From post-doc to present day. Presentation for the NIHR CLAHRC National Conference Careers Day: for postdoc research careers in the allied health professions

1. From post-doc to present day
Dr Rebecca Palmer

2. Background
• Speech and language therapist
• Qualified university Reading 1999
• Worked as generalist SLT in North Lincolnshire for
2.5 years
• Interest in research:
– Much of treatment based on theory and experience
– Wanted to know more about what works
– Interested in how we can improve the interventions
we deliver to patients and improve understanding of
what works for who and why.

3. • Research opportunity at University of Sheffield
– SLT on European research project
(Computer programme for dysarthria therapy using
speech recognition)
– With leading researcher in SLT
– PhD

4. Post doc
• Decision time – clinical / research / other?
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Percentageworktime
year post-doc
network
research
clinical

5. • Band 7 specialist SLT on stroke unit (2005-2010)
• Research associate working on project
developing speech recognition technology for
a communication aid (2005-2007)

6. • NIHR stroke research network – rehabilitation and community trials
manager in Trent region (2007-2013)
• NIHR RfPB grant – pilot RCT evaluating independent aphasia
therapy delivered via computer software (2009-2012) - CACTUS
• Combined:
– Knowledge of trials
– Clinical awareness of limited amounts of therapy can offer
– Interest in using technology as mode of delivery of SLT post stroke
• NIHR CLAHRC South Yorkshire – stroke theme and telehealth theme
(2010-2014)

7. http://www.nihr.ac.uk/funding/training-programmes.htm

8. Assessment
Tailoring software
-personalisation
-targeted exercises
Independent practice
~30 mins per day
Volunteer
support
-motivation
-encourage
use of vocab
-feedback
Clinical activity within fellowship (2012-2017)
Piloted implementation of independent aphasia therapy
delivered using computer software.

9. Academic activity within fellowship (2012-2017)
• NIHR HTA multicentre
RCT of clinical and cost
effectiveness of
computer aphasia
therapy (Big CACTUS)

10. Academic activity within fellowship (2012-2017)
• Building clinical research capacity:
– Masters students (MClinRes)
– PhD students
– Development of team of researchers
• Co-investigator on range of studies
– Focus on the rehabilitation of communication post stroke
– Focus on technological solutions
– Enabling people with aphasia to participate in stroke
rehabilitation research
• Stroke patient and public involvement
• Publications

11. • Build networks, external activities

12. • Trustee for research and development
– Building research capacity of the profession
– Setting research priorities for profession
– Encouraging evidence based practice

13. Thank you for listening!