Dr Eilidh Duncan

Biography

I am a Research Fellow and Health Psychologist working to produce evidence about what works to improve health care, what doesn't and why. I want to help to ensure that the right patients are offered the right care at the right time.

I began working in the Health Services Research Unit in 2009 as a research assistant for the PROTECT study investigating prescribing errors made by junior doctors. Whilst working in the unit I gained my PhD (Health Psychology) in 2010, was awarded chartership status with the British Psychological Society in 2013 and registration as a Health Psychologist with the Health Care Professions Council in 2012. I was promoted to Research Fellow in 2011 and my work has focussed on i) the translation of research evidence into routine clinical practice; ii) the design and evaluation of interventions to change behaviour; and iii) the application of behavioural theory to trial recruitment and retention. 

I now lead research in improvement studies where I apply my expertise in health psychology and behavioural science to produce evidence about how to improve health care. I was awarded a personal postdoctoral fellowship by THIS Institute in 2018 to investigate participatory approaches to the design of a strategy to improve evidence-based care; audit and feedback. For more details see this blog post about my fellowship project.

Internal Memberships

Committee member of SERB, the School of Life Sciences and Medicine ethical review board (2017-current)

Prizes and Awards

THIS Institute Postdoctoral Fellowship 2018-22. The Healthcare Improvement Studies (THIS) Insititue.

Research Overview

Audit and feedback; behaviour change; behaviour science; codesign; dental health care; health professional behaviour; implementation science; improvement science; mixed-methods; trial recruitment and retention.

Current Research

Improvement studies

I lead work that looks to produce evidence on how to improve health care with a special interest in dental health care. This includes my THIS Institute funded postdoctoral fellowship exploring how to advance the science on audit and feedback to improve healthcare; and my ongoing role as lead health psychologist within the TRiaDS programme (Translating Research into Practice: Guidance-based Implementation of Dental Evidence; funded by NHS Education for Scotland).

Other ongoing and recently completed projects within this area

• Work looking to improve the uptake of evidence into practice: using behavioural approaches to optimise antibiotic stewardship in hospitals, barriers and facilitators to prescribing and instilling Mytomycin C for treatment of bladder cancer, optimising the responsible use of antibiotics in dentistry (TiPTAP, RAPiD)

• Using codesign methods to (re)design strategies for improving care: improved data for improved outcomes, can codesign enhance national quality improvement interventions in dentistry

• Building the evidence for Audit and Feedback: TiPTAP, RAPiD

• Co-supervisor for PhD projects: optimising the responsible use of antibiotics, prescription behaviour in prostate cancer treatment

Behavioural approaches to trial methodology

I am lead behavioural scientist for PPRO_Behave and provide behavioural science expertise for trials and projects including REBOA, CGALL, STEER, BadRaP and REINFORCE. I am also co-supervisor and advisor for PhD candidates in this area.

Collaborations

• TRiaDS (Translation Research in a Dental setting): a multidisciplinary research group that has been formed to develop a programme of knowledge transfer research embedded within the SDCEP guidance development process; it has public, academic, political and professional members

• IMAGINE (IMpact Assessment of Guidelines Implementation and Education): a European-wide collaboration involving the European Academic Urology guidelines office and experts in urology, implementation science, and health services research and delivery

• BadRaP: Using behavioural science to understand and improve participation in clinical trials

• Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance: Primary Care Antibiotic Audit and Feedback Network (JPIAMR PAAN). An international collaboration on best practices for the delivery of antibiotic prescribing feedback to community clinicians using behavioural science.

• THIS Community: A community of researchers, NHS, patients and public interested in the evidence base for improving the quality and safety of health care

• Member of the Audit and Feedback Metalab International Trainee Network

Funding and Grants

Duncan EM. Improving healthcare through advancing the evolution of audit and feedback. THIS Institute. £217,959. [01/12/18 - 31/08/22].

Duncan EM, Ramsay C. Primary care - Improved data for improved outcomes. Scottish Improvement Science Collaborating Centre (SISCC). £34,612. [01/07/19 - 31/12/20].

Black, M., Bhattacharya, S., Entwistle, V., Bick, D., Devane, D., Locock, L., Taylor G., Duncan E., Williams, D., Denison F. Planning mode of birth in routine Antenatal care - development of a decision-aid (Plan-A). NIHR Health and Social Care Delivery Research Programme. £131,050. [01/06/22 - 30/11/24].

Schwartz K, Ivers N, Lindbaek M, Brown B, Llor C, Pulcini C, Butler C, Ramsay C, Lorencatto F, Bucher H, Brehaut J, Clarkson J, Grimshaw J, Hemkens L, Davoli M, Hallsworth M, Taljaard M, Alonso P, Sundvall P, Touboul Lundgren P, Gunnarsson R, Høye S, Verheii T, O'Connor D, Duncan E, Bjerrum L, Francis N, Little P, Grilli R. The JPIAMR Primary Care Antibiotic Audit and Feedback Network (PAAN): An international collaboration on best practices for the delivery of antibiotic prescribing feedback to community clinicians using behavioral science. Tenth joint transnational call for networks within the joint programming initiative on antimicrobial resistance. $200,000. [1/21-10/23]

Gillies K, Duncan E, MacLennan G, LeBrec V, Lendrum R. What are the key challenges and opportunities for mounting a trial of prehospital REBOA? A behavioural diagnosis to inform a definitive evaluation. ISSF@Aberdeen. £19,001. [09/21-02/22]

Beaton L, Clarkson J, Cassie H, Duncan EM, Goulao B, Young L. Co-designing national clinical audits to improve population oral health. Chief Scientist Office. £33,616. [01/04/20 - 01/10/20].

Brehaut J, Marlin S, Duncan E, Fergusson D, Gillies K, Graham I, Grimshaw J, Hey  S, Presseau J, Ramsay C, Rodger, M, Taljaard M, Weijer C, Gordon J, MacLennan G, Richards D, Mei-Lin Y, Inglis J. Using behavioural science to understand and improve participation in clinical trials. Canadian Institute for Health Research Project Grant. $963,900. [01/04/20 - 30/03/24].

MacLennan S, MacLennan SJ, N'Dow J, De Bruin M, Duncan EM, Ahmad S, Dimitropoulis K. Understanding the barriers and facilitators to treating non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients in line with best practice recommendations: an exploratory study of six critical cases. Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund. £19,307. [01/11/2017 - 30/04/2018].

Fingleton N, Matheson C, Watson M, Francis J and Duncan EM.  Dependence and misuse of over-the-counter medicines: an exploration of patients’ and professionals’ perceptions, experience and management.  Society for the Study of Addiction. PhD Studentship (N Fingleton).  £56525. [01/10/12 – 30/9/2015].

Teaching Responsibilities

I supervise Masters students on courses within the Insitute of Applied Health Sciences. I contribute to the MSc course Evidence Based Health (PU5031) as well as to marking and assessment across the Institute.