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Staff Profiles

Dr Deborah Harrison

Research Design Methodologist (SRA)

  • Telephone: +44 (0) 191 208 2579
  • Address: NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) Specialist Centre for Public Health (SCPH)
    4th Floor Baddiley Clark Building
    Faculty of Medical Sciences
    Newcastle University
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE2 4AX
Background

Roles and Responsibilities

Deborah is a Research Design Methodologist (Senior Research Associate) based in the NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) Specialist Centre for Public Health (SCPH).

Background

Deborah's background is in public sector research, policy and service development. She has worked with a wide range of organisations including local authorities, NHS, social care providers, emergency services, armed forces and the voluntary and community sector (VCS). Before joining Newcastle University, Deborah worked in a variety of academic and third sector positions including Coordinator of the North East Child Poverty Commission (NECPC), Research and Development Lead for the North of England Mental Health Development Unit (NEMHDU) and Service Designer for the national homeless charity Crisis.

Deborah's research interests span a breadth of issues related to work, inequalities and social justice. Recent research topics include: the future workforce 'pipeline' in health and social care; supporting better work in adult domiciliary care; employee voice in the future of work; public procurement and decent work; workforce sustainability in the Fire and Rescue Service; and place-based systems change in the homelessness sector. Deborah is passionate about participatory methods and the involvement of people with lived experience in research, service development and policymaking.

Qualifications

PhD in health services research, Newcastle University, 2012 (Thesis title: 'Redefining the Role of 'Non-Professionally Affiliated' Workers in Community Mental Health Care: A Qualitative Exploration of Co-Worker and Client Relationships') 

BSc (Hons) Psychology, Newcastle University, 2006

ORCID ID

0000-0002-5036-6698

Research

Research Interests 

Deborah's research interests span a range of issues related to work, inequalities and social justice. These include:

  • Work quality/decent work
  • The 'future of work' in frontline public services, particularly health and social care 

Current Work

  • Understanding Newcastle's future health and care workforce 'pipeline': Pathways, motivations and priorities (Newcastle Health Research Partners, 2024-25)
  • Supporting decent work in UK social care: Local responses, employment relations and frontline experience (HASS Faculty Research Fund, 2023-24)

Recent Work

  • Understanding and enhancing productivity in an organisational context (The Productivity Institute/ESRC, 2023-24)
  • Engineering Futures (Alex Ferry Foundation, 2020-22)
  • Procurement Practices as a Route to Fulfilling Work (Carnegie UK Trust, 2018-20)
  • Measuring and improving workplace culture at Cleveland Fire Brigade (2019-20)

Funding 

  • Newcastle Health Research Partners - Supporting the future health and care workforce in Newcastle: Recruitment, retention and representation - £50k, 2024-25
  • The Productivity Institute - Understanding and Enhancing Productivity in an Organizational Context: Creating Value and Inclusive Growth for UK plc - £19k, 2023-24
  • Newcastle University Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) Faculty Research Fund - Supporting decent work in UK social care: Local responses, employment relations and frontline experience - £4k, 2023-24
  • National Institute for Health Research - North East Applied Research Collaboration (NE-ARC) - Mapping 'Making Every Contact Count' (MECC) implementation across the North East and Cumbria: A comparative analysis of delivery models, service reach and system-level relationships - £48k, 2020-22
  • Carnegie UK Trust - Making Procurement Work for All (Stage 3 advocacy work) - £15k, 2019-20
  • Cleveland Fire Brigade - Improving and Measuring Workplace Culture in Cleveland Fire Brigade - £40k, 2019
  • Gateshead Council - Evaluation of Gateshead Council's 'Making Every Contact Count' programme - £37k, 2019
  • Carnegie UK Trust - Procurement and Fulfilling Work: Research and development project - £38k, 2018-19
  • Big Lottery Reaching Communities Fund - A Day Out, Not a Handout: North East 2017 Summer Holiday Project, £380k, 2017-18
  • Millfield House Foundation - Strategic Partnership: Provision of research and policy support to the North East Child Poverty Commission - £120k, 2016-19
  • North East Child Poverty Trust - Regional child poverty feasibility study - £10k, 2015-16
  • Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind - Research input and evaluation of the Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind 'Living Life' service - £15k, 2014-15
  • Finchale Training College - Evaluation of the Finchale College mental health 'Transitions' programme - £40k, 2014-16
  • Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind - User-focused evaluation of the Middlesbrough and Stockton Mind Carers' Support Service - £10k, 2014
Teaching

Deborah has taught undergraduate and postgraduate Research Methods, as well as the undergraduate module HR to Improve Working Lives (BUS2035).

Publications