Staff Profile
Dr Kate Swainston
Director of Research (Psychology)
- Telephone: 0191 2087562
- Address: School of Psychology
Newcastle University
4th Floor, Dame Margaret Barbour Building
Wallace Street
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
NE2 4DR
Dr Kate Swainston is a Chartered Psychologist, HCPC registered Practitioner Health Psychologist, and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS). Kate is an Applied Psychology Practice Supervisor (RAPPS accredited) for the BPS Qualification in Health Psychology and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She is a Reader in Applied Health Psychology within the School of Psychology, a member of the Population Health Sciences Institute (PHSI), and a Fellow of the Faculty of Medical Sciences Graduate Research School.
Kate is the Director of Research for the School of Psychology and represents Health Psychologists on the Psychological Professions Network North East and Yorkshire Workforce Council and the Regional NMAHP Group. Kate maintains a clinical case load specialising in medically complex cases, chronic pain, psycho-oncology, and palliative care and has expertise in third wave and resource based therapies.
Kate is the Director of Research for the School of Psychology and conducts research, enterprise and business engagement projects within applied health psychology and behavioural medicine. Her collaborations are cross-disciplinary and she has received funding from a range of sources including the NIHR, universities, and third sector organisations. Kate sits on numerous steering committees and professional practice groups and her research focuses broadly on patient safety and experience, the development of psychological interventions, cancer survivorship and late effects, optimising surgical outcomes, and women's health. Kate has received awards for her work on menstrual dignity and period poverty. Kate has expertise as a methodologist and analyst of statistical data and creative qualitative approaches.
Kate is currently working on numerous projects including:
- The psychological impact of hypermobility, the development of a psychometric tool and intervention pathway
- Novel brief interventions for chronic pain
- The impact of menstruation, dysmenorrhea and period poverty
- Cancer screening, diagnosis, and patient experience: an international perspective
- Enhancing pathways of care for patients with pleural disease
- Virtual consultations in palliative care and the meaning of hope for those with advanced disease
- Long-term monitoring and psychosocial impacts of childhood cancer
- Implementation of guidelines and service improvement within healthcare
- Analysis and optimisation of patient-reported outcomes following surgery
Kate is a peer reviewer for numerous journals, is a grant awards referee, and is the former editor of Health Psychology Update. She is an experienced supervisor with completions as Director of Studies of PhD's, clinical, health, and counselling psychology doctorates. Kate acts as external supervisor for clinical, health and coaching psychology PhD's and holds external examiner positions at several academic institutions.
Current Teaching and Supervision:
- Research Skills for Psychological Research in Clinical Settings
- Applied Health Psychology
- Introduction to Health Psychology
- Dissertation - MSc Foundations in Clinical Psychology
- UG Empirical Project
- PhD/MD/MPhil/MRes
- Doctorate in Clinical Psychology
Doctoral Supervision Examples:
- Beddard, N. An exploration of the long-term psychosocial impacts of retinoblastoma.
- Bell, B. How does long term monitoring impact the lived experience of haematogenic stem cell transplant recipients in England?
- Crabtree, K. A social-cognitive approach to a coaching intervention and its multidimensional impacts on wellbeing.
- Dismore, L. A triangulated double-blinded, prospective, cohort study on patients’ perceptions of pain following forefoot surgery.
- McGregor, F. Organisational barriers and facilitators to the implementation of best practice with forensic radiography practice.
- Wetherell, B. Women's exeriences of long-term health conditions following pre-eclampsia.
- Iliaki, E. The art of mindfulness: enhancing health and wellbeing and promoting social unity through museum experiences within the Middle East.
- Huggin, A. Exploring patients’ experiences of hope in the final year of life.
Kate is the Chair of the Board of Examiners for Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Low Intensity Psychological Therapy (LIPT) clinical programmes.
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Articles
- Dismore L, Thursby S, Dovey-Pearce G, Goff I, Ferguson D, Tomson D, Swainston K. Persistent Physical Symptoms - Healthcare Workers' Experiences Of Current Models of Care. Psychology International 2025, 7, 24.
- Swainston K, Robinson C, Pinder M, Wetherell B, Joyes E, Reay A, Pankhurst G, Johnson D. Understanding the complex health needs of people with problematic drug/alcohol use: a qualitative enquiry. Journal of Substance Use 2024, epub ahead of print.
- Dismore L, Taylor L, Aujayeb A, Hurst C, Swainston K. Patients with Mesothelioma and their carers experience of diet and appetite: a qualitative insight from the Help-Meso Study. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 2024, 37(3), 717-725.
