Newcastle University

Background

I am a psychologist currently working towards chartered health psychologist status with the British Psychological Society (BPS). My main research interests are in the development and evaluation of theory-based health behaviour change interventions targeting people with metabolic disorders/chronic disese (e.g., Type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) and their care teams (behaviour change targeting healthcare professionals). I am also interested generally in physical activity as a management option in routine clinical care and the implementation of behavioural interventions in primary and secondary care contexts.

Qualifications

Stage 2 Qualification in Health Psychology (In progress)
Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education
MSc Health Psychology
BSc (Hons) Psychology

Current Role

2010 - Present: Research Associate/Project Manager

Movement as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes: A multifacted behavioural intrvention targeting physical activity/exercise behaviour in adults with Type 2 diabetes in primary care

Previous Positions

2008-2010 Lecturer in Research Methods, Teesside University
2007-2008 Junior Research Associate, Newcastle University
2006-2007 Research Assistant & Part-time Lecturer, Teesside University
2003-2006 Project Officer, Commission for Social Care Inspection

Memberships

Diabetes UK
Newcastle Health Psychology Group
European Health Psychology Society (EHPS)
British Psychological Society, Division of Health Psychology

Research Grants

Newbury-Birch D, Gilvarry E, McArdle P, Ramesh V, Stewart S, Walker J, Avery L, Beyer F, Brown, N, Jackson K, Lock C, McGovern R, Kaner E. (2009) The impact of alcohol consumption on young people: A review of reviews. Department for Children, Schools and Families £50,977

Kaner E, Avery L, Brown N, Jackson K, Mason H, Newbury-Birch D. A rapid review of evidence on liver disease epidemiology, treatment and services. (2007) NIHR-CCF £28,327

Awards

25th European Health Psychology Society (EHPS) Conference, Crete, Greece: Interactive poster award winner, Sept 2011  

Current Work

I am a member of MoveLab the Physical Activity & Exercise Research Group based in ICM and currently lead the following two projects:

i) Movement as Medicine for Type 2 Diabetes:  This involves the development of two theory-based interventions. The first an online intervention for diabetes care providers (an online training programme). The second is designed for use with diabetes care providers and their patients during routine diabetes consultations to help facilitate an increase in physical activity to improve glucose control. These interventions will be piloted in primary care practices across the County Durham and Darlington Region.

ii) A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Behaviour Change Interventions Targeting Physical Activity, Exercise and HbA1c in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes. More specifically an assessment will be made of the extent to which selected studies utilise behavioural models, theories and behaviour change techniques (BCTs); whether specific 'clusters' of BCTs and modes of delivery are associated with better outcomes (i.e. greater improvements in HbA1c) and whether these 'behavioural' interventions are more effective than usual clinical care.

This programme of work forms the basis of my PhD (funded by the MRC) that im currently completing under the supervision of Dr Mike Trenell (ICM) and Dr Falko Sniehotta (IHS) 

Other Expertise

I have previously worked in the following areas of research utilising quantitative, qualitative and systematic reviewing techniques:

Screening and brief intervention for increased and high risk alcohol use in adults; Obesity prevention and management in children and adults; and various social care projcts with looked after children and their carers from a range of residential care settings.

In addition I have taught/trained a number of NHS healthcare and public health professionals in the delivery of behaviour change interventions.

Teesside University (Full-time, 2008-2010): Postgraduate: Designing Research Projects (Module Leader); Dissertation Preperation (Module Leader); and Health Psychology (Intro to Health Psychology, Models/Theories of Behaviour Change). Undergraduate: Appraising Evidence for Practice and Dissertation Preparation for Allied Health Professionls.

Newcastle University (Part-time, 2008-2010): Essential Junior Rotation in Public Health. 'Public Health Intervention: Alcohol as case study' delivered as part of the MBBS Degree Programme (Year 3 medical students). 

Supervision (2008-2010): I have successfully supervised 3 undergraduate (1 via distance learning in Malaysia) and 2 masters level students through their final year degree projects as primary supervisor.

• Avery L, Flynn D, van Wersch A, Sniehotta A, Trenell MI. A systematic review of behaviour change inerventions targeting physical activity, exercise and HbA1c in adults with type 2 diabetes. In: Diabetic Medicine: DUK Annual Professional Conference. 2012, Glasgow, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• Avery L, Taylor L, Lievesley M, Mosely K, Speight J, Sniehotta FF, Trenell MI. Development of a behavioural intervention targeting free-living physical activity in adults with type 2 diabetes in primary care: Movement as Medicine. In: Diabetic Medicine: DUK Annual Professional Conference. 2012, Glasgow, UK: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
• Avery L, Flynn D, van Wersch A, Trenell MI, Sniehotta FF. Systematic Review to identify active ingredients in behaviour change interventions targeting physical activity in adults with type 2 diabetes. In: Psychology & Health: 25th European Health Psychology Conference. 2011, Crete, Greece: Routledge.
• Newbury-Birch D, Gilvarry E, McArdle P, Ramesh V, Stewart S, Walker J, Avery L, Beyer F, Brown N, Jackson K, Lock C, McGovern R, Kaner E. Impact of alcohol consumption on young people: A systematic review of published reviews. Department for Children, Schools and Families, 2009. DCSF-RR067.
• Brown T, Avenell A, Edmunds LD, Moore H, Whittaker V, Avery L, Summerbell C. Systematic Review of Long-term interventions to prevent weight gain and morbidity in adults. Obesity Reviews 2009. ,10 627-638.
• Avery L, van Schaik P, van Wersch A, Flynn D. The relationship between sociodemographic, medical, and psychological factors and Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Implications for gastroenterology. In: UK Society for Behavioural Medicine 4th Annual Scientific Meeting. 2009, University of Exeter, UK.
• Brown TJ, Avenell A, Edmunds L, Moore H, Avery L , Whitaker V, Summerbell C. Systematic Review of Long-Term Lifestyle Interventions to Prevent Obesity in Adults. In: 16th European Congress on Obesity (ECO2008). 2008, Geneva.
• Kaner E, Newbury-Birch D, Avery L, Brown N, Jackson K, Mason H. A rapid review of liver disease epidemiology, treatment and service provision in England [Report Commissioned by Department of Health and the British Liver Trust]. Newcastle upon Tyne:Institute of Health and Society, University of Newcastle upon Tyne,2007.
• Brown T, Edmunds L, Moore H, Whitaker V, Avery L, Summerbell C. Economic Evaluation of Obesity Prevention for UK Adults. London, UK: National Prevention Research Initiative (NPRI), 2007.
• Summerbell CD, Avery L, Lang B, O'Malley C, Simpson D, Smith S, Whittaker V. Tees Consumption and Activity in Kids Experience (TeesCAKE). Durham University, UK: World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), 2006.
• Morgan R, Lindsay M, Avery L, Noble J, Clay L, Roscoe A, Ellis D, Georgiou E. Young People's Views on Leaving Care. Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Commission for Social Care Inspection, 2006.
• Morgan R, Lindsay M, Noble J, Roscoe A, Clay L, Avery L, Ellis D, Georgiou E. Being a boarder: A survey of boarders and parents views on boarding schools. London: Commission for Social Care Inspection, 2005.