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Dr Matthew Allsop

Dr Matthew Allsop

  • Position: Associate Professor of Palliative Care
  • Areas of expertise: palliative care; cancer; digital technology; health research; user involvement; global health; sub-Saharan Africa; service evaluation
  • Email: M.J.Allsop@leeds.ac.uk
  • Phone: +44(0)113 343 4185
  • Location: Level 10 Worsley Building
  • Website: Twitter | Researchgate

Profile

I am an Associate Professor of Palliative Care funded by a Yorkshire Cancer Research University Academic Fellowship. My research explores the development of palliative care services including the design and evaluation of digital health approaches. 

I obtained my PhD from the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Leeds before spending time in the medical device industry supporting manufacturers with user involvement approaches and early-stage economic evaluation. I returned to the University of Leeds as a Research Fellow in Applied Health working with NHS clinical commissioners prior to joining the Academic Unit of Palliative Care.  

Current responsibilities include: 

  • Member of the University of Leeds Africa Strategy Group
  • Member of PallCHASE (Palliative Care in Humanitarian Aid Situations and Emergencies) 

Research interests

My research explores the development of palliative care services, including the design and evaluation of digital health approaches. My research is conducted across a range of settings including the UK, Indonesia, and multiple countries in Africa. 

My research as a primary investigator includes the following projects:

Projects funded as a co-investigator or collaborator include:

  • Research England Policy Support Fund 2021: “Embedding the patient voice into palliative and end of life care policy in England”
  • Research England QR GCRF 2020: “Developing national physical activity promotion policies in hospice care”
  • White Rose Collaboration Fund 2020: “Measuring, evaluating and improving the quality of care for dying people and their families”
  • Research England QR GCRF 2019: “Telerehabilitation to improve the quality of life of individuals with long term disabilities in Nepal” (click for a video providing an overview of the project) 
  • University of Leeds Pump-priming for Interdisciplinary Research Initiatives 2019: “A user-centred approach to develop a new garment orthosis for improving movement in children with cerebral palsy”
  • Global Crucible 2019: “Developing a low-cost digital platform to improve Continuing Professional Development in rehabilitation for healthcare professionals in Madagascar”
  • IASP Developing Countries Project: Initiative for Improving Pain Education 2019: “Project OPUS – Online pain education for Nigerian medical undergraduate students"
  • Biomedical and Health Research Centre, University of Leeds 2012: "Evaluating the benefits of gamma knife surgery for patients with trigeminal neuralgia"

Previous public engagement activity as a contributor includes: 

Current postgraduate students: 

  • Will Goodman (with Rebecca Beeken and Amy Downing). Research title: Using advanced quantitative methods to explore physical activity and quality of life in patients with a stoma.
  • Emmanuel Leshak (with Bassey Ebenso and Cathy Brennan). Research title: Psychosocial impact of community-based management of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in Nigeria.
  • Eme Asuquo (with Kate Absolom and Bassey Ebenso). Research title: The provision of breast cancer survivorship care in sub-Saharan Africa. 
  • Jakki Birtwistle (with Amy Russell and Sam Relton). Research title: Technology-mediated approaches to advance care planning. 
  • Rebecca Day (DClin) (with Florien Boele and Charlotte Baker). Research title: What is it like to experience an online cognitive screen for people who have had a stroke?

Completed doctoral students: 

  • Asma Abahussin (PhD, 2021) (with Lucy Ziegler, Robert West, and David Wong). Research title: A health informatics approach for recording pain and supporting effective pain management in cancer patients. 
  • Hayley Scanlon (DClinPsy, 2021) (with Gary Latchford). Research title: Understanding hospice social workers’ experiences of their work with adults in the U.K. An interpretive phenomenological analysis. 

Qualifications

  • BSc Psychology
  • PhD Mechanical Design Engineering

Professional memberships

  • Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA)
  • International Association of Hospice and Palliative Care

Student education

My current teaching roles include:

Research groups and institutes

  • Division of Primary Care, Palliative Care and Public Health
  • St Gemma's Academic Unit of Palliative Care
  • International health research
  • Palliative care
  • Research at the Nuffield Centre of International Health and Development
  • Cancer
  • Leeds Institute of Health Sciences

Current postgraduate researchers

<h4>Postgraduate research opportunities</h4> <p>We welcome enquiries from motivated and qualified applicants from all around the world who are interested in PhD study. Our <a href="https://phd.leeds.ac.uk">research opportunities</a> allow you to search for projects and scholarships.</p>