- Taylor L, Swainston K, Hurst C, Aujayeb A, Dismore L. Nutritional management in mesothelioma: qualitative insights into healthcare professionals’ perceptions and experiences. Cancer Nursing Practice 2024, epub ahead of print.
- Crabtree K, Swainston K. Integrating socio-cognitive mindfulness and coaching psychology: An intervention development study. The Coaching Psychologist 2024, 20(1), 62-82.
- Dismore L, Taylor L, Hurst C, Aujayeb A, Poulter H, Swainston K. Experiences of Physical Activity in Mesothelioma: A Qualitative Enquiry. Journal of Respiration 2024, 4(4), 188-197.
- Clark,N,Johnson,M,Rangan,A,Kottam,L,Hogarth,A,Scott,S,Swainston,K. Defining a core outcome set for hypermobility spectrum disorders and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: A Delphi consensus study. Clinical Rheumatology 2024.
- Thursby S, Dismore L, Swainston K. Clinical skills development for healthcare practitioners working with patients with persistent physical symptoms (PPS) in healthcare settings: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. BMC Medical Education 2024, 24, 328.
- Reay A, Dismore L, Aujayeb A, Dotchin C, Tullo E, Steer J, Swainston K. Analysing the patient experience of COVID-19: Exploring patients' experiences of hospitalisation and their quality of life post discharge. Journal of Clinical Nursing 2024, 33(9), 3634-3641.
- Crabtree K, Papworth J, Pennington W, Swainston K. A systematic review of socio-cognitive mindfulness interventions and its implications for wellbeing coaching. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring 2024, 22(1), 84-108.
- Bell B, Thursby S, Limbrick H, Swainston K. A Systematic Review and Metasynthesis of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) Patient's Experiences of Long-Term Monitoring Clinics from the Patient's Perspective. Journal of Patient Experience 2024, 11, 1-9.
- Joseph N, Robertson F, Lucocq J, Pande R, Powell-Brett S, Swainston K, Sharp L, Exley C, Roberts K, Pandanaboyana S. A Multicentre Prospective Evaluation of Health-Related Quality of Life and of Patient Related Outcomes in Pancreatic and Peripancreatic Cancer: PROMCAN study. HPB 2024, 26(5), 648-655.
- Crabtree K, Clark G, Donachie T, Swainston K. A feasibility study of a wellbeing coaching intervention based on socio-cognitive mindfulness. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring 2024, S18, 134-149.
- Powlesland C, Swainston K, MacGregor F. Women's experiences of information, education and support when undergoing pelvic radiotherapy for gynaecological cancer: An exploratory qualitative study. Radiography 2023, 29(1), 70-75.
- Swainston K, Thursby S, Bell B, Poulter H, Dismore L, Copping L. What psychological interventions are effective for the management of Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS)? A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Health Psychology 2023, 28(1), 80-97.
- Bell B, Swainston K. The lived experience of long-term follow-up clinical care for haematopoietic stem cell recipients in England: a qualitative exploration. Journal of Cancer Survivorship 2023, 18, 1590-1599.
- Clark NL, Johnson M, Rangan A, Kottam L, Swainston K. The biopsychosocial impact of hypermobility spectrum disorders in adults: a scoping review. Rheumatology International 2023, 43, 985-1014.
- Clark NL, Kainth GS, Johnson M, Rangan A, Kottam L, Swainston K. Psychological interventions to improve pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and quality of life in children and adults with hypermobility spectrum disorders and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome: A systematic review. Rheumatology International 2023, 44, 41-55.
- MacGregor F, Breckons M, Swainston K. Organisational barriers and facilitators to the implementation of best practice within paediatric forensic radiographic practice - A scoping review. Radiography 2023, 30(1), 43-51.
- MacSween A, Coverdale D, Swainston K, Ryan C, Martin D. OldPain2Go® a novel intervention for people with chronic low back pain: a feasibility study. Pain and Rehabilitation 2023, 53(1), 40-47.
