Professor Sheena Asthana

Biography

Having been the (founding) Director of the Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research, I have recently assumed Directorship of the Centre for Health Technology, a focus of significant ambition and investment for the University. I am also the co-Director of the Centre for Coastal Communities, the first of its kind in the UK.

My original training was in global public health. Following an undergraduate degree in Geography at Oxford University (for which I was awarded a congratulatory First), I undertook my doctoral training at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. My PhD (in Community Medicine) focused on the role of community-based strategies in promoting health development in Indian slum communities and led to (WHO-funded) research on the scope for developing community-based responses to HIV prevention (again in India) with particular reference to commercial sex circuits and circuits of men who have sex with men.

I still publish and teach on issues relating to global public health. However, as I began to have the first of my five children, I shifted my research interests towards the UK. With respect to public health, examples include the largest local evaluation of a Health Action Zone, co-writing a major book on health inequalities and evidence-based public health and the chapter on coastal health inequalities in the 2021 Chief Medical Officer’s annual report and being a board member of the Royal Society for Public Health, a non-executive director (with the public health remit) of NICE and a non-executive director of Devon Integrated Care Board, with the remit for population health management, health inequalities and digital transformation. I recently stepped down from the board of Change Grow Live (though remain on its research committee). This is a national charity that provides, among other services, support for substance use, domestic abuse, children’s mental health and prisoner’s health. I have learnt a lot from CGL’s ‘Whole Person’ approach and this has complemented current collaborative research on social prescribing, integrated care and the use of the ‘researcher in residence’ methodology to support participative research and practice. I am also the principal investigator or co-application on a range of public health funded projects, including the NIHR funded Plymouth Health Determinants Research Collaboration (£5m).

At the other end of the spectrum, I have also established a large programme of health services research that involves the use of extensive health service, public health and related datasets and largely quantitative research methods. For example, with Alex Gibson, an important focus has been the use of synthetic estimation techniques (within a Bayesian analytical framework) to develop robust methods of estimating the prevalence of specific diseases and disease risk factors. We have used such methods to explore variations in health service use (primarily cardiovascular and mental health) relative to underlying need. We have also long argued the case for using such estimates to sense-test the utilisation-based approach to setting health care capitations. Through this work, resource allocation has become an important research focus and, with Alex Gibson, impact case studies on the formula funding of public services were rates 4* in REFs 2014 and 2021. I sit on the Advisory Committee for Resource Allocation, the independent body that advises NHS England on the distribution of more than £160 billion NHS funding. Alex and I have also carried out research on funding allocations for local government, adult social care, children’s services, education and policing.

Other research interests include digital health, with a particular emphasis on the barriers and enablers to embedding innovation in the NHS (which related to a range of infrastructural, evidential and cultural challenges) and a concern with levelling up coastal communities, a focus of our current South West Coastal Local Innovation Policy Partnership. I probably come across as a bit of a dilettante. However, I enjoy the breadth of my research interests and I do hope that this has given me good knowledge (complex, layered and longstanding) of the health and social care systems (in the UK and further afield) as well as an ability to identify, nurture and champion research across very different health-related disciplines.

I have been an applicant on over £30 million of funded research projects, the author of over 200 publications (excluding conference presentations) and am a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences

Qualifications

BA (Hons) in Geography. First Class (Congratulatory); St John’s College, Oxford, 1986

PhD in Community Medicine, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, 1991

Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences

Roles on external bodies

(2022-present) Non-Executive Director (and Chair of the Population Management and Health Inequalities Committee), Devon Integrated Care Board

(2021–present) Responsible Member, NIHR Public Health Incubator Steering Group

(2020–present) Member, Plymouth Health Hub Project Board

(2020–present) Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences

(2020–2021) Member, Health Inequalities Task and Finish Group (ACRA)

(2017–present) Member, Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA) (DH)

(2017–present) Member, Commissioning Panel,Policy Research Programme (DH)

(2017–present) Trustee, Change Grow Live (national charity)

(2016–present) Non-Executive Director, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) (DH)

(2014–2017) Member of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA) (DH)

(2014–present) Member of the Advisory Group to‘The Project’ (NGO providing mental health support to children and young people)

(2014–present) Panel Member (Funding), Devon Community Foundation

(2014–present) Steering Group Member, Rural England

(2012–2015) Council Member, Royal Society for Public Health

(2012–2015) Trustee, Plymouth Age Concern

(2011–2015) Member, Commissioning Panel, Policy Research Programme (DH)

