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Staff Profile

Dr Rachel Stocker

Lecturer-Exercise and Health Psychology

  • Address: Office 5.20, 5th Floor
    Dame Margaret Barbour Building
    Wallace Street
    Newcastle University
    Newcastle upon Tyne
    NE2 4DR
Background

I am a Lecturer in Exercise and Health Psychology (teaching and research) and a Chartered Psychologist. I lead several modules within the Faculty of Medical Sciences, in relation to health psychology, exercise psychology, behaviour change, and qualitative research methods. I also have roles as a research supervisor and personal tutor. 


I have particular research interests in chronic and/or life-limiting conditions (particularly type 1 diabetes), ageing and the wellbeing of older adults especially in care homes, palliative and end of life care, the boundary of NHS and social care, and experiences/outcomes for patients, families, and staff.


I use a variety of methodologies, primarily qualitative, and have interest in mixed methodologies. I'm also experienced in trial co-ordination and systematic reviewing.


I have experience of involving patients and the public in research at all stages of the research cycle, including idea generation, design, analysis, and publication/dissemination. I have also published briefings on palliative and end of life care for Parliament, influencing Government and wider policy agendas.


I have been nominated for several Education Awards (TEAs - Newcastle University Student's Union), and won the Outstanding Contribution to Academic Support award in 2025.


I won the Newcastle University Engagement and Place Awards 2026 'Engaging for Health and Wellbeing' Award, for my work with Darlington Football Club Foundation.


I am happy to be approached about PhD supervision and examination requests.


Qualifications

Doctor of Philosophy, Durham University

Masters in Health Psychology, Teesside University

Bachelor of Science (2:1), Psychology with Criminology, Leeds Beckett University


Professional memberships

Chartered Psychologist, British Psychological Society [665199]

Division of Health Psychology and Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology, British Psychological Society

British Psychological Society North East of England Branch member

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

FUSE Associate Member


Current supervision (PhD)

Dr Ayat Bashir: Improving diagnosis and holistic management of patients with diabetes secondary to chronic pancreatitis: a mixed methods study

Keaton Irvine: Facilitating improved health in individuals with type 2 diabetes from historically underrepresented groups in the North-East

Evridiki Iliaki: The Feasibility and Effectiveness of Museum-based Mindfulness on Well-being in the Middle East.

Elizabeth Hepper: The co-creation of a patient reported outcome measure for adults who are nil by mouth and require enteral feeding.

Lou Wilson: Using Normalisation Process Theory to enable insights on the factors contributing to strategic adoption of a shared care record in the North East and North Cumbria


Completed supervision (PhD)

Dr Blossom Bell: When you don’t know, you don’t know. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients’ experiences of long-term follow-up care in England: a multi-method study


Other internal and external roles

Theme Co-Deputy: Newcastle University Centre of Research Excellence (NUCoRE) in Behaviour

Teaching Lead: Newcastle University Qualitative Special Interest Group (QualSIG)

Member: Newcastle University Social Justice Advisory Group

Grant reviewer for Diabetes UK

Consultant for Darlington Football Club Foundation

EDI representative for Sport & Exercise Sciences, FMS, Newcastle University

Stage 2 Sport & Exercise Sciences lead

Internal and External examiner for various doctoral vivas


Previous positions

Research Associate, Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University

Health Research Methodologist, NIHR Research Design Service, Durham University

BPS/POST Fellow, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, Houses of Parliament, Westminster

Tutor (Qualitative and Quantitative Health Research Methods), Durham University

Module Leader (Promoting Health, Preventing Illness), Teesside University

Visiting Lecturer (Exercise Psychology I, II, Research Methods), Sunderland University

Research Assistant, University of Leeds

Honorary Assistant Psychologist / Research Assistant, Tees, Esk, and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust & South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Research

I am happy to be approached for PhD supervision requests, and external examination roles.


Current research studies:

Public and third-sector research priorities to address the integration of health and social care in County Durham - funded by the EPSRC Northern Health Futures (NortHFutures) Research Funding Call


Completed research studies:

Does resistance training exercise help prevent frailty and loss of independence for older people with insulin treated diabetes? The EXPLODE Trial - funded by the Wellcome Trust ISSF

A qualitative exploration of patient experience, issues and unmet needs within the NHS specialist CAR-T service with associated PROM validation – funded by Innovate UK via the Northern Alliance Advanced Therapies Treatment Centre (NA-ATTC) (co-applicant)

Influences on physical activity and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic for those with type 1 diabetes: A mixed-methods study – funded by Newcastle University Covid-19 Research Fund (co-applicant)

Using early warning systems in care homes during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed-method study [qualitative component] – funded by NIHR Research for Patient Benefit (co-applicant)

Evaluating the Health Call app in care homes in County Durham and Darlington in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative interview study – funded by Health Data Research UK & NIHR/DHSC/UKRI COVID-19 Rapid Response Initiative

Uncovering ways in which carers of very old people with multiple conditions can be supported to maintain their own physical and psychological wellbeing: a qualitative interview study – funded by NIHR School for Primary Care Research (co-applicant)

Acute home visiting in primary care – what is the role of ambulance service practitioners? A qualitative exploratory study – funded by NIHR School for Primary Care Research

Organising general practice for care homes: A multi-method study – funded by NIHR Health Services & Delivery Research

Engaging professionals in new ways of working: Evaluating the Gateshead Care Home Vanguard clinical engagement workstream – funded by Newcastle Gateshead CCG (co-applicant)

Innovation to enhance health in care homes and evaluation of tools for measuring outcomes of care: rapid evidence synthesis – funded by NIHR Health Services & Delivery Research

Teaching

Module leader:

SES2001 Applied Sport & Exercise Psychology

DTC2001 Health Psychology & Behaviour Change

SES3000 Sport & Exercise Science Research Project


Lecturer on the following modules:

SES1005 Introduction to Sport & Exercise Psychology

SES2003 Research Methods for Sport and Exercise Science

PSY2028 Introduction to Health Psychology

NUT2006 Measurement and Assessment of Dietary Intake and Nutritional Status

MMB8044 Exercise in Health and Disease

DTC4003 Masters Research Project

Publications