- Terry J, Ross RM, Nagy T, Salgado M, Garrido-Vásquez P, Sarfo JO, Cooper S, Buttner AC, Lima TJS, Öztürk I, Akay N, Santos FH, Artemenko C, Copping LT, Elsherif MM, Milovanovic I, Cribbie RA, Drushlyak MG, Swainston K, Shou Y, Leongómez JD, Palena N, Abidin FA, Reyes-Rodríguez MF, He Y, Abraham J, Vatakis A, Jankowsky K, Schmidt KSNL, Grimm E, González D, Schmid P, Ferreira RA, Rozgonjuk D, Özhan N, O'Connor PA, Zsido AN, Stiglic G, Rhodes D, Rodríguez C, Ropovik I, Enea V, Nurwanti R, Estudillo AJ, Beribisky N, Himawan KK, Geven LM, van Hoogmoed AH, Bret A, Chapman JE, Alter U, Flack ZM, Hanna D, Soltanlou M, Banik G, Adamkovic M, van der Ven SHG, Mosbacher JA, Sen HH, Anderson JR, Batashvili M, de Groot K, Parker MO, Helmy M, Ostroha MM, Gilligan-Lee KA, Egara FO, Barwood MJ, Thomas K, McMahon G, Griffin SM, Nuerk HC, Counsell A, Lindemann O, Van Rooy D, Wege TE, Lewis JE, Aczel B, Monaghan C, Al-Hoorie AH, Huber JF, Yapan S, Garrido Vásquez ME, Callea A, Ergiyen T, Clay JM, Mertens G, Topçu F, Täht MG, Taht K, Mikkor K, Caso L, Karner A, Storm MMC, Daroczy G, Zein RA, Greco A, Buchanan EM, Schmid K, Hunt TE, De keersmaecker J, Branney PE, Randell J, Clark OJ, Steltenpohl CN, Malu B, Tekes B, Ramis T, Agrigoroaei S, Badcock NA, McAloney-Kocaman K, Semenikhina OV, Graf EW, Lea C, Ogba KTU, Guppy FM, Warhurst AC, Lindsay S, Al Khateeb A, Scharnowski F, de Kwaadsteniet L, Francis KB, Lecompte M, Webster LAD, Morsanyi K, Forwood SE, Walters ER, Tip LK, Wagge JR, Lai HY, Crossland DS, Darda KM, Flack TR, Leviston Z, Brolly M, Hills SP, Collins E, Roberts AJ, Cheung WY, Leonard S, Verschuere B, Stanley SK, Xenidou Dervou I, Ghasemi O, Liew T, Ansari D, Guilaran J, Penny SG, Bahnmueller J, Hand CJ, Rahajeng UW, Peterburg D, Takacs ZK, Platow MJ, Field AP. Data from an International MultiCentre Study of Statistics and Mathematics Anxieties and Related Variables in University Students (the SMARVUS Dataset). Journal of Open Psychology Data 2023, 11(8).
- Clark N, Copping L, Swainston K, McGeechan G. Attitudes to organ donor registration in England under opt-out legislation. Progress in Transplantation 2023, 33(3), 208-215.
- Crabtree K, Swainston K. Acceptability of a wellbeing coaching intervention based on socio-cognitive mindfulness: A qualitative study of coaches’ views. International Coaching Psychology Review 2023, 18(1), 21-33.
- Camilleri S, Swainston K, MacGregor F. A qualitative exploration of the experiences of post-mortem forensic imaging in Malta: A psychological perspective. Radiography 2023, 29(1), 84-89.
- Kirkham A, Swainston K. Women's experiences of interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome. Western Journal of Nursing Research 2022, 44(2), 125-132.
- McLeod E, Mason C, Swainston K. Parents experiences of having an infant with early onset group B streptococcus infection. British Journal of Health Psychology 2022, 27(3), 777-788.
- Epton T, Ghio D, Ballard L, Allen S, Kassianos A, Hewitt R, Swainston K, Fynn WI, Rowland V, Westbrook J, Jenkinson E, Morrow A, McGeechan GJ, Stanescu S, Yousuf AA, Sharma N, Begum S, Karasouli E, Scanlan D, Shorter GW, Arden MA, Armitage CJ, O'Connor DB, Kamal A, McBride E, Swanson V, Hart J, Byrne-Davis L, Chater A, Drury J. Interventions to promote physical distancing behaviour during infectious disease pandemics or epidemics: A systematic review. Social Science & Medicine 2022, 303, 114946.
- Taylor L, Swainston K, Hurst C, Aujayeb A, Poulter H, Dismore L. Health and Lifestyle of Patients with Mesothelioma: Protocol for the Help-Meso Study. Journal of Respiration 2022, 2(3), 129-138.
- McGeechan G, Byrnes K, Campbell M, Carthy N, Eberhardt J, Paton W, Swainston K, Giles E. A systematic review and qualitative synthesis of the experience of living with colorectal cancer as a chronic illness. Psychology and Health 2022, 37(3), 350-374.
