Somerset Clinical School

Linking research with practice to improve patient outcomes across Somerset
Somerset Clinical School
To increase the quality of care to patients and their families, Somerset Clinical Schools brings together University academic activities to the heart of the clinical environment.
A collaboration between the University of Plymouth and health and care organisations across the Somerset system, it supports nurses, midwives, allied health professionals, pharmacists, clinical psychologists and social care professionals to look at their practice, challenge current thinking, try out new ideas and work out ways to measure what they're doing.
Our objectives are to:
  • increase research capacity, skills, and outputs
  • facilitate higher degree study, including research
  • assist the transition of registered healthcare professionals to research leadership roles located within clinical settings.

Linking research with practice

Current research studies

  • Developing and testing a Comfort Intervention for cancer patients receiving RadioTherapy: the CIRT study - Simon Goldsworthy, PhD candidate.
  • Effectiveness of virtual reality as a relaxation tool in pregnancy: a feasibility randomised controlled trial - Tessa Dean, midwife.

<p>Virtual reality glasses</p>
Courtesy of Shutterstock. papers paperwork paper

Publications

  • Simon Goldsworthy, Jos M Latour, Shea Palmer et al. Patient and therapeutic radiographer experiences of comfort during the radiotherapy pathway: A qualitative study. Radiography, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2023.02.011
  • Ralph Hammond, Robert Stenner & Shea Palmer. What matters most: a qualitative study of person-centered physiotherapy practice in community rehabilitation. Physiotherapy Theory and Practice, 2022. 10.1080/09593985.2020.1825577
  • Collings, R., Freeman, J., Latour, J.M. et al. Insoles to ease plantar pressure in people with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy: a feasibility randomised controlled trial with an embedded qualitative study. Pilot Feasibility Stud, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-023-01252-y
  • Simon Ingram, Rob Stenner, Sue May. The experiences of uncertainty amongst musculoskeletal physiotherapists in first contact practitioner roles within primary care. Musculoskeletal Care, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/msc.1735
Chief Nurse Research Fellows 2022
We are delighted to launch the first Chief Nurse Research Fellowship Programme in Somerset: 2022 – 2023.
  • Alice Bevan: Identifying the challenges of implementing new radiology /referral system
  • Eleonora Forbes & Beth Hawken: Understanding the neonatal jaundice care pathway at a District General Hospital and identifying methods of improvement
  • Cecilia Cole: Using semi structured interviews to explore the experiences of international nursing recruits working within ITU in a District General Hospital
  • Charlotte Fellows: Exploring the attitudes of teenagers in schools within Somerset towards vaccination and their experiences of the vaccination service
  • Katie Ross: Exploring the value of daily restorative clinical supervision with community nurses
  • Makhosi Ndebele: Understanding the views of service users regarding whether smartphones should be confiscated on admission to low level security psychiatric unit
  • Martin Chapman: Attribution for de-escalation of restraints in secure psychiatric units
  • Oluwafemi Alo: Understanding the incidence and challenges of providing nursing care for people whose first language is not English on stroke units in Somerset
  • Pip Quinn: Informed consent of women with high risk factors when choosing venue of birth
  • Rebecca Kendall: Evaluating the impact of a ward based positivity project
  • Reshma Thomas: Identifying the priorities of an induction programme on a Stroke Unit for internationally recruited nurses
  • Siobhan Warne: Evaluation of nurse advocate's roles: does rhetoric meet reality?
  • Tessa Dean: Exploring the clinical effectiveness of the management of heart murmurs in neonates 
Somerset Clinical School Activities
The Clinical School supports and conducts a wide range of activities that include:
  • Supporting applications for pre-doctoral, doctoral and post-doctoral NIHR awards to enable research training
  • Developing research active interest groups and accredited clinical academic wards and departments
  • Developing and delivering researcher development programmes and seminars with clinicians to support evidence-based-practice
  • Chief Nurse research fellowship programme
  • Writing workshops: for publication, conference, posters

Professor Jos Latour, Professor in Clinical Nursing

From a research point of view, it is fantastic to work clinically with colleagues. We have so many areas where we can make a difference and collaboratively work to improve the care of our patients and their families.
<p>Professor Jos Latour</p>
<p>Professor Jos Latour</p>

South West Clinical Schools

The South West Clinical Schools are a collaboration between the University of Plymouth and the NHS, working with nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals at all stages of their clinical and academic development.

Our work with local health services has identified the urgent need to capture improvements in patient and family outcomes, as well as ensure that existing evidence is used to best develop the research led by non-medical health professionals. To meet these needs, we have invested in clinical schools, which are professorial-led centres, in five of our local NHS trusts. The main focus for the clinical schools is to encourage health professionals to look at their practice, challenge current thinking, try out new ideas and work out ways to measure what they're doing.

Find out more about the South West Clinical Schools. 

<p>South West Clinical Schools logo</p>