Thanks to a multi-million-pound donation from philanthropist Helen McArdle, the Helen McArdle Nursing and Care Research Institute was launched as a new hub for innovation in health and care.
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The Institute focuses on applied health and care research and innovation. It works collaboratively across all faculties to harness the power and potential of interdisciplinary research. The Institute has strong relationships with external partners in the NHS, Local Authorities, third-sector, commercial and social care, developing research and innovation projects that have potential for impact and making a difference to the care of patients and populations.
Our work is aligned with current policy and practice, including the NHS Fit for the Future 10-Year Health Plan(opens in new tab). Key areas of focus have shifted from illness to prevention of ill health, conceptualising place-based neighbourhood care, and moving from analogue to digital-based health systems.
The Institute’s strategy has also evolved in response to key international, national, and regional policies on the commissioning and delivery of services in:
The NHS and other healthcare systems
Local authorities and other government agencies
Third-sector and social care.
We take into account the social determinants of health, the commercial determinants of health, and evidenced widening of health inequalities.
Our strategy
Obesity is a complex, chronic, and relapsing disease characterised by an excessive amount of body fat. It's emerging as a global health epidemic.
Obesity has a complex aetiology with genetic, biological, hormonal, and environmental factors at play. Both social and commercial determinants of health may influence it.
It's a risk factor for the development of non-communicable chronic diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, musculoskeletal conditions, and cancer.
People living with obesity may experience weight stigma, which can reduce quality of life, increase social isolation and prevent help-seeking. We're committed to working with individuals living with obesity and patient advocacy groups, such as the UK Coalition for People Living with Obesity and the Association for the Study of Obesity, to inform policy and practice in this area.
Metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is the only intervention that offers strong and sustained weight loss and improvement of conditions associated with obesity. There is increasing use of obesity management medications, whether alone or as an adjuvant with MBS, which the Institute is researching.
We're also committed to the prevention and management of good health and wellbeing, which empowers people to play an active role in their care. Our research explores social prescribing, lifestyle medicine, and creative approaches to health as mechanisms to achieve this.
Our strong and sustained research into MBS and care of people living with obesity has evolved into ten specialist areas:
Creative health is defined as creative approaches and activities which have benefits for health and wellbeing. Activities can include visual and performing arts, crafts, film, literature, and creative activities in nature.
Creative approaches may involve creative and innovative ways to approach health and care services, co-production, education, and workforce development.
Creative health can be applied in homes, communities, cultural institutions and heritage sites, and healthcare settings. It has the potential to contribute to the prevention of ill-health, promotion of healthy behaviours, management of long-term conditions, and treatment and recovery across the life course.
Mental health refers to our psychological and emotional state, and is more than just the absence of mental illness. Broadly, it's about the ability to enjoy life, deal with stress, emotional resilience, and maintain healthy relationships.
Wellbeing is a broader concept including mental, emotional, physical, and social health, reflecting how satisfied and balanced we feel overall.
For people living with obesity and other chronic conditions, positive mental health and wellbeing are important to support daily functioning, manage challenges, build resilience, and live fulfilling lives. There is a strong link between physical and mental health.
Weight stigma exists in all areas of social life, such as education, employment, societal attitudes, policy, media and popular culture and healthcare settings. It involves negative attitudes, stereotypes, or discrimination directed at people based on their body weight or size. This can happen implicitly or explicitly.
Weight stigma contributes to suboptimal health outcomes, reduced quality of life, and is a barrier to accessing healthcare, and research has shown it can impact educational attainment, employment opportunities and discrimination in many social settings.
For people living with obesity, addressing stigma requires cultural change, education, inclusive policies, and compassionate communication.
Psychological interventions and support play a crucial role in promoting mental health and wellbeing. They help individuals build resilience, manage stress, develop healthy coping strategies, and improve their overall quality of life.
Similar to weight, there is often stigma associated with poor mental health and wellbeing, which also leads to social isolation, prevention of help seeking and reduced quality of life. Through increasing public awareness and understanding, encouraging open conversations, and empowering people with lived experience, the potential for psychological interventions to support people to live positive lives can be supported.
The Institute works closely with colleagues in the School of Psychology on a range of projects on this theme.
This area aligns with the NHS Fit for Future move from analogue to digital healthcare services, and with our work in the regional NortHFutures ecosystem.
Through an interdisciplinary approach with colleagues across the University and external partnerships, we are developing impactful research and innovation projects in this area, including working with patient groups to develop support tools for chronic disease management, the use of theomorphic robots in palliative care, and AI to assist in the diagnosis of vocal chord disorders.
Only one in four people globally who undergo MBS are male, despite equivalent rates of living with obesity across both genders. The reasons for this remain unknown and are likely complex. The Institute works closely with the NHS and MBS societies globally to explore and understand this issue, making recommendations for support and care of males living with obesity seeking MBS.
We have a current PhD studentship exploring this issue, and we're also examining other gender issues in MBS, such as female reproductive health and care of transgender people in MBS services.
Prehabilitation refers to a proactive, structured programme of care designed to optimise a person’s physical, psychological, and nutritional health before a medical treatment or surgery. The goal is to improve recovery outcomes, reduce complications, and support long-term wellbeing after medical or surgical intervention.
Within MBS, we are exploring nutritional and psychological support of people living with obesity in partnership with the MBS unit at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, and international partners.
People who undergo MBS need lifelong support and monitoring to ensure positive outcomes. In the UK, people are under specialist acute care for the first two years before being discharged into the community for lifelong follow-up and support.
Long-term support for people undergoing MBS is important to achieve and maintain positive health outcomes, prevent complications, and enhance their overall wellbeing. While surgery is an important step in weight loss and the resolution of obesity-related conditions, the long-term care and support of patients is crucial.
The Institute is working with the NHS, patients, and healthcare partners internationally to explore issues relating to long-term care, such as follow-up in community settings, patient empowerment, monitoring of nutritional complications, the potential role of pharmacists, and psychological support.
The Institute has a strong track record of research in this area, which was one of the University’s Impact Case Studies for REF2021.
Workforce issues in health and care are a major challenge globally, affecting the quality, accessibility, and sustainability of health services. These issues impact not only the delivery of care but also the wellbeing and retention of staff.
Current issues facing the NHS and other healthcare workforces include recruitment and retention, an ageing workforce, increased workloads and outsourcing issues and the health and wellbeing of healthcare workers.
The Institute focuses on the MBS model of multidisciplinary team working, illuminating the roles and contributions that each member makes to decision-making and patient care. We're also exploring the power and potential of the voluntary sector and its contribution to supporting the NHS and patient and population health, for example, social prescribing.
In line with the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) regional and national strategies, the Institute is committed to supporting research and innovation career development of NHS-based NMAHPs, in addition to supporting initiatives in developing equitable research policies and practices for this workforce.
The Institute currently supervises over six NMAHP staff undertaking PhDs, working closely with individuals and organisations to develop research and innovation activity, leading and supporting on external funding applications, and forming supportive collaborations, both in and out of NHS settings, to support NMAHPS to achieve their research aspirations.
Ann Fox: Institute Chair and Executive Director of Nursing, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board
Julie Cox: Director of Research and Innovation, Consultant Radiologist, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Professor Patrick Hung: Ontario Tech University
Professor Nick Lemoine: Medical Director of the National Institute for Health and Care Research
Emma Scarr: Producer, The Cultural Spring
Simon Douglas: Director of Research and Innovation, Cumbria, Tyne and Wear Mental Health Foundation Trust
Mark McArdle: Chair HMC Group
Kamal Mahawar: Consultant Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeon, Sunderland and South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust
Gerry Taylor: Executive Director of Health, Housing and Communities, Sunderland City Council
Col Andrew Gilliam: Consultant General Surgeon, County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
Melanie Johnson: Executive Director of Nursing, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.
Our PhD students make a vibrant contribution to our research environment. Their work aligns with our strategy and supports interdisciplinary research across faculties. We're always happy to speak with prospective students whose research proposals align with the Institute's strategy.
We have 21 PhD students aligned to the work of the Institute. Two are funded through the Helen McArdle Nursing and Care Research Institute Studentship:
Robyn Jones: Robyn’s PhD is exploring the causes of health inequalities in deprived populations in Sunderland, in collaboration with Sunderland City Council
Katie Baxter: Katie’s PhD is in understanding the gender disparities in MBS care and why fewer males seek surgery than females. This is a collaboration with the MBS unit at South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust.
Other PhD students:
Chris Cairns
Lucy Close
Allison Dollery
Abbey Fletcher
Kayleigh Goldsbury
Judith Grant
Inga Hamilton
Sam Lucas
Ruth Mhlanga
Ferdos Ramazan
Kate Roberts
Dan Taylor
Alice Thompson
Callum Tierney
Cath Turner
Mary Watson
Jane Young.
Recently completed students:
Dr Dorothee Oberdhan
Dr Julie Parrott.
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The Institute’s Research and Innovation activity is supported by our Visiting Professors and Visiting Research Fellows nationally and internationally.
Recent work
Evaluation of the Admiral Nurse Service Primary Care in South Tyneside
The Admiral Nurse Service was established in South Tyneside in 2022. The service offers care and support to families affected by dementia. Admiral Nurses also support best practice in dementia care among other professionals. Dr Heather Yemm led an evaluation to explore the impact of the Admiral Nurse Service for both families affected by dementia and for professionals working with people affected by dementia.
Northern Health Futures (NortHFutures)(opens in new tab) is a digital health hub that aims to address the unmet health and care needs of populations in the north-east and North Cumbria region of the UK by facilitating responsible cross-sector research, innovation, and training.
Professor Graham is the University lead for NortHFutures(opens in new tab). This is a £7m (£4.17m EPSRC and UKRI supported), north-east-based consortium which brings together six regional universities, seven regional NHS Foundation Trusts, and more than 50 core partners across industry, health and care, public, and voluntary sectors.
We take a people-centred approach and are committed to humanising health-tech by championing equity, participation, and investment across the region. We practice participant-led user research and evaluation of tools and resources to strive for the design of usable and useful technologies and services.
Our goal is to establish NortHFutures as a pioneering ecosystem working across job sectors that empowers people to engage and lead in digital health and health-tech initiatives.
Get involved
The Institute holds meetings to highlight our work and our collaborations with partner organisations, providing opportunities for discussion and debate. These activities will be open to, and bring together, university staff and students, local and regional NHS and care workforces, including health and social care organisations, and the public.
For any enquiries about the Helen McArdle Nursing and Care Research Institute, please contact Professor Yitka Graham.
