My research focusses on: the relationship between work, disability and health; barriers to disabled people’s employment; and interventions to support disabled workers’ employment, including workplace adjustments. Disabled people have lower employment rates than non-disabled people, and are also more likely to be employed in insecure, lower-skilled and low-paid work. These employment inequities have severe consequences for their financial independence, health and wellbeing, and provide a mechanism for producing and exacerbating social inequalities in health.
I am leading the Inclusive Remote and Hybrid Working Study funded by the Nuffield Foundation, which explores how remote and hybrid working can be designed to be inclusive of disabled workers’ needs and preferences. Our interim report can be accessed here: Beyond the Office? How remote and hybrid working can help close the disability employment gap
I am a member of the Versus Arthritis/MRC Centre for Musculoskeletal Health and Work which aims to find cost-effective ways to reduce work disability among individuals with musculoskeletal disorders. I led a qualitative research for the Centre exploring the challenges disabled entrepreneurs face when establishing a business.
I am co-Investigator on the WORKWELL trial of job retention vocational rehabilitation for employed people with inflammatory arthritis.
I have also conducted qualitative research and evidence synthesis on the role of workplace adjustments and organisational policies in facilitating work retention for people with musculoskeletal disorders.
◦Gender and social inequalities in health;
◦Chronic illnesses (including musculoskeletal disorders) and their impact on employment, income and quality of life;
◦Impact of work on health; impact of health on work;
◦Long-term sickness absence and its management in the workplace;
◦Workplace adjustments for people with chronic illness/long-term conditions;
◦Lifecourse research.
Editorial Board member of the Disabilities journal.
Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).
I am module convenor for DHR403 Principles of Research Design, a core year 2 module on the Division of Health Research’s Blended Learning PhD programmes .
