My background is in Medical Demography and Population Science, with a Masters degree from the LSHTM, and a PhD from the London School of Economics. Before joining the LSHTM in January 2021, I was a Professor of Care and Health Policy Evaluation and Associate Director of the PSSRU at the University of Kent. Prior to this, I was a Chair at King’s College London. I maintain honorary professorships at the University of Kent, KCL and University of Southern Queensland, Australia.
My research career started in 1991 after completing undergraduate studies in statistics and economics; I worked in research focused on population development with international organisations such as the Population Council, the United Nations, Ford Foundation and the League of Arab States. During that time, my focus was on child and maternal morbidity, social determinants of health and gender equality and family formation in North Africa and West Asia.
Since 2003, my research had focused primarily on the UK health and care policy and service delivery, organisation and outcomes with comparative elements across Europe. I have led several large projects on migration/mobility, global care; transnational social work; diversity and equality, wage poverty, structures and differentials, and evaluations of national schemes focused on improving workforce outcomes and piloting new models of working in care health settings. I have supported several governments in developing their aged care and health strategies and plans in collaboration with organisations such as the United Nations, UNICEF, the WHO and others.
My research career started in 1991 after completing undergraduate studies in statistics and economics; I worked in research focused on population development with international organisations such as the Population Council, the United Nations, Ford Foundation and the League of Arab States. During that time, my focus was on child and maternal morbidity, social determinants of health and gender equality and family formation in North Africa and West Asia.
Since 2003, my research had focused primarily on the UK health and care policy and service delivery, organisation and outcomes with comparative elements across Europe. I have led several large projects on migration/mobility, global care; transnational social work; diversity and equality, wage poverty, structures and differentials, and evaluations of national schemes focused on improving workforce outcomes and piloting new models of working in care health settings. I have supported several governments in developing their aged care and health strategies and plans in collaboration with organisations such as the United Nations, UNICEF, the WHO and others.
Affiliations
Department of Health Services Research and Policy
Faculty of Public Health and Policy
Teaching
I welcome potential MSc and PhD students interested in long-term care and health systems, service delivery, and global ageing.
I teach some modules on the MSc Public Health.
I teach some modules on the MSc Public Health.
Research
I am a Co-Director of the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Systems and Commissioning (PRUComm), I lead a strand of work investigating the role of community health services and their connections to other primary and secondary health utilisation.
I currently lead several research projects focused on the social care workforce such as the Retention and Sustainability of Social Care Workforce (RESSCW), funded by the Health Foundation; Developing a scale of work-related quality of life for adult social care staff (ASCK-WELL), funded by the NIHR; The Adult Social care Staff Evaluation of Reforms to Training (ASSERT) funded by NIHR.
I am a co-investigator and lead research group on the ESRC funded Centre for Care, which builds the work of the Sustainable Care programme of work, funded by an ESRC large grant.
My current research also covers the diverse experience of informal carers; the practical impact of social distancing and isolation on older people in care homes since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic; potential exploitation of migrant workers and live-in care in London;
I have a long-standing research interest in global ageing and health and have recently founded the Middle East and North Africa Research on Health Ageing (MENARAH) network, funded by the GCRF and collaborate on the STRiDE (Strengthening responses to dementia in developing countries) project funded by the UKRI and led by Professor Martin Knapp at the LSE.
I currently lead several research projects focused on the social care workforce such as the Retention and Sustainability of Social Care Workforce (RESSCW), funded by the Health Foundation; Developing a scale of work-related quality of life for adult social care staff (ASCK-WELL), funded by the NIHR; The Adult Social care Staff Evaluation of Reforms to Training (ASSERT) funded by NIHR.
I am a co-investigator and lead research group on the ESRC funded Centre for Care, which builds the work of the Sustainable Care programme of work, funded by an ESRC large grant.
My current research also covers the diverse experience of informal carers; the practical impact of social distancing and isolation on older people in care homes since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic; potential exploitation of migrant workers and live-in care in London;
I have a long-standing research interest in global ageing and health and have recently founded the Middle East and North Africa Research on Health Ageing (MENARAH) network, funded by the GCRF and collaborate on the STRiDE (Strengthening responses to dementia in developing countries) project funded by the UKRI and led by Professor Martin Knapp at the LSE.
