Staff Profile
Liam Spencer
Research Assistant
- Email: liam.spencer1@ncl.ac.uk
- Telephone: (0191) 208 4938
- Address: Population Health Sciences Institute
Baddiley-Clark Building
Richardson Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 4AX
I joined Newcastle University in December 2014, and I am currently undertaking a 2-year NIHR ARC Mental Health Fellowship, focussing on building mental health research capacity in the North East and North Cumbria. I have recently been involved with the NIHR SPHR Public Mental Health programme, the NIHR SPHR PHPES Best Start in Life Evaluation (South Tyneside Council), and a NENC ARC-funded evaluation of the implementation of whole-school approaches to mental health in Trailblazer schools. Other recent work includes ATTUNE (Understanding Pathways to Stimulant Use: A mixed-methods examination of the individual, social and cultural factors shaping illicit stimulant use across Europe), and 'Using Behavioural Insights to Improve the Uptake of Support for Services for Drug and Alcohol Misuse in Hartlepool'.
In 2018 I co-authored the Tyne and Wear Citizens 'Living Well: Mental Wellbeing and Public Life in the North East' report, following an AskFuse enquiry. Previously, I worked on PROMOTE: NE (Preventing Risks Of Mental illness Onset and Treating Early in the North East), which I was co-applicant for (funded by the Institute for Local Governance and Public Health England), to assess the need and provision of interventions to address mental health difficulties in young people across the North East. Prior to that, I worked on an independent evaluation of the NHS 111 Learning & Development Programme Phase 2; which was established to support and promote evidence-based service development for the NHS 111 service. The first project I had involvement with was the NIHR SIPS Junior study; comparing the effectiveness of a face-to-face brief intervention with an electronic brief intervention (smartphone app), designed to prevent alcohol-related harm in young people aged 14-17 years presenting at A&E.
Prior to working in research, I spent several years working in youth and community work practice, for local authority, charity, and private organisations. This work was in both generic and targeted contexts, and included work with autistic young people, and the delivery of universal mental health interventions. Alongside my full-time research role, I am undertaking my PhD part-time by published works.
Background
- 2014 - Present: Research Assistant, Newcastle University
- 2013 - 2015: Youth Engagement Worker, YoungMinds
- 2013 - 2015: Children and Young People Worker, Barnardo's (DAISS)
- 2011 - 2015: Transitions Worker, Patchwork People
- 2010 - 2011: Young Associate, Cernis Limited
- 2008 - 2013: Youth Support Worker/Youth Crime Action Plan Worker, Darlington Borough Council
Education
- Social Science and Health Research MSc, Newcastle University
- Psychology BSc (Hons), Newcastle University
Memberships
- British Psychological Society
- FUSE (The Centre for Translational Research in Public Health)
- IEPA Early Intervention in Mental Health
- NIHR SPHR ResNet
Research Interests
- Public mental health
- Young people's mental health
- Early intervention and prevention
- Substance use
Funding
- Henderson E, Woodley H, Maniatopoulos G, Flynn D, Spencer L, Newham J, Perkins N. (2022). Evaluation of a piloted Early Help Youth Hub for a multi-academy trust in Newcastle. Streetwise Young People's Project. £25,000.
- Wearn A, Shenton F, El-Zerbi C, Pearson A, Spencer L, Collier Z, Bramhall L, Rogan E, Takunda A, Hollis D, Matthews A, Sheridan S, Leighton K, Jenkins K, Kristen R, Wearn L, Louise N. (2022). Developing inclusive school environments: Optimising the provision of staff training to support positive mental health in autistic young people. NIHR NENC ARC. £24,662.
- Henderson E, Woodley H, Newham J, Flynn D, Wood M, Maniatopoulos G, Johnson A, Spencer L. (2020). Evaluating the implementation of whole school approaches (WSAs) to improve mental health and wellbeing in the Trailblazer schools. NIHR NENC ARC. £49,287.
- Flynn D, Scott S, Bhardwaj-Gosling R, Devanney-Glynn C, Rathmell G, Daneshyar J, Gordon I, Spencer L. (2020). Developing and Piloting Mental Health Campaigns in Trailblazer Schools. NHS England North East Clinical Neworks. £20,000.
- McGovern R, Christie A, Arnott B, Brown H, Hardy C, Harrison H, Kaner E, Claire M, McGovern W, Phillips P, Rankin J, Spencer L. (2020). Public Health Practice Evaluation: Best Start in Life Alliance. NIHR SPHR. £214,299.75.