- Dismore L, Van Wersch A, Murty AN, Swainston K. A qualitative study with orthopaedic surgeons on pain catastrophizing and surgical outcomes: shifting from a medical towards a biopsychosocial model of surgery. British Journal of Pain 2022, 16(1), 14-22.
- Dismore L, van Wersch A, Murty A, Swainston K. A qualitative study with orthopaedic practitioners on pain catastrophizing and surgical outcomes: shifting from a medical towards a biopsychosocial model of surgery. British Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting 2022, 16(1), 14-22.
- Dismore L, van Wersch A, Critchley R, Murty A, Swainston K. A qualitative study to explore patients' perceptions of their postoperative outcomes following forefoot surgery. British Journal of Pain 2022, 16(3), 317-325.
- Dismore L, van Wersch A, Critchley R, Murty A, Swainston K. The experiences of patients with hallux valgus and/or hallux rigidus and the impact on their psychological wellbeing. Journal of Pain and Rehabilitation 2021, In press.
- Reay A, Swainston K. Service user experience with a community substance misuse service: An exploration of the impact of COVID-19. British Psychological Society North of England Bulletin 2021.
- Healey R, Taylor J, Swainston K. Men's experiences of living with melanoma: An interpretive phenomenological analysis. Health Psychology Update 2021, 30(2), 40-52.
- Dismore L, van Wersch A, Critchley R, Murty A, Swainston K. A qualitative study to understand patients' experiences of foot pain and surgical consultation for hallux valgus and/or hallux rigidus. Journal of Pain and Rehabilitation 2021, 51, 15-28.
- Reay A, Aujayeb A, Dotchin C, Tullo E, Steer J, Swainston K, Dismore L. A qualitative study exploring the impact and effects following hospital discharge of COVID-19. Journal of Respiration 2021, 1(3), 216-222.
- McGeechan G, Swainston K, O'Neill C. Young people's experiences of targeted community intervention for self-harm. British Psychological Society North of England Bulletin 2020, (3), 21-34.
- Farrington A, Wilson G, Limbrick H, Swainston K. The lived experience of adjustment to prostate cancer. Psychology of Men and Masculinities 2020, 21(3), 369-379.
- Dismore L, van Wersch A, Critchley R, Aradhyula AM, Swainston K. The associations of pain catastrophizing and post-operative outcomes in domains of pain, quality of life, and function in joint replacement surgery: A systematic review. Journal of Pain Management 2020, 13(2), 105-113.
- Beddard N, McGeechan G, Taylor J, Swainston K. Childhood eye cancer from a parental perspective: The lived experience of parents with children who have had retinoblastoma. European Journal of Cancer Care 2020, 29(2), e13209.
- Erdem H, Wilson G, Limbrick H, Swainston K. An interpretive phenomenological exploration of the barriers, facilitators and benefits to male mental health help-seeking. British Psychological Society North of England Bulletin 2020, (1).
- Rayment G, Swainston K, Wilson G. Using photo-elicitation to explore the lived experience of informal caregivers of individuals living with dementia. British Journal of Health Psychology 2019, 24(1), 102-122.
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Book Chapters
- Dismore L, van Wersch A, Critchley R, Murty A, Swainston K. Chapter 2: The associations of pain catastrophizing and post-operative outcomes in domains of pain, quality of life and function in joint replacement surgery. In: Merrick J; Morad M, ed. Pain Management: Recent International Research. New York: Nova Science, 2022.
- Swainston K, van Wersch A. Women's experiences of treatment decision-making in breast cancer. In: Paludi M.A, ed. Praeger Handbook on Women's Cancers: Personal and Psychosocial Insights. Santa Barbara, California: Praeger, 2014, pp.245-262.
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Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)
- Bell B, Swainston K. The informational needs of post haematopoietic stem cell transplant patients in England: A qualitative exploration. In: European Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EMBT). 2024, Glasgow, UK.
- Taylor L, Swainston K, Hurst C, Aujayeb A, Dismore L. Healthcare professionals’ experience of nutritional management in mesothelioma: qualitative insights from the Help Meso study. In: Annual British Thoracic Oncology Group Conference 2024. 2024, Belfast.
- Beddard N, Skinner R, McGeechan G, Nassar M, Swainston K. Through the eyes of an adult: Exploring the long-term effects of retinoblastoma using object elicitation. In: British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology 2023 Annual Conference. 2023, Sheffield, UK.
- Swainston K, Bloomfield L, Atalianis T, Rawson A. The impact of menstruation, pain and period poverty on students’ wellbeing, attendance, engagement and attainment: A mixed methods study. In: British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology 2023 Annual Conference. 2023, Sheffield, UK.
