A critical analysis and development of rapid ethnographies in healthcare quality improvement.

Applications are sought for an exciting PhD fellowship funded by The Healthcare Improvement Studies (THIS) Institute to be based in the UCL Department of Applied Health Research. The student will build on current work in the Department and be linked to the new major programme of rapid evaluations of service innovations (RSET): https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/rset-the-rapid-service-evaluation-team#about-rset . The aim will be to critically analyse and contribute to the development of rapid ethnographic approaches in healthcare quality improvement.

The department is a global leader in applied health research. We are a friendly, thriving multi-disciplinary department which evaluates health care/population health interventions, services, systems and national policies which are most likely to have a substantial impact on health and health care. The department has expertise in research in health improvement, and in methodological development.

The student will be supervised by Professor Naomi Fulop, Dr Cecilia Vindrola and Dr Georgia Black on the project entitled: A critical analysis and development of rapid ethnographies in healthcare quality improvement.

The field of rapid research has advanced considerably in the last few decades and rapid ethnographies are becoming more common in health services research. However, concerns have been raised in relation to the validity of rapid ethnographies and quality of reporting, the misappropriation of the “ethnography” label, and the use of findings from rapid ethnographic research for quality improvement. Reporting standards can provide a framework for the review and assessment of studies and facilitate the use of findings. Reporting standards have been produced for implementation studies (STARI), qualitative research (COREQ), and quality improvement reports (SQUIRE), but there are no published standards or guidelines for rapid research. This PhD project will develop the first reporting standards for rapid ethnographies and test the standards through the design and implementation of rapid ethnographies aimed at healthcare quality improvement. The student will have the opportunity to experiment with ethnographic methodology to reduce the time required for data collection and analysis.

Eligibility
To be eligible applicants should hold a Master’s qualification (or complete their Master’s by September 2019) preferably with a merit or distinction in a relevant discipline (e.g. Medical Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Population Health, Global Health) and have a minimum of a 2:1 or equivalent in their first degree. All applicants are required to have excellent written and verbal communication skills. They should also be willing to work collaboratively in multi-disciplinary and multi-professional teams. Due to funding restrictions applicants must be UK/EU nationals. Please refer to UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) for details of these criteria: https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Fees-and-Money/Home-or-Overseas-fees-the-basics

How to apply
Your application should consist of a CV, contact details of two academic referees, and a personal statement (1,000 words maximum) describing your suitability for the project including how your research experience and interests are related to the project.

Send applications and supporting documents to: Stephanie Hume [Email Address Removed]


Closing date for applications: 7 May 2019
Interview date: 17 May 2019
Start date: No later than 23rd September 2019 (and must be available at beginning of September for THIS Institute event, dates tbc).
Duration: 3 years full-time

Applicants are encouraged to discuss the research project and other details with Dr Cecilia Vindrola (+44 (0)20 3108 3232 [Email Address Removed]).