Professor Allan Colver
Donald Court Professor of Paediatrics

Background

Allan Colver read psychology at Magdalene College, Cambridge University and then medicine at St Bartholomew's Hospital, London University. He trained in paediatrics in Edinburgh and London before moving to Newcastle in 1980 to train in community paediatrics. He was awarded a research Doctorate in Medicine in 1992.
He was appointed Senior Lecturer in Community Child Health to Newcastle University in 1997, with subsequent promotions to Readership, Personal Chair and then Donald Court Chair of Community Child Health in 2007.

 

Roles and responsibilities

Donald Court Professor of Community Child Health, Newcastle University
Consultant Paediatrician, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust 

 

Qualifications

MA MB:BS MD FRCPCH
GMC Number 2349211

 

Research Interests

Past research
In 1982, Allan Colver undertook a randomised controlled trial of interventions to promote child home safety which strongly influenced health visitor practice and training. In the Lancet 1989, his report on providing individual practices with their immunisation coverage influenced the introduction of immunisation targets for general practice. His work in the 1980s and 1990s on the health surveillance of pre-school children influenced national thinking and the recommendations of successive editions of Health for all Children. His longitudinal study with Professor Jarvis of pre-school orthoptic screening influenced the recommendations of a Health Technology Assessment Report that a randomised controlled trial of amblyopia treatment was needed. In 2002, he reported on the epidemiology of severe reactions to food in children, following a study undertaken through the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit.

Present research interests and activity
Epidemiology of cerebral palsy
As Chair of the North of England Collaborative Cerebral Palsy Survey, Allan Colver’s work established the survey on a secure methodological and administrative base. It is now one of the leading registers in the world – and the inclusion in the common data set of details of the impact of cerebral palsy on child and family lifestyle is unique. The survey links with other UK registers and a network of European registers co-ordinated by Dr Cans in Grenoble. The programme of research includes studies of prevalence, aetiology, risks for twins, life expectancy and socio-economic variations; and has led to over 40 publications.

Quality of life and participation of children with cerebral palsy.
Allan Colver leads and co-ordinates a multi-centre European study of the influence of environmental factors on the participation and quality of life of 8-12-year-old children with cerebral palsy in 7 EU countries. http://research.ncl.ac.uk/sparcle/ This four year programme received £900,000 from the European Commission Research Framework 5. There are 18 publications to date, including Lancet 2007:369:2171-2178 and BMJ 2009;338:b1458 doi:10.1136/bmj.b1458 With a grant from the Wellcome Trust, the same children have now been visited again aged 13-17 years; these data are being analysed.
Allan Colver was co-investigator in receipt of a grant from the ESRC of £45,000 for a study which compared the content of qualitative interviews with children with cerebral palsy about their quality of life with the scores and content of a standard instrument. A further ESRC grant is using qualitative methodology to understand better how adolescents with cerebral palsy experience thei changing body and in particular theur experience of pain.
A study has just completed on the development of an instrument to assess the participation of adolescents with cerebral palsy.

Development of a database of children with autistic spectrum disorder
Allan Colver started this database and now shares its development with Helen McConachie. The purposes of the database are to empower parents, inform service planning, undertake epidemiological studies and be a sampling frame for research studies. From the outset a parents’ group has influenced all aspects of its development. The voluntary sector, Local Authorities and Health Authorities fund the database.

Transition of young people with complex health needs
Allan Colver has been awarded a 5 year NIHR Programme Grant to study this topic, starting May 2012. http://research.ncl.ac.uk/transition/

Esteem Indicators

Chairman of the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit 2006-09. http://www.rcpch.ac.uk/bpsu
Associate Editor Paediatrics and Child Health (formerly Current Paediatrics)
Member of Executive Committee of British Academy of Childhood Disability; and chairman of its Strategic Research Sub-committee since 2008. http://www.bacdis.org.uk/research/
Chairman of North of England Collaborative Cerebral Palsy Survey 1995-2009

Funding

MRC 2000-04, ESRC 2004-05, ESRC 2011-13, European Union since 2000, SCOPE 2002, Northern Rock Foundation 2004-06, Newcastle Hospitals Trust 2007, Wellcome Trust 2009-11, NIHR 2009-17