(2011–2012) Member, Community Organisers and Community First Expert Reference Group (Cabinet Office)

(2007–2013) Member, Audit and Risk Committee, Commission for Rural Communities

(2006–2013) Board Member, Commission for Rural Communities (DEFRA)

(2006–2008) Member, Policy and Management Group, Devon Rural Network

(2006–2008) Member, Rural Practice Standing Group, Royal College of General Practitioners

(2005–2006) Board Member, Countryside Agency (DEFRA)

(2003–2006) Advisory Editor, Social Science and Medicine

(2001–2003) Technical Advisor. Rural Health Allocations Forum

(2000–2002) Member, Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Health Action Zone Steering Group

(1999–2002) Chair, Geography of Health Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers

(1999) Visiting Lecturer, University of Turkku, Finland

(1998–2002) Member, Plymouth Health Action Zone Evaluation & Research Board

(1997–2000) Book Reviews Editor, Health and Place

(1996–1999) Secretary & Treasurer, Geography of Health Research Group of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers

(1995–2008) Member, Editorial Board, Health and Place

Highlights

Promoting an end to coastal poverty
Sheena is a leading advocate for improved distribution of funds to ensure fairer access to healthcare for all, focusing her attention on communities disproportionately lacking in support

REF Impact Case Study
Redesigning public services funding allocation formulae to maximise social benefit

Shaping how billions of pounds is spent on healthcare access across the UK
“I conducted a study on disease prevalence estimates which showed that rural and coastal areas, which were more affluent on paper, were shown to have higher levels of need than urban areas.”

Forget about the North-South divide, children in coastal communities are being left behind
Why have the many problems facing coastal communities been overlooked in media, academic, policy and political accounts of deprivation in modern Britain?

Person Based Resource Allocation (PBRA) for Health and Mental Health Budgets
Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research project

Teaching

Teaching interests

Health policy; social justice; international social policy; sustainability; and globalisation and health.

Staff serving as external examiners

External Examiner (PhD), IDS, University of Sussex, 2013.

External Examiner (PhD), Northumbria University, 2011.

External Examiner (PhD), Department of Geography & Geosciences, University of St Andrews, 2008.

External Examiner (PhD), Department of Geography, Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London, May, 2000.

External Examiner (PhD), Dept of Urban Planning and Development, South Bank University, May 1999.

Research

Research interests

Digital health technologies
Formula funding of public services
Health inequalities
Health care inequalities
Community-based strategies in health development (including HIV/AIDS)
Evaluation
Knowledge mobilisation (including through the Researcher in Residence model)

Research degrees awarded to supervised students

P. Evans: Urban Mosquitoes and Measures for their Control in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Awarded 1995; ESRC funded.

P. Vong-Ek. Factors Affecting the Incidence and Duration of Breastfeeding in Thailand: Implications for Health Promotion. Awarded 2000. WHO funded.

S. Burley. Changing Childbirth: the Role of Antenatal Services. Awarded 2004. University Scholarship, University of Plymouth.

S. Richardson.The Challenge of Interagency Information Sharing. A Systemic Analysis of Two Sure Start Children's Centres. Awarded 2007, ESRC funded

E. Williams. Non-Governmental Organizations and HIV/AIDS in Kolkata, India: A Discursive Analysis of Policy and Programming. Awarded 2009. ESRC funded.

Grants & contracts

2023

S. Asthana, A Gibson, S. Agarwal, Y. Wei, C. Brayne. Understanding the research and policy needs of English coastal communities: a new coastal classification. ESRC, £970,774, October 2023-September 2026.

S. Asthana, S. Agarwal, K. Willis, R. Jones, M. Austen, R. Thompson, D. Greaves, C. Leyshon, K. Wyatt, T. Ovendon-Hope, L. Miller, A. Mankee-Williams. The South-West Coastal Local Policy Innovation Partnership (SWC-LPIP). ESRC. £49,346, April-September, 2023

2022

R, Harrell, S. Asthana (University PI), G. Wallace, R. Byng, C. Quinn, J. Elston, T. Lee, C. McCardle, M. Austin, S. Agarwal. Plymouth Health Determinants Research Collaboration. NIHR, £4.75m, 2023-28.