- Troy D, Spencer L, McGovern R, Winstone L, Dykxhoorn J, Kidger J, Campbell R. (2019). Investigating the feasibility of delivering a resilience building programme to parents/caregivers of secondary school children. NIHR SPHR (ResNet). £28,890
- Spencer L, Kaner E. (2018). Living Well - Mental Wellbeing and Public Life in the North East. Tyne and Wear Citizens. (Consultancy). £2,000.
- Lynch E, Alderson H, McGovern R, Ling J, Spencer L, Scott S, Kaner E. (2018). Using behaviour insight to improve uptake of support for services for drug and alcohol misuse in Hartlepool and to reduce prevalence in children and young people. Hartlepool Borough Council/Local Government Association. £50,000.
- Lingam R, McGovern R, Shucksmith J, McArdle P, Barkla X, Robalino S, Geijer-Simpson E, Spencer L, Reynolds A, Kaner E. (2015). Mental Health Issues in Children and Young People. Institute for Local Governance. £44,000.
- HSC8001: Fundamentals of Research
- HSC8047: Public Policy, Health and Health Inequalities
- PSY3040: Psychobiology of Drug Addiction
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Articles
- McDermott E, Kaley A, Kaner E, Limmer M, McGovern R, McNulty F, Nelson R, Geijer-Simpson E, Spencer L. Understanding How School-Based Interventions Can Tackle LGBTQ+ Youth Mental Health Inequality: A Realist Approach. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4274.
- Spencer L, Alderson H, Scott S, Kaner E, Ling J. ‘The Addiction Was Making Things Harder for My Mental Health’: A Qualitative Exploration of the Views of Adults and Adolescents Accessing a Substance Misuse Treatment Service. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2023, 20(11), 5967.
- Troy D, Anderson J, Jessiman PE, Albers PN, Williams JG, Sheard S, Geijer-Simpson E, Spencer L, Kaner E, Limmer M, Viner R, Kidger J. What is the impact of structural and cultural factors and interventions within educational settings on promoting positive mental health and preventing poor mental health: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 2022, 22(524).
- Spencer L, Flynn D, Johnson A, Maniatopoulos G, Newham J, Perkins N, Wood M, Woodley H, Henderson E. The implementation of whole-school approaches to transform mental health in UK schools: A realist evaluation protocol. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 2022, 21.
- Adams EA, Spencer L, Addison M, McGovern W, Alderson H, Adley M, McGovern R, Gilvarry E, Kaner E, O'Donnell A. Substance Use, Health, and Adverse Life Events amongst Amphetamine-Type Stimulant Users in North East England: A Cross-Sectional Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2022, 19(12), 6996.
- Kaluzeviciute G, Jessiman T, Burn A, Ford T, Kidger J, Leonard N, Limmer M, Spencer L. Studying Mental Health in Schools: A Participatory Action Research (PAR) Approach in Public Mental Health. The Journal of Concurrent Disorders 2022.
- Jessiman P, Kidger J, Spencer L, Geijer-Simpson E, Kaluzeviciute G, Burn A-M, Leonard N, Limmer M. School culture and student mental health: a qualitative study in UK secondary schools. BMC Public Health 2022, 22(1), 619.
- Liebregts N, McGovern W, Spencer L, O'Donnell A. No Thanks! A Mixed-Methods Exploration of the Social Processes Shaping Persistent Non-Initiation of Amphetamine-Type Stimulants. Contemporary Drug Problems 2022, 49(2), 228-247.
- Redgate S, Spencer L, Adams EA, Arnott B, Brown H, Christie A, Hardy C, Harrison H, Kaner E, Mawson C, McGovern W, Phillips P, Rankin J, McGovern R. A realist approach to understanding alliancing within Local Government public health and social care service provision. European Journal of Public Health 2022, epub ahead of print.
- Spencer L, McGovern R, Kaner E. A qualitative exploration of 14 to 17-year old adolescents' view of early and preventative mental health support in schools. Journal of Public Health 2022, 44(2), 363–369.
- Smart D, Jackson K, Alderson H, Foley T, Foreman S, Kaner B, Kaner E, Lancaster H, Lingam R, Rankin R, Rowlands G, Spencer L, McGovern R. What Influences Parents and Practitioners’ Decisions to Share Personal Information within an Early Help (Social Care) Context? Implications for Practice in Sharing Digital Data across Sectors. British Journal of Social Work 2021, 52(4), 2146-2165.
