Skip to main content

Staff Profile

Liam Spencer

Research Assistant

  • Telephone: (0191) 208 4938
  • Address: Population Health Sciences Institute
    Baddiley-Clark Building
    Richardson Road
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE2 4AX
Background

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

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.


Teaching
  • HSC8001: Fundamentals of Research
  • HSC8047: Public Policy, Health and Health Inequalities 
  • PSY3040: Psychobiology of Drug Addiction
Publications