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Staff Profile

Liam Spencer

Research Associate

  • 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 (NENC). I have been involved with several projects as part of the NIHR SPHR Public Mental Health programme; an evaluation of the Youth Intensive Psychological Practitioners (YIPP) approach within the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust; and an evaluation of the NENC Integrated Care Board (ICB) Learning and Improvement system.

Other recent work has included 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. Prior to this I was involved with 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'.

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

  • 2024 - Present: Research Associate, Newcastle University
  • 2014 - 2024: Research Assistant, Newcastle University
  • 2013 - 2015: Youth Engagement Worker, YoungMinds
  • 2013 - 2015: Children and Young People Worker, Barnardo's
  • 2011 - 2015: Transitions Worker, Patchwork People
  • 2010 - 2011: Young Associate, Cernis Limited
  • 2008 - 2013: Youth Support 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

  • Spencer L. (2025). PhD by Publication Award. NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR). £1,800.00.
  • Spencer L. (2023). Summer Internship in Public Health Research. NIHR School for Public Health Research (SPHR). £3978.24.
  • 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