Three professorial appointments in Health Studies

The department of Health Studies is expanding its research portfolio with three new chair appointments.

Professor Bob Lewin takes up his post as Professor of Rehabilitation on 1 April. He has worked at the universities of Edinburgh and Hull and as Head of Health Psychology at the Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust.

His main research interest is in designing cognitive-behavioural treatments which can be accommodated within current routine clinical practice and which will attend to those psychological and behavioural factors that lead to disability and poor quality of life in medical patients. The majority of his research has been in cardiac illness and he has directed the British Heart Foundation Rehabilitation Research Unit since 1993.

"I am looking forward to developing the work of the Research Unit further and believe that, with York's many strengths in health research, the work of our unit will be greatly strengthened. I believe that many of the lessons we have learned over the last 10 years in the cardiac area have applications in other chronic disease states and I look forward to collaborating with others interested in this area of health care.

Professor David Thompson has joined the department as Professor of Nursing. He was previously Professor of Nursing at the University of Hull and has also recently been appointed part-time Professor of Nursing Research at the Department of Health.

Professor Thompson has extensive clinical and academic experience in nursing, with a first degree in nursing, a masters degree in social policy and a doctorate in pscyhology. A Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing, he serves on various national and international nursing and cardiac committees. His major interests are in cardiac care and rehabilitation. He is Assistant Editor of the International Journal of Nursing Studies.

"I look forward to contributing to the academic activities of the department in particular and to the University of York's considerable expertise in health and health-related research," said Professor Thompson.

Professor Ian Watt has taken up a chair in Primary and Community Care in the department of Health Studies. This is a part-time commitment: Ian continues to work as Dissemination Manager in the University's NHS Centre for Reviews and Dissemination and as a general practitioner at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire.

His main research interests are in the clinical effectiveness of health care interventions, the dissemination and implementation of health-related research, patient involvement in clinical decision-making, rural health care, and the interface between primary care and public health.

ENDS

Notes for editors:

The University of York has the largest team of health economists in the world, and the largest body of health care researchers outside a medical school. Health research at the University is undertaken by:

The Department of Health StudiesThe Department of Health Sciences and Clinical EvaluationThe Department of EconomicsThe Centre for Health EconomicsThe NHS Centre for Reviews and DisseminationThe York Health Economics Consortium

For further information please contact Professor Bob Lewin on 01482 675184 , Professor David Thompson on 01482 466698 or Professor Ian Watt on 01904 435137.

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