Sara McCafferty
Research Assistant

Qualifications

MSc Business Studies, University of Ulster
BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy, Northumbria University

 

Roles and Responsibilities

Co-ordinator for IHS Postgraduate Support Group

Member of IHS Engagement Strategy Group

President of Newcastle International Development Conference

Informal Interests

In my free time I help co-ordinate a ‘Storehouse’ charity run from Watson House in Newcastle, which seeks to support and empower the homeless and asylum seeker populations in the North East.

I am also passionate about combating poverty internationally and am a member of NE- Call to Action.

 

Current Work

My current work focuses on the implementation of health care policy, within NHS commissioning. Commissioning in the NHS is how public resources are used to efficiently and effectively meet the needs of the local population. A case study approach has been adopted and has been fortunately placed to capture the impact of the White Paper (NHS White Paper, Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS), and subsequent Health and Social Care Bill. Given the number of revisions in this policy, the theory and application of change models has been used to inform this project, which is being undertaken in conjunction with Newcastle University Business School.

 

Recently completed projects: ‘Competencies for World Class Commissioning’, funded by the Policy Research Programme at the Department of Health. This research used interviews with key informants and a literature review to analyse the aims of and stimulus for WCC. In-depth interviews (n=38) were conducted across three PCT sites in the North East, West Midlands and North West of England to analyse the interpretation and implementation of WCC.

Results:The aims and rationale of WCC, in particular the specification of commissioning skills and the aspirations to improve health outcomes, were largely welcomed and supported by key informants and case study participants. However, the implementation of WCC was subject to a number of challenges, including: availability of resources and knowledge, lack of supportive organisational culture and networks, and the dominance of central control.

 

 

Undergraduate Teaching

Medicine in the Community Stage 1 &2 MBBS

Health Economics, EJR

Health Economics, MSc Health Service Research