R. Byng, K. Wyatt, F. Thomas. C. Hulme, S. Asthana, K. Husk, N. Axford, R Sheaff, A. Caleshu, V. Berry, K. Liabo, N. Frost, K. Oliverio, S. Chant. Devon Community Assets Research Collaborative - developing, understanding and linking within integrated care systems. AHRC, £234,581.25, 2022-23.

R. Jones, S. Gaudl, C. Li, A.Veliz Reyes, A. Aly, S. Zhou, A. Chatterjee, S. Asthana, D. Maudlin, K. Howell, E.Ifeachor, K. Willis, H. Bradwell, R. Baines. Intergenerational co-creation of novel technologies to reconnect digitally excluded people with community & cultural landscapes in coastal economies (ICONIC). EPSRC:Research Grant EP/W024357, £998, 441; 2022-25

J. Watson, S. Asthana, R. Byng. Building a Brighter Future: the design and evaluation of evidence-based, co-produced integrated care pathways for (a) frailty/older people and (b) perioperative care/orthopaedics that are future-ready while addressing the pressures and problems of the present. Torbay Medical Research Fund, £165,954, April 2022-March 2024.

J. Elston, F. Gradinger, S. Asthana, R. Byng. Implementing the Devon Population Health Management programme; a Researcher in Residence evaluation. Devon CCG/ICS, £60,000, 2022-23.

2021

P. Welbourne, R. Sheaff, S. F. Gradinger, R. Byng, J. Elston, J. J. Williams, Manthorpe, R. Purtell, S. Asthana. Peninsula Adult Social Care Research Collaborative (PARC): Embedding research into practice to improve social care outcomes. NIHR, £571,115.35, 2021-2023

C. Brayne, F. Matthews, L. Lafortune, S. Asthana et al. Developing a sustainable platform to understand the primary care, public health and social care needs for dementia, with a focus on underserved populations. NIHR. £320,347.10, January 2022-July 2023.

C. Hennessy, R. Jones, A. Whittaker, R. Haynes, S. Asthana et al. Connectivity and Digital Design for Health and Well-being Across Generations, Places and Spaces. ESRC. £1,592,835.35; March 2021-February 2024.

2020

C. Quinn, R. Byng, G. Wallace, S. Asthana. Public Health; Plymouth Priorities (PHeePP). NIHR PRP Local Authority Research System call, £49,810.04, 01/09/2020 - 31/12/2020

K. Husk (PI), S. Asthana, R. Byng, J. Elston, K. Mahtani, S. Tierney, M. Bertotti, C. Dayson, M. Polley, R Kimberlee, H Chatterjee. Academic Partners Collaborative for the National Academy of Social Prescribing. National Academy of Social Prescribing £175,269, September 2020-March 2021

J. Milligan, R Jones, A Chatterjee, S. Asthana et al. E-Health Productivity & Innovation in Cornwall (EPIC2). European Regional Development Fund OC05R18P 0782, £4,147,612; 1st March 2020- 28th February 2023.

2019

K. Willis, R. Jones, S. Asthana, R. Ayres, H. Sloggett. The Pop-up Centre for Health Technology in Stonehouse. UKRI (Enhancing place-based Partnerships in Public Engagement), 2019-20, £32,401.

R. Sheaff, P. Allen, S. Asthana, J. Clark, M. Exworthy, A. Gibson, R. Mannion, R. Miller. Commissioning, Co-commissioning and Being Commissioned; the NHS and Third Sector Organisations. NIHR, HSRD (18/92 Evaluating approaches to health and care services commissioning and provision with the third sector in the UK). 2019-2022; £800,526.

J. Elston, F. Gradinger, K Husk, S. Asthana, L Burns, R. Byng. Provision of Social Prescribing Evaluation and Research Services for Devon STP. £99,998; Devon Sustainability and Transformation Partnership, 2019-21

2018

R. Byng, S. Asthana. Evaluation of the organisational integration and implementation of new care models in South Devon and Torbay – using a researcher in residence model; £320,244; Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust, 2018-2020

K. Husk, S. Asthana, R Byng. VCSE Cornwall Social Prescribing Evaluation.£14,985; South West ASHN. 2018-20.

S Asthana and A Gibson. Children's services research project for MHCLG. LG Futures/MHCLC, £19,800; March 2018-February 2019.

2017

R. Jones, S. Asthana, M. Phillips. Innovation in Healthy Ageing European Regional Development Fund, £81,982; September 2017-August 2018.

