Heidi Stevens
Trial Support Officer

Profile

Biography

Heidi previously worked for Teesside university as a research associate on projects in collaboration with Middlesbrough Council and NHS TEWV. Heidi joined the Mental Health and Addiction Research Group (MHARG) at the University of York in 2022 and moved to the York Trials Unit (YTU) in January 2026.

Qualifications

BSc hons Food and Nutrition, 1st (Teesside University)
MSc Public Health, distinction (University of York)
PhD Health, (Viva to be held in March 2026) (Teesside University)

Research

Projects

HAMLET - A multicentre, two-arm, non-blinded, pragmatic, parallel group, randomised controlled superiority trial assessing the clinical and cost effectiveness of Through Knee Amputation (TKA) compared to Above Knee Amputation (AKA) in patients requiring major lower limb amputations (MMLA), but who are unsuitable for a Below Knee Amputation (BKA).
RESTART PD - A multicentre, two-arm, non-blinded, pragmatic, parallel group, randomised controlled superiority trial with the aim of assessing the clinical and cost effectiveness of Reality DTx®compared with traditional physiotherapy for patients with Parkinson’s Disease.

Previous projects

ESCAPE RCT - e-cigarettes for Smoking Cessation and Reduction in People with Mental Illness
SCEPTRE feasibility study - Smoking Cessation and Prevention of Relapse in Tobacco use Following a Smoke Free Mental Health Inpatient Stay
Evaluation of a Family Dog Service for Children with Autism Spectrum Condition
BALM Study – Behavioural Activation for Low Mood and Anxiety in Male NHS Frontline Staff
BASIL+ – Behavioural Activation in Social Isolation for Older People.
MODS – Managing Multiple Health Conditions in Older Adults

Research group(s)

Trials and Statistics

Publications

Full publications list

Stevens H, Smith J, Bussey L, Innerd A, McGeechan G, Fishburn S, Giles E. Weight management interventions for adults living with overweight or obesity and severe mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Nutr. 2023 Aug 14;130(3):536-552. doi: 10.1017/S0007114522003403. Epub 2022 Nov 3. PMID: 36325987; PMCID: PMC10331435.

Smith J, Stevens H, Lake AA, Teasdale S, Giles EL. Food insecurity in adults with severe mental illness: A systematic review with meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2024 Apr;31(2):133-151. doi: 10.1111/jpm.12969. Epub 2023 Aug 24. PMID: 37621069.

Giles EL, Stevens H, McGeechan GJ, Walker L, Pakunwanich N, Whittaker V, Smith J. Evaluating the nutrition and body mass index clinical link pathway in mental health and learning disability services: A mixed-methods study. PLoS One. 2024 Jun 13;19(6): e0303893. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303893. PMID: 38870198; PMCID: PMC11175514.

Shoesmith, EK, Hall, S, Sowden, AJ, Stevens, H, Pervin, JL, Riga, J, McMillan, D, Mills, D, Clarke, C, Wu, Q, Gibsone, S & Ratschen, E 2024, Dog-assisted interventions for children and adults with mental health or neurodevelopmental conditions: a systematic review, British Journal of Psychiatry. 2025;1–14. doi:10.1192/bjp.2025.8

Shoesmith, E., Stevens, H., Gibsone, S., Miles, C., Beal, H., Jennings, K., & Ratschen, E. (2025). Supporting Families to ‘Make the Most’ of the Relationship Between Their Companion Dogs and Their Children with Autism Spectrum Condition: A Qualitative Exploration of the Family Dog Service. Behavioral Sciences, 15(2), 162.

Galdas P, Bailey D, Bell S, et al Behavioural activation for low mood and anxiety in male frontline NHS workers (BALM): a pre-post intervention study BMJ Open 2025;15:e094214. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-094214

Shoesmith, E.; Stevens, H.; Gibsone, S.; Miles, C.; Beal, H.; Jennings, K.; Ratschen, E. Maximising the Potential Benefit of Living with Companion Dogs for Autistic Children and Their Families: A Mixed-Methods Survey of the Impact of a Novel ‘Family Dog Service’. Animals 2025, 15, 2492. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15172492

Ryde E, Hollingsworth K, Littlewood E, Atha L, Bailey D, Baker H, Bosanquet K, Shearsmith L, Chew-Graham CA, McMillan D, Baird K. Peter Coventry, Suzanne Crosland, View Caroline Fairhurst, Han-I Wang, Lauren Burke, Janine Heeley, Catherine Hewitt, Andrew Clegg, Tom Gentry, Andrew Hill, Karina Lovell, Sarah Dexter-Smith, Gemma Traviss Turner, Judith Webster, Elizabeth Agnew, Heidi Stevens, Katie Webb, Simon Gilbody, David Ekers Multimorbidity in Older Adults with Depression Study (MODS)(Behavioural Activation to improve physical and mental functioning among older people with multiple long-term conditions): Protocol for a fully powered randomised controlled trial. medRxiv. 2024 Jan 11:2024-01.

Blogs

External activities

Overview

Fuse the Centre for Translational Research – Associate research member
Association for Nutrition (AfN) - Associate public health nutritionist
North East Obesity Forum (NEOF) – Committee member

Heidi Stevens Trial Support Officer