- Alderson H, Spencer L, Scott S, Kaner E, Reeves A, Robson S, Ling J. Using behavioural insights to improve the uptake of services for drug and alcohol misuse. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2021, 18(13), 6923.
- Spencer L, Addison M, Alderson H, McGovern W, McGovern R, Kaner E, O'Donnell A. 'The Drugs Did For Me What I Couldn't Do For Myself': A Qualitative Exploration of the Relationship Between Mental Health and Amphetamine-Type Stimulant (ATS) Use. Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment 2021, 15, 1-8.
- Kaluzeviciute G, Jessiman T, Burn A-M, Ford T, Geijer-Simpson E, Kidger J, Limmer M, Ramsay SE, Spencer L. Participatory Action Research on School Culture and Student Mental Health: A Study Protocol. International Journal of Qualitative Methods 2021, 20.
- Addison M, Kaner E, Spencer L, McGovern W, McGovern R, Gilvarry E, O'Donnell A. Exploring pathways into and out of amphetamine type stimulant use at critical turning points: a qualitative interview study. Health Sociology Review 2021, 30(2), 111-126.
- Martens M, Zurhold H, Rosenkranz M, ODonnell A, Addison M, Spencer L, McGovern W, Gabrhelík R, Petruzelka B, Rowicka M, Liebregts N, Degkwitz P, Kaner E, Verthein U. Using life course charts to assess and compare trajectories of amphetamine type stimulant consumption in different user groups – a cross-sectional study. Harm Reduction Journal 2020, 17, 8.
- Bareham BK, Kaner E, Spencer L, Hanratty B. Health and social care providers’ perspectives of older people’s drinking: A systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies. Age and Ageing 2020, 49(3), 453-467.
- O'Donnell A, Addison M, Spencer L, Zurhold H, Rosenkranz M, McGovern R, Gilvarry E, Martens M, Verthein U, Kaner E. Which individual, social and environmental influences shape different pathways of amphetamine type stimulant use over the life course? A systematic review and thematic synthesis of the qualitative literature. Addiction 2019, 114(1), 24-47.
- Bareham BK, Kaner E, Spencer LP, Hanratty B. Drinking in later life: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative studies exploring older people's perceptions and experiences. Age and Ageing 2019, 48(1), 134-146.
- ODonnell A, Addison M, Spencer L, Zurhold H, Rosenkranz M, McGovern R, Gilvarry E, Martens M, Verthein U, Kaner E. A systematic review of qualitative research on the factors shaping amphetamine type stimulant use over the life course (abstract). The Lancet 2018, 390(S64).
- Newham J, Lingam R, McGovern R, Spencer L, Shucksmith J, Robalino S, Geijer-Simpson E, Reynolds A, McArdle P, Kaner E. Primary and secondary preventative interventions to promote mental health and resilience in young people aged 12-19 years: a systematic review of systematic reviews (protocol). PROSPERO 2016, CRD42016033645.
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Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)
- Russell S, Spencer L, Newham J, McGovern R, Henderson E, Jackson K, Simpson EG, Kaner E, Lingam R. Complicated Lives and Burdened Services: Young People's Mental Health Services in the North East of England. In: BSA Medical Sociology Group Annual Conference. 2017, University of York: British Sociological Association.
- Bareham B, Kaner E, Spencer L, Hanratty B. A Qualitative Systematic Review Exploring Roles, Risks, and Social Patterns of Drinking in Later Life. In: 21st International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics (IAGG) World Congress. 2017, San Francisco: The Gerontological Society of America.
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Reports
- Barton J, Spencer L. Living Well - Mental Wellbeing and Public Life in the North East. London: Citizens UK, 2018.
- Newham J, Henderson E, McGovern R, Russell S, Spencer L, Geijer-Simpson E, Shucksmith J, Reynolds A, Robalino S, McArdle P, Kaner E, Lingam R. PROMOTE: NE - Preventing Risks of Mental Illness Onset and Treating Early in the North East of England. 2017. Submitted.
- Stobbart L, O'Donnell A, Akor W, Albani V, Brown H, Craig D, Fattakhova G, Harrison S, Kaner E, Kirkman S, Lally J, Little M, Mott D, Rice S, Robinson T, Scott J, Shaw C, Spencer L, Tandogdu Z, Vaittinen A, Watson N, Whalley E, Vale L. Phase Two of the NHS 111 Learning and Development Pilot Programme: Final Report. NHS England, 2015.