I am a senior research fellow with a special interest in work and health and am a co-investigator on the Health and Employment after Fifty (HEAF) Study. I am also the training lead for early career researchers in Programme 2 and the Arthritis Research UK/MRC Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work (with research aimed at identifying cost-effective ways of minimising the substantial adverse impacts of musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace).
I graduated in Nursing Studies at the University of Southampton in 1990. I worked as a clinical research nurse in the Department of Medicine at the University of Southampton where I completed a PhD in 1997 that explored the effects of nitrogen dioxide on asthmatic symptoms in school-aged children.
I joined the MRC Unit in Southampton in 1997 and subsequently set up and coordinated a number of large scale community longitudinal studies of upper limb disorders. This included the development and piloting of a standardised proforma for the upper limb and neck (the Southampton Examination Schedule) and the subsequent training of other researchers and clinical staff in this technique.
I have also coordinated a number of other occupational studies including: a case-control study of occupational and lifestyle risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome; a multi-centre randomised controlled trial of physical activity and physiotherapy in the management of distal arm pain; the Health and Employment After Fifty (HEAF) study; a NIHR-funded feasibility trial of Individualised Placement and Support for unemployed people with chronic pain (InSTEP) and the Well@Work Project with Southampton City Council that aims to provide support to people with musculoskeletal and/or mental health conditions who are at risk of losing their jobs.