Newcastle University

Introduction

I am a Consultant Physician, Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, with an interest in healthcare of the elderly, at North Tyneside General Hospital where I was appointed a consultant in 1995. I have a special interest in Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and I am the Clinical lead for Northumbria PD Service. I am Director of R&D for the Trust and I am closely involved both locally and nationally with the DeDRoN Research Network.

My main research interest in the UK is Parkinson’s disease. In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), specifically Tanzania, I have a research interest in stroke and Parkinson’s disease. Non-communicable diseases are

Background

My MD thesis was on the risk factors, and outcome, for stroke in the Gambia, West Africa and I have also published the largest ever prevalence study of stroke in Sub-Saharan Africa, from Tanzania as well as the largest mortality (by verbal
autopsy) stroke study in SSA, also from Tanzania. In Tanzania we have just completed the first ever community-based stroke incidence study in SSA and we are presently preparing the results for writing up. We have also just conducted the first Parkinson’s disease prevalence study in SSA (also in Tanzania).

Qualifications

2002 MD, University of Newcastle
2001 Cert Med Ed, University of Newcastle
2000 FRCP, Edinburgh
1999 FRCP, London
1991 FRACP, New Zealand
1989 DTM&H, Liverpool
1985 MRCP, UK
1982 MB BS, Newcastle

Previous Positions

Jun 1995 - Oct 2002, Consultant Physician with an interest in health care of the elderly
Nov 1994 - Jun 1995 Research Fellow attached to the Adult Morbidity and Mortality Project, Moshi, Kilimanjaro region, Tanzania
Oct 1991 - Nov 1994 Northern Regional Senior Registrar rotation in general medicine/geriatrics
May 1991 - Sep 1991 Registration/First Assistnat in Neurology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne
Feb 1990 - Apr 1991 Senior Registrar in Medicine, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Banjul, The Gambia, Overseas Development Administration (ODA)

Memberships

Member of British Geriatrics Society
Fellow of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians
Fellow of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Member of African Gerontological Society
Vice president of Newcastle branch of the Parkinson’s Disease Society
Vice president of Hexham branch of the Parkinson’s Disease Society
Fellow of The Royal College of Physicians, London
Fellow of The Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh
African Neurology Interest Group (Association of British Neurologists) – Member since its inauguration in January 2003
Fellow of the Graduate School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Representative on the British Geriatrics Society Parkinson’s Disease Special Interest Group, with a remit for research (October 2002).
Board member of local charity, “Action for Disability” (1996 - present).
Board member of local charity, “Development Direct” (2001 - present).
Member of the British Geriatrics Society Academic and Research Committee (February 2004 - present) – BGS meetings poster assessor and session chair.

Representative on the British Geriatrics Society Parkinson’s Disease Special Interest Group, with a remit for research (October 2002)
Board member of local charity, “Action for Disability” (1996 - present)
Board member of local charity, “Development Direct” (2001 - present)
Member of the British Geriatrics Society Academic and Research Committee (February 2004 - present) – BGS meetings poster assessor and session chair

Research Interests

I am the head of the Northumbria Parkinson’s Disease (PD) Service, which was mentioned three times in the National Service Framework for Chronic Conditions Good Practice Guide in 2005 and was a finalist in the Health Service Journal Awards in the Patient Access Category, also in 2005. My main research interests in Parkinson’s disease are primarily clinical involving epidemiology, palliative care, pain, service use, sexual dysfunction and falls, and presently autonomic dysfunction and its relation to urinary dysfunction as well as cause-specific mortality of PD.

In Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) I have published on the outcome, prevalence, and mortality from stroke and was principle investigator on a recently completed stroke incidence study in Tanzania which is the first community-based stroke incidence study in SSA. Also in Tanzania we have just carried out the first Parkinson’s disease prevalence study in SSA, and are presently investigating the impact of treatment in the individuals identified.

Other Expertise

I am the director of R&D for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and I am also the Clinical Lead for a higher educational link between Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre (KCMC), Moshi, Northern Tanzania.

Current Work

We are currently looking at autonomic dysfunction in PD, and the relationship of this to bladder dysfunction. We are also looking at cause – specific mortality in PD and place of death.

