.

Non-clinical

HSRU actively encourages the development of staff through seeking prestigious research fellowships. Several funded research fellowships are supported including for example topics on the surgical trial methodology and methodological investigation of decision support for trial participation

We offer summer student work placements to current University of Aberdeen students wishing to improve their knowledge and experience in a research-focused environment.

In 2017 we welcomed five student interns to work with us over the summer months on a variety of projects. 

This year we had 6 student interns; 2 working on projects with the CHaRT programming team and 4 working on Health Services Research projects.

Placements for next year will be advertised around Spring 2019

There are lots of opportunities for patients and the public to be involved with our research.

You can find out more here

You can also contact our Patient and Public Involvement Co-ordinator Katie Banister