Health Economics
Health Economics Group (Current areas of research)
ESTEEM Trial - The effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of telephone triage of patients requesting same day consultations in general practice: a cluster randomised controlled trial comparing nurse-led and GP-led management systems. Funded by NIHR Clinical Trials, circa. £2.2 million. [Collaboration with Primary Care Research Group, and others]
Clinical trial methods [including economic evaluation/modelling] in neurodegenerative diseases. NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Health Research, funding circa. £2million. This project includes a strong component of methodological research on modelling methods for cost-effectiveness analyses of treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. [Collaboration with PCMD Clinical Neurology Research Group, and others]
CADET Trial – Multicentre Randomised Controlled Trial of Collaborative Care for Depression. Funded by MRC, circa. £1.7million. [Collaboration with Psychology Dept, Mood Disorders Group, University of Exeter]
QALYS and Multiple Sclerosis: Developing a preference-based measure of health-related quality-of-life for MS. Funded by the UK Multiple Sclerosis Society.
CHUMS - What outcomes of NHS care should be measured for children with neurodisability?
An exploratory trial to evaluate the effects of a physical activity intervention as a smoking cessation induction and cessation aid among the 'hard to reach'. Funded by NIHR HTA Programme, circa. £435,000. [Collaboration with School of Sports & Health Sciences, University of Exeter, and others]
Estimating the costs associated with ADHD, in a UK cohort. [Collaboration with PCMD Child/Mental Health Research Groups, and others]
The Clinical and Cost Effectiveness of Exercise Referral Schemes: A Systematic Review & Economic Evaluation. Funded by the NIHR HTA Programme, £159,652.
CUPID Trial (Multiple Sclerosis) – Cannabinoid Use in Progressive Inflammatory brain Disease (CUPID). Funded by MRC circa. £2million. [Collaboration with PCMD Clinical Neurology Research Group, and others]
South West Impact of Multiple Sclerosis (SWIMS) Project - a longitudinal study of MS from the patient perspective. Funded by the MS Society (and others). [Collaboration with PCMD Clinical Neurology Research Group, and others]
‘Waste the Waist’ - Pilot study for a randomised controlled trial of a primary care based intervention to support lifestyle change for people with high cardiovascular risk. Funded by NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme. [Collaboration with Primary Care Research Group, and others]
Cardiac rehabilitation: Rehabilitation Enablement in Chronic Heart Failure (REACH HF), Programme Development Grant, funded by the NIHR. [Collaboration with Primary Care Research Group, and others]
Exploratory RCT on school-based intervention to prevent and reduce obesity in primary school children. Funded by NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Programme, £198,025. [Collaboration with PCMD Child Health Research Group, and others]
Multi-centre RCT of group-based cognitive behavioural therapy for people with multiple sclerosis. Funded by the Multiple Sclerosis Society, circa. £265,000. [Collaboration with University of Bournemouth, and others]
An economic evaluation alongside a controlled trial of community mentoring (Devon Ageing & Quality of Life Study). Funded by Devon County Council, £160,649. [Collaboration with Primary Care Research Group, and others]
Investigating the Health Outcomes & Costs Associated with Multiple Sclerosis. IHSR PhD studentship.
Significant developments in the portfolio of health economics research are expected as part of the emerging PenCLAHRC research programme (www.penclahrc.org), and as part of the developments in the European Centre for Environment and Human Health, based in PCMD Truro.
Members of the Health Economics Group have general interests in methods for economic evaluation, including economic modelling methods, applied research in health and social care, health outcomes (health valuation) research, decision-making and priority-setting, and in areas of neurodegenerative diseases, mental health, and drug/alcohol abuse. Any new members of the group will be encouraged to develop their own research interests in these and other/related areas.
For information on PenTAG and ECEHH projects see: