Trent Research & Development Support Unit

Ron Akehurst - Dean of ScHARR
Ron Akehurst is Dean and Professor of Health Economics in the School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) at The University of Sheffield and represents the University on the Trent RDSU Regional Management Board. Between 1994 and 2005, he was the Director of the northern element of the Trent Institute for Health Services Research. Ron was a founding member of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) Appraisal Committee, serving on it for 6.5 years; served on the NICE Topic Selection Committee; the NICE Public Health Interventions Advisory Committee and still serves on the NICE Methodology Committee. He became Director of ScHARR following seven years as Director of the York Health Economics Consortium at the University of York. Previous experience includes periods as a Non-Executive Director of a Health Authority, a Specialist Adviser to the House of Commons Health Select Committee and as an Economic Adviser in the Department of Health. His research interests include all aspects of health economics. He is particularly interested in developing the methodology for Health Technology Assessment and in making the results of analysis more effective in improving policy and practice. He works extensively in pharmacoeconomics and outcomes research.

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Wendy Baird - Director of Trent RDSU
Wendy joined the former Trent Institute in February 2003 from the University of Leicester. Her background is in biological sciences and she has gained a PhD in Environmental Health Sciences from King's College London. She was awarded an NHS Executive Trent Health Services Research Fellowship in 1999 during which time she also attended the MSc in Health Services Research at Leicester. Previous research has utilised both qualitative and quantitative methodology to explore the attitude of dentists on providing care for people with a physical disability; the importance of oral health to people with MS; and the barriers to dental care and attendance pattern for people with MS.

Current research focuses on inequalities in health and access to health services for both those with chronic disabling diseases and those who are socially excluded from care.

She is also involved in developing a network of dental professionals in South Yorkshire and providing support to those who are interested in being involved in research. She teaches on several Trent RDSU Short Courses, the New Researchers Training Programme, the Trent Postgraduate Programme and several of the Undergraduate Medical Student Modules. Wendy is course director for Sheffield Unit's New Researchers Training Programme, she is at present Director of Trent RDSU, Sheffield

 I am able to give advice in the following areas:

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Michaela Barton - Administrator
Michaela Barton is the Trent RDSU Administrator for the Sheffield Unit, based at the Informatics Collaboratory of the Social Sciences, School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield and works on a part-time basis, Tuesday – Friday providing administrative support to the Trent RDSU Regional Manager. Michaela also provides administrative support to Regional Mananagement Board and the Partners' Council. Her other main tasks include conference organisation and the monitoring and reconciliation of the Sheffield Unit and Trent RDSU Regional budgets. Before joining the University of Sheffield in April 1997, Michaela worked as a Medical Secretary providing administrative support to General Surgeons and Cardiologists. In December 1999, she joined the Substance Misuse Clinic, researching the effectiveness of Methadone maintenance used to control heroin addition.

Michaela achieved a Diploma in Secretarial studies, a Certificate in Teacher Training and has undertaken Open University courses in Science and Health Studies, gaining a Certificate in Natural Sciences. Her main area of interest is in health and nutrition, especially in health promotion and disease prevention, as well as spending any spare time between home, work and childcare, gardening, decorating and keeping up an exercise regime.

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Claire Beecroft - Information Specialist (Regional)
Claire joined the Trent Institute in 2003 from the University of Leeds. She has a background in Health Information and currently produces the Research Funding Update (an email digest of current funding opportunities), a monthly e-mail bulletin about Trent RDSU activities called "Take Five", and provides training on short courses for staff in the Trent region.

I am able to give advice in the following areas:

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Mike Jacobs - RDSU Manager (Regional Post)
Mike Jacobs began his career in the NHS in 1968, when he joined the clerical officers' training scheme run by the then East Anglia Regional Hospital Board, spending his first year working in hospitals in Peterborough, Wisbech and King's Lynn. In 1969 he moved to a post in the Hospital Secretary's Office at the West Norwich Hospital, transferring in 1971 to the Sheffield Regional Hospital Board (later the Trent Regional Health Authority) where he joined the Capital Developments Section acting as secretary to a number of Committees and Teams and co-ordinating the purchase and sale of NHS land and property. During this time he successfully completed the examinations of the Institute of Health Service Managers. In 1979, Mike transferred to the Services Planning Section of the RHA analysing Area/District Health Authority strategic and annual plans in respect of the acute services and assisting in the development of the RHA's strategic and annual plans. He also had responsibility for the hospital closure programme resulting from the provision of the new District General Hospitals and later played a large part in the Annual Review process, looking at the performance of DHAs. With the introduction of contracting in 1990, Mike had administrative and co-ordinating responsibilities within the small team responsible for purchasing the Regional Specialty services on behalf of the population of Trent and preparing these services for the devolution of the purchasing function to DHAs.

Mike took up the position of Manager when the former Trent Institute came into being on 1 December 1994. He is based in Sheffield and supports the Regional Management Board and Partners' Council of Trent RDSU, particularly in ensuring the co-ordination of the activities of the Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield Business Groups; overall financial management; the identification of the needs of NHS bodies and marketing of Trent RDSU services. Outside work, Mike is a keen gardener and is interested in photography and civil aviation.

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Tricia Qanem - PA Wendy Baird/ Administrtator Trent RDSU Tricia has worked in administration for many years and has a wide field of knowledge in commerce. From this she gained a qualification in Quality Management Systems and was self-employed setting up ISO9001 into small businesses and through this work became involved with training and worked as a Training Manager for several years.

Tricia joined ScHARR in Jan 2000 and her role has been support to the Director Andrew Booth and the Library Services staff and to implement Quality Procedures into office systems. Her new role is now PA to Dr Wendy Baird, Director of Trent RDSU /Administrator

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Andy is part of the Section of Health Economics and Decision Science (HEDS) and is a member of the Information Resources team based in ScHARR Library. His role is to provide help through the development and support of electronic information services to aid the research of those working at ScHARR and in the Trent RDSU. As part of his remit he offers support to the Trent RDSU. Andy's main areas of work are in Web 2.0, Web Portals, electronic library systems and the Internet.  Andy is the chair of the school's IT Group, and a member of The CiCS User Group. He also co-edits the Trent RDSU Newsletter and compiles the school's current awareness bulletin. He also runs the successful ScHARR Library Blog.

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Anna Cantrell - Information Specialist
Anna has worked one day a week for Trent RDSU since November 2006.  She has a background in Health Information and currently produces the Research Funding Update (an email digest of current funding opportunities), a monthly email bulletin about Trent RDSU activities called "Take Five".

I am able to give advice in the following areas:

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Tracey Young - Lecturer in Medical Statistics

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