M. Paisey, R. Jones, S. Asthana et al. E-Health Productivity and Innovation in Cornwall (EPIC). European Regional Development Fund, £ 2,730,513; May 2017-April 2020.

2016

S. Asthana, A. Gibson, P. Hewson. Fair funding for rural policing. National Rural Crime Network, £30,931; May-August, 2016

B. Benjamin, S. Asthana, R. Byng. How can multiple initiatives for integrated care improve experience and outcomes for patients with multiple long term conditions in the Torbay and South Devon area? Torbay Medical Research Fund,£161,286; 2016-2018

B. Benjamin, S. Asthana, R. Byng. Evaluation of new system model and development of system wide evaluation framework. £50,000; Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust, 2016-2017

2015

R. Sheaff, P. Allen, J. Clark, R. Mannion, S. Asthana, A. Gibson, J. Halliday. Diverse Healthcare Providers: Behaviour in response to commissioners, patients and innovations, NIHR PRP, £482,758, 2015-17.

2014

S. Asthana. Review of the Police Funding Formula. Police & Crime Commissioners Treasurers’ Society. £4,000. 2014.

2011

R. Sheaff, J. Ovretveit, S, Peckham. R. Byng, M. Exworthy, S. Asthana. Integration and continuity in primary care: polyclinics and alternatives. NIHR (SDO), £414, 950, 2011-2014

S. Asthana, A. Gibson, T. Bailey, P. Hewson, C. Dibben, G. Moon. Equity of Access to Cardiac and Mental Health Services in England. NIHR (Health Services Research Programme), £279,517, 2011-2014.

2009

S. Asthana and J. Halliday. Evaluation of the Peninsula Cancer Network Project for raising Skin Cancer Awareness and Prevention. Peninsula Cancer Network, £29,643, 2009-10

2008

S. Asthana, A. Gibson, J. Halliday, P. Hewson. Resource Allocation in Statutory Service Provision: an Assessment of the Police and Fire Formulae. Rural Services Partnership, £20,222, 2008.

S. Asthana, A. Gibson, T. Bailey, C. Dibbens. Developing a resource allocation formula at General Practice level based on individual patient characteristics (Person-Based Resource Allocation): Mental Health. NIHR (Policy Research Programme), £191,216, 2008

A. Gibson and S. Asthana. Resource Allocation through the Local Government Finance Settlement: How Do Rural Areas Fare? Rural Services Partnership, £18,850, 2008.

C. Hyde, C. Meads, S. Bryan, P. Barton, D. Moore, C. Davenport, J, Parry, J. Deeks, J. Hawker, A. Fry-Smith, S. Bayliss, K. Stein, R. Andersen, N. Britten, R. Garside, S. Asthana, M. Somerville. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Centre for Public Health Excellence (CPHE) Public Health Collaborating Centre, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, £2,212,000; 2008-2011.

2007

S. Asthana, A. Gibson, T. Bailey, C. Dibbens. The feasibility of developing an approach to Person Based Resource Allocation (PBRA) based on epidemiological data. NIHR (Policy Research Programme), £121,269, 2007.

A. Gibson and S. Asthana. NHS resource allocation: does West Sussex get its ‘fair share’? West Sussex County Council, £8,998,2007.

A. Gibson, S. Asthana, J. Flowers. A review of the weighted capitation formula and its funding impact on Primary Care Trusts in the East of England SHA. East of England Strategic Health Authority,£16,171, 2007.

2005

S. Asthana. Meeting Health Needs in Rural Areas, Research Councils UK (Academic Fellowship), £125,000,2005-10.

2003

S. Asthana. Our City’s Health: developing Practical Tool-kits for policies to address Health Inequalities. Plymouth PCT Public Health Department,£20,000, 2003-2004.

2001

S. Asthana, P. Brigham, J. Halliday, A. Gibson, I. Mackenzie, J. Dicker, G. Floyd, G. Moon. Review of the Effectiveness of measuring Rural Deprivation. South West Public Health Observatory, £24,934. 2001.

S. Asthana, A. Gibson, G. Moon, P. Brigham and J. Halliday. Health Resource Allocation: What Case can be made for Rurality? Rural Health Allocations Forum, £59,214.2001-2002.

2000

S. Asthana, A. Gibson, J. Halliday, J. Dixon, G. Moon. Evaluation of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Action Zone, £438,751, 2000-2002.

