OVERVIEW
This project aims to examine the potential of using linked, administrative data to evaluate the impact of General Practice Pharmacists on the health and wellbeing of older people in Northern Ireland.
In 2015 a pilot scheme was introduced to integrate general practice-based pharmacists (PBPs) into primary care to relieve GP pressure and provide a variety of services such as medication reviews, medicines management, clinics on specific long-term conditions, triage and repeat prescription requests. A lot of these services were aimed at, and would benefit, the older population. The scheme was rolled out in NI in geographic phases providing the perfect environment for a natural experiment. This project will use population-wide linked administrative data to examine a range of health outcomes before and after the integration of PBPs including polypharmacy, mortality, hospitalisation (especially for medicines related incidents) and recidivism, to evaluate the efficacy of PBPs in improving quality of life for older people.
Funding Information
Applicants must include a personal statement (1 page max) in which they should describe their interest, experience, and commitment to ageing research. You should attach this when prompted to upload a proposal.
This is a competitive award, there are five advertised projects for one studentship awards. For further details https://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/SchoolofPharmacy/Research/dunhillmedicaltrust/
To be considered eligible you must have been ordinarily resident in the UK for the full 3-year period prior to the start of the studentship and you must be ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland on the first day of the start of the studentship. If successful, support will be provided by Dunhill Medical Trust. The value of an award includes the cost of approved tuition fees and maintenance support, 2024/25 rates: Fees £4,786, Stipend £19,479 with an inflationary uplift in subsequent years
COURSE CONTENT
Research Information
Associated Research
The School has current collaborative partnerships with the NIH National Cancer Institute (Washington) and the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (Toronto), together with developing relationships with international institutions in the Middle East, such as Hashemite University (Zarqa, Jordan). In addition, some of our current students conduct the majority of their research abroad (currently US and China) with supervisors from both QUB and the external institution. The School also supports short-term research training opportunities for its postgraduate students in the groups of international collaborators; these enriching experiences not only benefit the project but provide valuable insight into research in a global context.
Research Themes
Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research
The global burden of cancer is increasing with incidence now at 15 million new diagnoses each year. The Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research (PGJCCR) is attuned to this global health issue and specialises in integrating academic discovery, industrial/commercial enterprise and innovative health care practice to promote effective delivery of precision cancer medicine, to improve patient health and outcomes, generate wealth and alleviate suffering. PGJCCR has established successful multi-disciplinary teams focusing on cancers of Gastrointestinal, Prostate, Breast and Ovarian origin. Each team incorporates disease-specialist clinicians, accredited molecular pathology expertise bringing affiliated biobank tissue repositories, and academics skilled in the art of (i) biomarker discovery and bioinformatics, (ii) biological investigation and therapeutic development, and (iii) the prosecution of early-phase translation-driven clinical trials. Our significant success has resulted from a strong team-based approach.
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS
The minimum academic requirement for admission to a research degree programme is normally an Upper Second Class Honours degree from a UK or ROI HE provider, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. Shortlisting may include consideration of additional qualifications and research experience. Further information can be obtained by contacting the School.
International Students
For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.
English Language Requirements
Evidence of an IELTS* score of 6.5, with not less than 5.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required. *Taken within the last 2 years.
International students wishing to apply to Queen’s University Belfast (and for whom English is not their first language), must be able to demonstrate their proficiency in English in order to benefit fully from their course of study or research. Non-EEA nationals must also satisfy UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) immigration requirements for English language for visa purposes.
For more information on English Language requirements for EEA and non-EEA nationals see: www.qub.ac.uk/EnglishLanguageReqs.
If you need to improve your English language skills before you enter this degree programme, INTO Queen’s University Belfast offers a range of English language courses. These intensive and flexible courses are designed to improve your English ability for admission to this degree.
HOW TO APPLY
Apply using our online Postgraduate Applications Portal and follow the step-by-step instructions on how to apply.
Find a supervisor
If you’re interested in a particular project, we suggest you contact the relevant academic before you apply, to introduce yourself and ask questions.
To find a potential supervisor aligned with your area of interest, or if you are unsure of who to contact, look through the staff profiles linked here.
You might be asked to provide a short outline of your proposal to help us identify potential supervisors.
