Dr Sarah Griffiths
Profiles

Dr Sarah Griffiths

Honorary University Fellow

Peninsula Medical School (Faculty of Health)

Biography

Biography

I am a Research Fellow on an NIHR funded study (D-PACT), developing and evaluating a Dementia Support Worker intervention based in primary care.

My role involves using realist informed approaches and qualitative methodologies to build programme theory, develop a support worker intervention and evaluate the intervention in practice.

I joined the Community and Primary Care Research Group in January 2019. Prior to this I was a senior lecturer in Speech and Language Therapy at Plymouth Marjon University for 14 years. I have over 28 years of experience as a speech and language therapist and began my career working with adult clients in acute and outpatient settings before moving into higher education. 

In 2013 I completed a PhD in Medical Studies with the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry; a conversation analytic study of everyday conversation management in Parkinson's. I continue to be interested in the impact of communication difficulties on everyday and institutional interaction and have published in this area. 

D-PACT: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/primarycare/dementia-person-aligned-care-team

Blog: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/tag/dr-sarah-griffiths/

Twitter: @sgriffiths1966

DPACT twitter: @DementiaPACT

Qualifications

2014 - 2015 University of St Mark and St John: Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education

2008 - 2013 Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry, Plymouth: PhD Medical Studies: 'Managing everyday participation in Parkinson’s disease: a conversation analytic study.    

2003 – 2005 University of Plymouth: MSc Psychological Research Methods

1987 – 1989 The City University, London: Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Communication Studies

1984 – 1987 Leicester University: BSc Degree in Psychology

 

Professional membership

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Teaching

Teaching

Teaching interests

In my previous role as senior lecturer in BSc degree in Speech and Language Therapy, my teaching focused on Adult Acquired Communication Disorders, Evidence-based Practice and Psychology. Currently, alongside my research role, I supervise masters students from the University's dental programmes (ResM and MSc students completing dissertations).

External Examiner for Postgraduate Diploma in Speech and Language Therapy, Canterbury Christchurch University: 2015-2019

Publications

Publications

Key publications

Key publications are highlighted

Journals
Articles
Griffiths S, Spencer E, Wilcock J, Bamford C, Wheatley A, Brunskill G, D'Andrea F, Walters KR, Lago N & O'Keeffe A (2023) 'Protocol for the feasibility and implementation study of a model of best practice in primary care led postdiagnostic dementia care: PriDem' BMJ Open 13, (8) e070868-e070868 , DOI
Wheat H (2023) 'Practitioners’ Ability to Remotely Develop Understanding for Personalised Care and Support Planning: a Thematic Analysis of Multiple Data Sources from the Feasibility Phase of the Dementia PersonAlised Care Team (D-PACT) Intervention' Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice , DOI
Wheat H, Weston L, Oh TM, Morgan-Trimmer S, Ingram W, Griffiths S, Sheaff R, Clarkson P, Medina-Lara A & Musicha C (2023) 'Longitudinal realist evaluation of the dementia PersonAlised care team (D-PACT) intervention: protocol' BJGP Open , DOI
Griffiths S, Gude A, Greene L, Weston L, Sutcliffe CL, Wheat H, Oh TM & Byng R (2022) '‘Do I have the capacity to make capacity judgements?’ Researcher reflections from a person-centred dementia support study' Dementia , DOI Open access
Griffiths S, Weston L, Morgan-Trimmer S, Wheat H, Gude A, Manger L, Oh TM, Clarkson P, Quinn C & Sheaff R (2022) 'Engaging Stakeholders in Realist Programme Theory Building: Insights from the Prospective Phase of a Primary Care Dementia Support Study' International Journal of Qualitative Methods 21, 160940692210775-160940692210775 , DOI Open access
Bernardes Delgado M, Plessas A, Burns L, Neilens H, Griffiths S & Latour J (2021) 'Oral care experiences of palliative care patients, their relatives/carers and healthcare professionals: a qualitative systematic review' International Journal of Palliative Nursing 27, (10) , DOI Open access
Bernardes Delgado M, Latour J, Neilens H & Griffiths S (2021) 'Oral care experiences of palliative care patients, their relatives and healthcare professionals: A qualitative study' Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing , DOI Open access
Griffiths S, Manger L, Chapman R, Weston L, Sherriff I, Quinn C, Clarkson P, Sutcliffe C, Davies K & Byng R (2020) 'Letter on “Protection by exclusion? The (lack of) inclusion of adults who lack capacity to consent to research in clinical trials in the UK”' Trials 21, (1) , DOI Open access
Griffiths S, Barnes R, Britten N & Wilkinson R (2015) 'Multiple repair sequences in everyday conversations involving people with Parkinson's disease' International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders 50, (6) 814-829 , DOI
Griffiths S, Barnes RK, Britten N & Wilkinson R (2012) 'Potential causes and consequences of excessive overlap in talk between speakers with Parkinson’s Disease and their familiar conversation partners' Seminars in Speech and Language
Griffiths S, Barnes R, Britten N & Wilkinson R (2011) 'Investigating interactional competencies in Parkinson's disease: the potential benefits of a conversation analytic approach' International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders 46, (5) 497-509 , DOI
Bakheit AMO, Shaw S, Barrett L, Wood J, Carrington S, Griffiths S, Searle K & Koutsi F (2007) 'A prospective, randomized, parallel group, controlled study of the effect of intensity of speech and language therapy on early recovery from poststroke aphasia' Clinical Rehabilitation 21, (10) 885-894 , DOI
Bakheit AMO, Shaw S, Carrington S & Griffiths S (2007) 'The rate and extent of improvement with therapy from the different types of aphasia in the first year after stroke' Clinical Rehabilitation 21, (10) 941-949 , DOI
Bakheit AMO, Shaw S, Barrett L, Wood J, Carrington S, Griffiths S, Searle K & Koutsi F (2007) 'A prospective, randomized, parallel group, controlled study of the effect of intensity of speech and language therapy on early recovery from poststroke aphasia' Clinical Rehabilitation 21, (10) 885-894
Bakheit AMO, Carrington S, Griffiths S & Searle K (2005) 'High scores on the Western Aphasia Battery correlate with good functional communication skills (as measured with the Communicative Effectiveness Index) in aphasic stroke patients' Disability and Rehabilitation 27, (6) 287-291 , DOI
Chapters
Davies R, Gibson A & Griffiths S (2019) 'Patient and Public involvement' in Dobinson C; Wren Y Creating Practice-based Evidence for SLTs Guildford J and R Press 85-105
Griffiths S, Gardner H & Bear R (2019) 'Conversation Analysis and its use in communication disorders research' in Lyons R; McAllister L QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN COMMUNICATION DISORDERS An Introduction for Students Guildford J & R Press 35-58
Presentations and posters
Chapman R, Griffiths S, Manger L, Sherriff I, Creanor S, Quinn C, Mann V & Byng R Chapman R, Griffiths S, Manger L, Sherriff I, Creanor S, Quinn C, Mann V & Byng R 'How do we optimise approach and recruitment strategies for inclusion of people with dementia in primary care clinical trials?' Author Site
Other Publications
Griffiths S & Bannigan K (2016) Enabling rewarding conversations. London Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists
Griffiths S & Burtenshaw E (2011) Dysarthria and group intervention. London Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists