Susanne MacGregor MA PhD FRSA AcSS

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Background

My first degree was in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh, followed by a PhD in Politics also from Edinburgh. I have held academic posts at University of Edinburgh, University of London (Institute of Psychiatry, Birkbeck College and Goldsmiths College) and Middlesex University. I was Professor of Social Policy at Goldsmiths College and Director of Research and PostGraduate Studies (Health and Social Science) at Middlesex. I am currently on the International Editorial Board of the journal Drugs: education, prevention and policy.

Teaching

I have taught on courses in Health Promotion and Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco on the Masters in Public Health. Over the years I have taught on several courses, including Political Sociology, Social Research Methods and Comparative Social Policy. I have previously acted as external examiner at numerous universities in England and Scotland (eg Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, LSE, Royal Holloway, Loughborough, Bristol, Hertfordshire, Westminster, Sheffield Hallam, Kent).

Research

I am co-investigator on a project funded by the Department of Health (Policy Research Programme) to evaluate the Alcohol Improvement Programme (with Middlesex University and York University). This evaluation (which will be completed in summer 2011) aims to assess the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and appropriateness of the Alcohol Improvement Programme (AIP) to develop a delivery system which prioritises and delivers action to achieve a decrease in alcohol-related hospital admissions. The research explores the value of providing additional support to PCTs in deprived areas in facilitating speedier/ more effective implementation of the delivery system. It explores the effectiveness and appropriateness of programme components and the extent to which components contribute to the AIP as a whole. It aims to assess the potential of the AIP model to achieve long-term change and will also reflect the views of different stakeholders and consider differential effects within different local contexts.

I was supported by The Leverhulme Trust from 2007 to 2010 as an Emeritus Fellow in the Centre for History in Public Health. Based on this work (The Politics of Drugs), I am currently writing a book which looks at the contemporary history of the drugs problem in Britain and responses to it,  and, in particular, analyses political influences on policy processes.

I have recently completed an evaluation of a pilot programme of SMART Recovery projects coordinated by Alcohol Concern. SMART Recovery is a peer-led mutual aid programme based on cognitive behavioural principles for people with problems related to alcohol, drugs or other behaviours. The report has been submitted to Alcohol Concern and an executive summary will appear on their website and that of the Alcohol Learning Centre.   

I also recently completed a period of time as Programme Coordinator for the UK Department of Health (Policy Research Programme) Drugs Misuse Research Initiative. Phase One of this programme (total budget £2.4 million) ran from 2000 to 2005 and included projects on treatment, co-morbidity/dual diagnosis, young people and waiting lists. Phase Two, entitled ROUTES (research on understanding treatment experiences and services) and valued at £1.4 million, began in 2005 and continued to 2009. ROUTES focused on experiences of treatment and service configuration and on children, young people, families and communities. Further information on this programme of research can be accessed via the website http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/research/dmri. I have edited a collection based on this programme of research which has now been published by Routledge - Responding to Drug Misuse: research and policy priorities in health and social care (2010). 

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