S. Asthana, J. Chandler, J. Dixon and J. Halliday, Partnership Working in Plymouth HAZ, Plymouth HAZ, £65,000, 2000-2002.

1999

S. Asthana, G. Moon, J. Dicker and A. Gibson. Inequalities in Health Service Utilization at the General Practice Level. Economic and Social Research Council, £81,481. 1999-2001.

S. Asthana. The additional costs of delivering health and social services in remote and rural areas. Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority, £16,500. 1999.

1998

S. Asthana. Health Needs and Service Deficiencies within Plymouth Health Action Zone. Plymouth Health Action Zone and University of Plymouth, £78,000.1998-2001

1997

A. Gibson, S. Asthana and E. Wragg. Parental Choice, Selection by Ability and a ‘Free Market’ in Education: Raising Educational Standards or the Social Polarization of Schools? The Nuffield Foundation. £39,700. 1997-1999.

1996

S. Asthana and A. Gibson. GP Fund holding and the Provision of Primary Health Care: A Socio-Spatial Analysis. University of Plymouth, QR Funds, £18,000. 1996-1997.

1993

S. Asthana.. Community Participation in HIV Prevention and Care in Madras. Nuffield Foundation, £1,540. 1993.

Publications

Key publications

Key publications are highlighted

Journals

Articles

Asthana S & Prime S (2023) 'The role of digital transformation in addressing health inequalities in coastal communities: barriers and enablers' Frontiers of Health Services Management Publisher Site , DOI

Hussain B, Mirza M, Baines R, Burns L, Stevens S, Asthana S & Chatterjee A (2023) 'Loneliness and social networks of older adults in rural communities: a narrative synthesis systematic review' Frontiers in Public Health 11, , DOI

Featherstone C, Sharpe RA, Axford N, Asthana S, Ball S & Husk K (2022) 'Barriers to healthcare and their relationship to well-being and social support for autistic adults during COVID-19' Primary Health Care Research & Development 23, e79-e79 Author Site , DOI Open access

Westlake D, Elston J, Gude A, Gradinger F, Husk K & Asthana S (2022) 'Impact of COVID‐19 on social prescribing across an Integrated Care System: A Researcher in Residence study' Health and Social Care in the Community , DOI Open access

Elston J, Gradinger F, Asthana S, Fox M, Dawson L, Butler D & Byng R (2022) 'Impact of ‘Enhanced’ Intermediate Care Integrating Acute, Primary and Community Care and the Voluntary Sector in Torbay and South Devon, UK' International Journal of Integrated Care 22, (1) , DOI Open access

Featherstone C, Sharpe RA, Axford N, Asthana S & Husk K (2021) 'Health and wellbeing outcomes and social prescribing pathways in community‐based support for autistic adults: A systematic mapping review of reviews' Health and Social Care in the Community , DOI Open access

Asthana S & Gibson A (2021) 'Averting a public health crisis in England’s coastal communities: a call for public health research and policy' Journal of Public Health , DOI Open access

Asthana S, Stewart K, hughes J, Challis D, Wordon A, Davies S, Xie C & Gibson A (2021) 'Understanding Resource Allocation in social care for frail older people: lessons from a national survey' Journal of Long-Term Care Publisher Site , DOI Open access

Hazeldine E, Gowan G, Wigglesworth R, Pollard J, Asthana S & Husk K (2021) 'Link worker perspectives of early implementation of social prescribing: a ‘Researcher-in-Residence’ study' Health and Social Care in the Community Publisher Site , DOI Open access

Gradinger F, Elston J, Asthana S, Myers C, Wroe S & Byng R (2020) 'Integrating the voluntary sector in personalised care: mixed methods study of the outcomes from wellbeing co-ordination for adults with complex needs' Journal of Integrated Care 28, (4) 405-418 , DOI Open access

Asthana S, Sheaff R, Jones R & Chatterjee A (2020) 'eHealth technologies and the know-do gap: exploring the role of knowledge mobilisation' Evidence & Policy 16, (4) 687-701 , DOI Open access

Asthana S, Gradinger F, Elston J, Martin S & Byng R (2020) 'Capturing the role of context in complex system change: an application of the Canadian Context and Capabilities for Integrating Care (CCIC) Framework to the English Context' International Journal of Integrated Care. , DOI Open access

Asthana S, