Chair in Health Services Research and Philosophy
- About
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- Email Address
- vikki.entwistle@abdn.ac.uk
- Office Address
- More Contact Information
- School/Department
- School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition
Biography
I am Professor of Health Services Research and Philosophy with academic homes in both the Aberdeen Centre for Evaluation (formerly Health Services Research Unit) within the Institute of Applied Health Sciences on the University's Foresterhill campus and Philosophy (School of Divinity, History, Philosophy & Art History) on the Old Aberdeen campus.
My research and teaching are highly interdisciplinary. Broadly speaking, I use philosophy and social research to understand and address concerns about quality, ethics and social justice in health care, public health and (more recently) funeral provision and work with the dead and bereaved. I am particularly interested in what are sometimes called person-centred approaches to service provision - you might prefer to talk about the humanity in health and social care provision. I often use feminist theorising and a relational capabilities approach to human wellbeing in my work.
I've had the privilege of working in, and visiting, a number of universities internationally, gravitating back to the University of Aberdeen each time with an extended range of valued colleagues and learning.
Qualifications
- BA (hons) Natural Sciences and Theology1986 - University of Cambridge
- MSc Information Science (Distinction)1990 - City University, London
- MA Philosophy (Distinction)2008 - The Open University
- PhD Information Science1994 - City University, London
External Memberships
Visiting Professor, National University of Singapore (2020-2024)
Visiting Research Fellow, University of South Australia (2024)
International Network on Feminist Approaches to Bioethics (Joint Co-ordinator, 2016-2020; Advisory Board Member ongoing)
Editorial board member for:
Asian Bioethics Review
Health Care Analysis
International Journal of Feminist Approaches to Bioethics
Latest Publications
Making ends meet: A conceptual and ethical analysis of efficiency
Kennedy Institute Ethics Journal, vol. 34, no. 1Contributions to Journals: ArticlesWhy does funeral attendance matter?: Revisiting 'Configurational Eulogies' in light of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK
Mortality, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 706-727Contributions to Journals: ArticlesTelephone consulting for ‘Personalised Care and Support Planning’ with people with long-term conditions: a qualitative study of healthcare professionals’ experiences during COVID-19 restrictions and beyond
BMC Primary Care, vol. 25, 193Contributions to Journals: ArticlesValues and Ethics
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 44 pagesBooks and Reports: BooksTackling disrespect in healthcare: the relevance of socio-relational equality
Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 42-50Contributions to Journals: Articles
Prizes and Awards
Honorary Fellow, Faculty of Public Health (2018)
- Research
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Research Overview
I use social research and practical philosophy to help understand what matters for 'good' public health, healthcare and care of the dead and bereaved, and to consider how policy and practice should be developed in those domains. I seek to take seriously the plurality of values, diversity of perspectives, complexity of social relationships and demands of social justice.
Research Areas
Accepting PhDs
I am currently accepting PhDs in Applied Health Sciences, Philosophy.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss your research ideas further.
Applied Health Sciences
Accepting PhDsPhilosophy
Accepting PhDsResearch Specialisms
- Ethics
- Feminism
- Health and Social Care
Our research specialisms are based on the Higher Education Classification of Subjects (HECoS) which is HESA open data, published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
Current Research
I am currently working on two major projects:
'But why is that better?' explores what applied philosophy and ethics can contribute to healthcare improvement. This is a collaboration with Professor Alan Cribb and Dr Polly Mitchell of King's College London. It is funded by the Wellcome Trust until November 2024. The project webpage is at https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/but-why-is-that-better-project .
Developing the foundations for a Centre (currently 'in development') for Interdisciplinary Death Studies. This broad project initiative builds from the collaboration and learning that for me were initiated with the ESRC funded project 'Developing practical ethics of care for the dead and bereaved' examines what we can learn from the disruption and development of funeral practices during COVID-19. One of the main outputs from that project was the Care in Funerals Casebook - an online resource to support reflection and discussion of values and practical and ethical challenges in funeral provision ( www.abdn.ac.uk/care-in-funerals-casebook ). Developmental work for the Centre includes fostering internal and external network development and supporting grant writing.
Collaborations
Current projects
In addition to the two major funded projects listed above, I am currently working with:
Dr YEW Tong Wei, Prof TAI E Shyong (National University of Singapore). Qualitative study of health professionals' experiences of Care and Support Planning; broader discussions of person-centred care.
Mr Devanand ANANTHAM (PhD candidate), Dr VOO Teck Chuan (National University of Singapore). Doctoral supervision: Doctor-patient partnerships: the key to a better standard of medical advice?
Mrs Lindsay OLIVER and Mr Nicholas LEWIS-BARNED (Year of Care Partnerships), Dr Becky HAINES (GP), Prof Alan CRIBB (King's College London) and Dr Sharon MCCANN (University of Aberdeen). Care and Support Planning via telephone and internet.
Dr Mikey Dunn and Prof Emi Kiyota (National University of Singapore). Conceptual and ethical analysis of co-creation in the context of the Queenstown Health District initiative.
- Teaching
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Teaching Responsibilities
For Academic Year 2023-24 my main teaching commitments are:
Lecturer for PU5056/5062 Key Concepts in Global Health (covering human rights, justice and ethics in global health)
Lecturer for PH1522 How Should One Live? (covering feminist approaches to ethics, and the capability approach)
Lecturer for AY1505 Death! (covering Funerals and COVID-19: learning from disruption)
Lecturer for PH2542 Philosophy and Society (covering philosophy of quality and philosophy healthcare improvement)
Supervisor for PH354p Philosophy Honours Research Project
Project and dissertation supervision:
I will be very happy to discuss supervision possibilities with postgraduate students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds who are interested in pursuing questions relating to questions about quality in healthcare and deathcare provision, and/or ethics and social justice in domains relating to health, wellbeing and death. I particularly welcome inquiries from people who want to work with feminist approaches and/or to draw on a capability approach.
I also contribute to the supervision of philosophy honours projects relating to ethics and/or feminist philosophy.
Previous teaching:
For Academic Year 2022-23 my main teaching commitments were:
Course co-ordinator and academic lead for PU5528 – Values and Ethics in Public Health
This Masters level (level 5) course is offered as an elective for several postgraduate degrees in Applied Health Sciences.
Lecturer for PH1522: How Should We Live?
For this level 1 course, I contribute introductions to Feminist Approaches to Ethics, and the Capability Approach.
Supervisor for PH354p: Philosophy honours research project and PH402D: Philosophy Dissertation
Lecturer for PH5066: Philosophy and society
Lecturer for PH5568: Impact and engagement
Supervisor for PH5067: Readings in Philosophy and Society and PH5905 Philosophy and Society Dissertation
These Masters level (level 5) courses are part of the MLitt in Philosophy and Society.
For Academic Year 2021-22 my main teaching commitments were:
Lecturer for PH1522: How Should We Live?
For this level 1 course, I contribute introductions to Virtue Ethics, Feminist Approaches to Ethics, and the Capability Approach.
Lecturer for Ph5568: Impact and engagement
This Masters level (level 5) course is part of the MLitt in Philosophy and Society.
Supervisor for PH5067 – Readings in Philosophy and Society
This Masters level (level 5) course is part of the MLitt in Philosophy and Society.
Supervisor for PH402D – Philosophy Dissertation
Academic lead for Weeks 1-6 for PU5528 – Values and Ethics in Public Health
This Masters level (level 5) course is offered as an elective for several postgraduate degrees in Applied Health Sciences. (Please note the course co-ordinator for AY2021-22 is Dr Samantha Donnelly)
For Academic Year 2020-21 my main teaching commitments were:
Course co-ordinator for PU5528: Values and ethics in public health
This Masters level (level 5) course is offered as an elective for several postgraduate degrees in Applied Health Sciences.
Lecturer for PH1522: how should we live?
This level 1 course is co-ordinated by Professor Beth Lord. I contributed introductions to Virtue Ethics, Feminist Approaches to Ethics, and the Capability Approach.
Lecturer for PH306D: contemporary research topics in philosophy
This level 3 course is co-ordinated by Dr Luca Moretti. I contributed teaching on various questions relating to Trust, and on the use of Thought Experiments to examine ethical issues.
- Publications
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Making ends meet: A conceptual and ethical analysis of efficiency
Kennedy Institute Ethics Journal, vol. 34, no. 1Contributions to Journals: ArticlesWhy does funeral attendance matter?: Revisiting 'Configurational Eulogies' in light of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK
Mortality, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 706-727Contributions to Journals: ArticlesTelephone consulting for ‘Personalised Care and Support Planning’ with people with long-term conditions: a qualitative study of healthcare professionals’ experiences during COVID-19 restrictions and beyond
BMC Primary Care, vol. 25, 193Contributions to Journals: ArticlesValues and Ethics
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 44 pagesBooks and Reports: BooksTackling disrespect in healthcare: the relevance of socio-relational equality
Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 42-50Contributions to Journals: ArticlesHybrid funerals: how online attendance facilitates and impedes participation
Mortality, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 593-611Contributions to Journals: ArticlesImplementing and evaluating Care and Support Planning: a qualitative study of health professionals’ experiences in public polyclinics in Singapore
BMC Primary Care, vol. 24, 212Contributions to Journals: ArticlesCare in Funerals Casebook
University of Aberdeen (Website).Other Contributions: Other ContributionsTruth and Consequences
Metaphilosophy, vol. 54, no. 4, pp. 523-538Contributions to Journals: ArticlesVarieties of improvement expertise: Knowledge and contestation in health-care improvement
Sociology of Health & Illness, vol. 45, no. 4, pp. 734-753Contributions to Journals: ArticlesRevisiting funeral recordings during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK
Bereavement, vol. 2, pp. 1-5Contributions to Journals: ArticlesPatient safety and the question of dignitary harms
The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 33-49Contributions to Journals: ArticlesUnifying and universalising Personalised Care?: An analysis of a national curriculum with implications for policy and education relating to person-centred care
Patient Education and Counseling, vol. 105, no. 12, pp. 3422-3428Contributions to Journals: ArticlesFeminist Bioethics and Empirical Research
The Routledge Handbook of Feminist Bioethics. Rogers, W. A., Leach Scully, J., Carter, S. M., Entwistle, V. A., Mills, C. (eds.). 1st edition. Routledge, pp. 308-321, 15 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters (Peer-Reviewed)- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003016885-26
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/20273/2/Carter_Entwistle_Feminist_bioethics_and_AAM.pdf
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/20273/1/Carter_etal_RHFB_Feminist_Bioethics_And_VoR.pdf
- [ONLINE] https://www.routledge.com/The-Routledge-Handbook-of-Feminist-Bioethics/Rogers-Scully-Carter-Entwistle-Mills/p/book/9780367860998
Introduction: The Routledge Handbook of Feminist Bioethics
Chapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Forewords and Postscripts- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003016885-1
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
The Routledge Handbook of Feminist Bioethics
Taylor and Francis, Oxford, UK. 610 pagesBooks and Reports: Books- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003016885
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Vagueness and variety in person-centred care [version 1; peer review: 2 approved]
Wellcome open research, vol. 7, no. 170, pp. 1-19Contributions to Journals: ArticlesImplementing shared decision making in UK: Progress 2017–2022
Zeitschrift fur Evidenz, Fortbildung und Qualitat im Gesundheitswesen, vol. 171, pp. 139-143Contributions to Journals: ArticlesWhat, how, when and who of trial results summaries for trial participants: Stakeholder informed guidance from the RECAP project.
BMJ Open, vol. 12, no. 3, e057019Contributions to Journals: ArticlesUnderstanding and investigating relationality in the capability approach
Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, vol. 52, no. 1, pp. 86-104Contributions to Journals: ArticlesTalking it better: Conversations and normative complexity in healthcare improvement
Medical humanities, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 85-93Contributions to Journals: ArticlesMoving residence in later life: actively shaping place and wellbeing
International Journal of Ageing and Later Life, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 127-161Contributions to Journals: ArticlesAn international core outcome set for evaluating interventions to improve informed consent to clinical trials: the ELICIT Study
Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, vol. 137, pp. 14-22Contributions to Journals: ArticlesPushing poverty off limits: quality improvement and the architecture of healthcare values
BMC Medical Ethics, vol. 22, no. 1, 91Contributions to Journals: ArticlesProviding trial results to participants in Phase III pragmatic effectiveness RCTs: a scoping review
Trials, vol. 22, 361Contributions to Journals: ArticlesMade to Measure: The Ethics of Routine Measurement for Healthcare Improvement
Health Care Analysis, vol. 29, pp. 39-58Contributions to Journals: ArticlesHow should the 'privilege' in therapeutic privilege be conceived in decision making about treatment for people with borderline mental capacity?
Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 47, no. 1, pp. 47-50Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe ethical and epistemic roles of narrative in person-centred healthcare
European Journal for Person Centered Healthcare, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 345-354Contributions to Journals: ArticlesRevisiting the equity debate in COVID-19: ICU is no panacea
Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 46, no. 10, pp. 641-645Contributions to Journals: ArticlesHealth professionals’ experiences and perspectives on food insecurity and long‐term conditions: A qualitative investigation
Health & Social Care in the Community, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 404-413Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12872
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/14300/1/Douglas_etal_HSCC_VOR.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Some Unresolved Ethical Challenges in Healthcare Decision-Making: Navigating Family Involvement
Asian Bioethics Review, vol. 12, pp. 27-36Contributions to Journals: ArticlesWhat does 'quality' add? Towards an ethics of healthcare improvement.
Journal of Medical Ethics, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 118-120Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2019-105635
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/14398/1/Crib_etal_.JME_quality_VOR.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Training in communication of oncology clinicians: A position paper based on the third consensus meeting among European experts in 2018
Annals of Oncology, vol. 29, no. 10, pp. 2033-2036Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdy343
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Defining What is Good: Pluralism and Healthcare Quality
Kennedy Institute Ethics Journal, vol. 29, no. 4, pp. 367-388Contributions to Journals: ArticlesRisk, Overdiagnosis and Ethical Justifications
Health Care Analysis, vol. 27, pp. 231-248Contributions to Journals: Articles"The more you know, the more you realise it is really challenging to do": tensions and uncertainties in person-centred support for people with long-term conditions
Patient Education and Counseling, vol. 101, no. 8, pp. 1460-1467Contributions to Journals: ArticlesShould women aged 70-74 be invited to participate in screening mammography?: A report on two Australian community juries
BMJ Open, vol. 8, no. 6, e021174Contributions to Journals: ArticlesWhy Health and Social Care Support for People with Long-Term Conditions Should be Oriented Towards Enabling Them to Live Well
Health Care Analysis, vol. 26, no. 1, pp. 48-65Contributions to Journals: ArticlesExploring the impact and use of patients' feedback about their care experiences in general practice settings - a realist synthesis
Family Practice, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 13-21Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/fampra/cmx067
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/9071/3/Family_Practice.pdf
Primary goals, information-giving and men’s understanding: a qualitative study of Australian and UK doctors’ varied communication about PSA screening
BMJ Open, vol. 8, no. 1, e018009Contributions to Journals: ArticlesAddressing Deficits and Injustices: The Potential Epistemic Contributions of Patients to Research
Health Care Analysis, vol. 25, no. 4, pp. 386-403Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe TRIO Framework: Conceptual insights into family caregiver involvement and influence throughout cancer treatment decision-making
Patient Education and Counseling, vol. 100, no. 11, pp. 2035-2046Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEthical issues raised by thyroid cancer overdiagnosis: a matter for public health?
Bioethics, vol. 31, no. 8, pp. 590-598Contributions to Journals: ArticlesShared decision making in the UK: Moving towards wider uptake
Zeitschrift fur Evidenz, Fortbildung und Qualitat im Gesundheitswesen, vol. 123-124, pp. 93-103Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.zefq.2017.05.010
Barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation in a cancer context: A qualitative study of patient, family and professional views
BMC Cancer, vol. 17, pp. 1-15Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe value of different aspects of person-centred care: a series of discrete choice experiments in people with long-term conditions
BMJ Open, vol. 7, no. 4, e015689Contributions to Journals: ArticlesWe need to talk about purpose: a critical interpretive synthesis of health and social care professionals’ approaches to self-management support for people with long-term conditions
Health Expectations, vol. 20, no. 2, pp. 243-259Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/hex.12453
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/5863/2/Morgan_et_al_2017_Health_Expectations.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
“Was that a success or not a success?”: a qualitative study of health professionals’ perspectives on support for people with long-term conditions
BMC Family Practice, vol. 18, 39Contributions to Journals: ArticlesDoctors' perspectives on PSA testing illuminate established differences in prostate cancer screening rates between Australia and the UK: A qualitative study
BMJ Open, vol. 6, no. 12, e011932Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/27920082
- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011932
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Reframing the Debate Around State Responses to Infertility: Considering the Harms of Subfertility and Involuntary Childlessness
Public Health Ethics, vol. 9, no. 3, pp. 290-300Contributions to Journals: Articles