Dear All,
Below is an advert for a PhD studentship in Health Economics through a
collaboration between Keele University and Birmingham University. In
order to apply or for further information please follow the instructions
given below.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Martyn Lewis
Senior Lecturer (Arthritis Research Campaign National Primary Care
Centre, Keele University).
___________________________________________________________________________
PhD RESEARCH STUDENTSHIP
*Modelling costs of Back Pain in longitudinal studies and trials*
The Arthritis Research Campaign National Primary Care Centre, at Keele
has a large and dynamic research programme in musculoskeletal pain,
underpinned by a wealth of cohort and trial data-sets, with linkage to
medical records. The Centre includes a multidisciplinary grouping of
clinicians working alongside epidemiologists, statisticians and social
scientists, and our funding framework gives us a strong remit to
increase research capacity by providing training opportunities and
career support for early experience researchers.
The Health Economics Unit at the University of Birmingham has strong
programmes of applied and methodological research in health economics,
with the central focus being to inform and understand decision-making in
health care; musculoskeletal research is a growing area of applied work
for the Unit. Methodological research programmes focus on modelling,
outcome measurement, capability, and the use of qualitative methods.
The Unit is based within the School of Health and Population Sciences
and comprises health economists and modellers working on a variety of
topics for organisations such as NIHR, MRC, NICE and DoH.
These two research groups are collaborating in an exciting programme of
work, funded by the Arthritis Research Campaign and the National
Institute of Health Research, to bring novel perspectives to the
investigation of the impact of musculoskeletal disease on daily life and
on society through a combination of expertise in health economics,
trials, epidemiology, qualitative research and statistics. This new PhD
studentship will be based at Birmingham where the main supervision will
be located, but there will be regular contact, space and support
provided within the ARC Centre. This arrangement has worked well
previously.
With the support of the supervisory team, and relevant training, the
appointed student will investigate costs associated with back pain.
Costs of interest will include all aspects of economic cost, including
direct financial costs associated with treatment, indirect costs
associated with inability to work and lost production, and intangible
costs associated with poor health and lack of capability. Perspectives
of interest will include the NHS, patients, and society. Data will be
available from the cohort studies and trials established in the ARC
Centre and there will be the opportunity to generate new data if required.
Specific objectives are to:
1) Carry out a systematic review of the published literature in the
field that is complementary to other reviews performed in the ARC
Centre, focussing particularly on the economic perspective.
2) Identify key data, both health service and societal, in the
databases held at the ARC Centre and in linked Census and general
practice consultation databases.
3) Develop models of costs and healthcare effectiveness including
novel methods where needed.
Applicants should have a good honours degree (2:1 or above) in any
relevant subject. A Masters degree in health economics is highly desirable.
Funding is available for three years to cover fees for PhD registration
(for home/EU or overseas rates) and a research studentship stipend of
currently £13,290 per annum (tax free) for 2009. In addition this PhD
Bursary attracts a research training support allowance of £3,000, to be
available for advanced research training courses, research expenses and
conference attendance linked to the PhD.
Further Information
For an informal discussion or to arrange a visit to the Centre, please
contact Professor Jo Coast at Birmingham University on 0121 4143056 or
[log in to unmask] OR Dr Martyn Lewis at Keele University on 01782
734849 or [log in to unmask]
Application Process
Full details of application procedures for study are on
www.keele.ac.uk/gradschool or contact The Graduate School for an
Application Guide and application form (Graduate School, Keele
University, Staffordshire, ST5 5AZ. Tel: 01782 734368, email:
[log in to unmask]).
CLOSING DATE - 31/07/2009
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