- Thursby S, Hirst F, Hamilton L, Dovey-Pearce G, Goff I, Ferguson D, Tomson D, Dismore L, Swainston K. The development and evaluation of a training programme to develop healthcare practitioners’ clinical skills when working with Persistent Physical Symptoms (PPS). In: British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology 2023 Annual Conference. 2023, Sheffield, UK.
- MacGregor F, Swainston K. Radiographers understanding of the cultural variations in perceptions of suspected physical abuse: Implications for the application of safeguarding standards within clinical practice. In: Achieving Excellence in Radiography Education and Research. 2023, University of Suffolk, UK.
- Dismore L, Taylor L, Aujayeb A, Swainston K. Patients with mesothelioma and their carers experience of diet and appetite: a qualitative insight from the Help Meso study. In: British Thoracic Society. 2023, London, UK: BMJ Group.
- MacGregor F, Breckons M, Swainston K. Organisational Barriers and Facilitators to Implementation of Best Practice within Forensic Radiographic Practice. In: The Society of Radiographers of South Africa (SORSA) Congress (SORSA 2023). 2023, Cape Town, South Africa: SORSA.
- Taylor L, Swainston K, Aujayeb A, Dismore L. Mesothelioma and Nutrition: Exploring attitudes and experiences of healthcare professionals towards diet and nutrition within a high incidence area of the UK. In: 16th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group. 2023, Lille, France.
- Low W, Zhu X, Swainston K, Taylor J. Influences of product and situational involvement on cyber consumer decision-making styles. In: 2023 AMA Winter Academic Conference. 2023, Nashville, Tenessee: American Marketing Association.
- Snelling L, Swainston K, VanWersch A. Examining therapist effect in Shiatsu when given to people with multiple sclerosis. In: Research Council for Complementary Medicine (RCCM) Conference. 2023, London, UK.
- Swainston K, O'Malley C, Brown V. The implementation and evaluation of a university-based scheme to reduce period poverty. In: British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference. 2022, Bristol, UK.
- Brown V, Swainston K. Period poverty and period dignity. Lightening Talk. In: Academic Libraries North Conference 2022. The time is now: active approaches to inclusivity. 2022, Virtual: Academic Libraries North.
- Dismore L, van Wersch A, Murty A, Swainston K. Patients experiences of their post-operative outcomes following forefoot surgery. In: British Pain Society Annual Scientific Meeting. 2022, London and Virtual.
- Critchley R, Dismore L, Swainston K, Townshend D, Coorsh J, Kakwani R, Murty A. Does a high pre-operative pain catastrophizing score influence the outcomes following hallux surgery?. In: British Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (BOFAS). 2022, Bournemouth.
- Wetherell B, Swainston K. Women’s Post-Natal Experiences of Pre-eclampsia/Eclampsia. In: British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference. 2021, Virtual.
- Swainston K, Dismore L, Bonnema J, van Wersch A. The impact of sharing life events and current issues on decision-making for breast reconstructive surgery: The perspectives of healthcare professionals. In: European Health Psychology Conference 2021. 2021, Virtual.
- Swainston K, Dismore L, Bonnema J, van Wersch A. The impact of influential life events and current issues on women’s decision-making for breast cancer reconstructive surgery. In: British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference. 2021, Virtual.
- Reay A, Swainston K. The effect of COVID-19 on Service User Experience within a Community Substance Misuse Service. In: Substance Use and Associated Behaviours (SUAB) PhD Symposium. 2021, Manchester.
- Mason C, Swainston K. An exploration of subjective wellbeing and resilience of non-frontline NHS employees, following resilience training. In: British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference. 2021, Virtual.
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Confidential Reports
- Swainston K, Wetherell B, Joyes E, Pankhurst G, Johnson D. Behavioural Insights Study: Understanding the Complex Health Needs of People Associated with Drug/Alcohol Misuse. 2023. Submitted.
- Reay A, Swainston K. The impact of COVID-19 on Supporting Treatment and Recovery Together (START) Community Substance Misuse Services: A Qualitative Review. Hartlepool Borough Council Public Health, 2021.
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Reports
- Swainston K, Copping L. Statistical analysis report: Driving following a diagnosis of dementia. Exploring the views and experiences of patients and their carers - a national survey. Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, 2021.
- O'Neill C, Dodsworth K, McGeechan G, Swainston K. Time to Care Service Evaluation. Sunderland City Council, 2019.
- van Wersch A, Turnbull T, Swainston K. A qualitative investigation of the Bradford Speakeasy sex education programme. Bradford City Council, 2016.