In Tanzania we have just completed, and commenced writing up, the Tanzanian Stroke Incidence Project. We have just completed the first Parkinson’s disease prevalence study and are presently investigating drug intervention in the cohort of individuals identified.

Future Research

I am hoping to continue recruitment for the Tanzanian Stroke Incidence Project and find further funding to maintain this. We are keen to investigate genetic aspects in relation to both the Parkinson’s disease and stroke work in Tanzania, and have DNA stored with respect to this. We are keen to specifically investigate cognitive impairment and dementia following stoke in Tanzania and are collaborating with Professor Raj Kallaria in relation to this. I hope in the future to be successful in applying for a programme grant to continue research in Tanzania focusing on neurological disability and the impact of interventions such as physiotherapy.

Research Roles

I am the principal investigator on the Tanzanian Stoke Incidence Project and on the Parkinson Disease Prevalence Study and the Director of R&D for Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.

Postgraduate Supervision

I have already successfully supervised three MDs with a fourth about to submit, and a fifth due to submit in 2008.

Esteem Indicators

In April 2006 I was awarded a national bronze award.
I am a reviewer for prestigious journals such as Lancet Neurology, Stroke and Movement Disorders.

Funding

Wellcome

Stroke incidence study for the Hai district and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.
R W = Principal investigator. January 2003 - December 2005 - £337,040

Masters Research Training Fellowship for Mr Gregory Kabadi. 2004 – 2006: MSc course in Health Sciences at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, research project entitled “Economics of Stroke Incidence and Prevention”. Wellcome - £37.639

Masters Research Training Fellowship Grant entitled “Perceptions and treatment seeking for stroke in urban and rural Tanzania” – awarded May 2005 - £52,158. Upgraded to PhD fellowship funding – June 2006

An analysis of sexual and relationship dysfunction in people with Parkinson’s disease and their partners. June 2002 – May 2003 - £17,000

Parkinson’s Disease Society
The prevalence of Parkinson’s disease in the Hai district of northern Tanzania. £58,000. March 2005

Industrial Relevance

Nil

Patents

Nil

Projects

• A study to assess the prevalence of neurological disorders and atrial fibrillation (a risk factor for stroke) in a population aged 70 years and over in the Hai district, Northern Tanzania
  Project Leader(s): Professor Richard Walker
• Stroke incidence study for the Hai district and Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania
  Project Leader(s): Professor Richard Walker
• The prevalence, and phenotype, of epilepsy in adults in the Hai district, Tanzania
  Project Leader(s): Professor Richard Walker
• What is the prevalence, and nature of Parkinson’s disease in the Hai district of northern Tanzania?
  Project Leader(s): Professor Richard Walker

Undergraduate Teaching

Stage I students – I have been involved with teaching stage I students for those attending North Tyneside for initial clinical exposure.
Stage II students - I have taught on the clinical skills (later Foundations of Clinical Practice) course for the Stage II students since commencing at North Tyneside in 1995. One of my main involvements has been with respect to the organization of the neurology week. I have supervised Stage II MBBS student literature review projects. I have been involved in the development and delivery of the Chronic Illness, Disability and Rehabilitation module and the Infectious Diseases module in Northumbria.
Stage III - I am the organiser of stage III student option projects based in the department of health care of the elderly at North Tyneside.
Stage IV (final year students) – I am involved with the Preparing for Practice course and also with the final year rotations.

Postgraduate Teaching

Junior House Officers - I have given lectures as part of the JHO compulsory teaching course.
Senior House Officers - I have given lectures as part of the SHO and Foundation teaching programme.
MRCP - I continue to help with MRCP Part I and II, and also PACES, teaching for both individuals and groups and have also been an “Examiner” in the PACES teaching examinations.
RITA assessor for foundation 1/2 doctors.
I was appointed senior lecturer (teaching) at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust (October 2002). This was part of the process of building up teaching capacity within Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust with the medical student expansion and the increased teaching role that Northumbria has taken on. I have a ½ time commitment to teaching which includes specific commitments to the Chronic Illness Disability and Rehabilitation and also infectious diseases modules, the curricular for which I have helped develop. I am the Northumbria base-unit coordinator for Student Selected Components. I obtained my Certificate in Medical Education at Newcastle in 2001.

• Walker RW, Rolfe M, Kelly PJ, George MO, James OFW. Mortality and recovery after stroke in The Gambia. Stroke 2003,34 7 1604-1609.
• Hunter E, Rogathe J, Iqbal A, Birchall D, Whittaker R, Jackson M, Jusabani A, Aris E, Walker R. Convulsive epilepsy in a rural district of northern Tanzania: risk factors and classification. In: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry: Association of British Neurologists Annual Meeting. 2012, Gateshead, UK: BMJ Group.
• Walker RW, Jusabani A, Aris E, Gray WK, Mitra D, Swai M. A prospective study of stroke sub-type from within an incident population in Tanzania. SAMJ South African Medical Journal 2011, 101(5), 338-344.
• Longdon A, Paddick SM, Dotchin C, Dewhurst F, Gray WK, Dewhurst M, Kisolie A, Walker R. Screening for dementia in rural Tanzania: Results from the screening phase of the Hai Dementia Prevalence Study. In: Age and Ageing: British Geriatrics Society Spring Meeting. 2011, Liverpool: Oxford University Press.
• Walker RW, Dunn JR, Gray WK. Self-Reported Dysphagia and Its Correlates Within a Prevalent Population of People with Parkinson's Disease. Dysphagia 2011, 26(1), 92-96.
• Walker RW, Howells AR, Gray WK. The effect of levodopa dose and body weight on dyskinesia in a prevalent population of people with Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism & Related Disorders 2011, 17(1), 27-29.
• Dewhurst F, Dewhurst M, Orega G, Longdon A, Dotchin C, Paddick S, Gray W, Walker R. The prevalence of disability in the elderly population of Hai, Tanzania, as measured using the Barthel Index with comparison to a European population. In: Age and Ageing: British Geriatrics Society Spring Meeting. 2011, Liverpool: Oxford University Press.
• Mshana G, Dotchin CL, Walker RW. 'We call it the shaking illness': perceptions and experiences of Parkinson's disease in rural northern Tanzania. BMC Public Health 2011, 11, 219.
• Jaafar AF, Gray WK, Porter B, Turnbull EJ, Walker RW. A cross-sectional study of the nutritional status of community-dwelling people with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. BMC Neurology 2010, 10(1), 124.
• Shorter J, Massawe J, Parry N, Walker R. Comparison of two village primary schools in northern Tanzania affected by fluorosis. International Health 2010, 2(4), 269-274.
• Dotchin C, Van Den Ende C, Walker R. Delivering global health teaching: The development of a global health option. Clinical Teacher 2010, 7(4), 271-275.
• Walker R, Whiting D, Unwin N, Mugusi F, Swai M, Aris E, Jusabani A, Kabadi G, Gray W, Lewanga M, Alberti G. Stroke incidence in rural and urban Tanzania: A prospective, community-based study. The Lancet Neurology 2010, 9(8), 786-792.
• Lee M, Walker R, Hildreth A, Prentice W. A Survey of Pain in Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management 2006, 32(5), 462-469.
• Athey R, Walker R. Demonstration of cognitive decline in Parkinson’s disease using the Cambridge Cognitive Assessment (Revised) (CAMCOG-R). International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry 2006,21 10 977-982.
• Woodford H, Walker R. Emergency hospital admissions in idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Movement Disorders 2005, 20(9), 1104-1108.
• Walker RW, McLarty DG, Kitange HM, Whiting D, Masuki G, Mtasiwa DM, Machibya H, Unwin N, Alberti KGMM, Adult Morbidity Mortality Project. Stroke mortality in urban and rural Tanzania. In: Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry: Joint Congress of the Association of British Neurologists/Neurological Association of South Africa. 2003, Cape Town, South Africa: BMJ Group.
• Walker R, Ogungbo B. The profile of stroke in Nigeria's federal capital territory, Imam and Olorunfemi. Tropical Doctor 2003. , 33(2), 123-123.
• Walker RW, McLarty DG, Kitange HM, Whiting D, Masuki G, Mtasiwa DM, Machibya H, Unwin N, Alberti KGMM, Adult Morbitiy Mortality Project. Stroke mortality in urban and rural Tanzania. The Lancet 2000, 355(9216), 1684-1687.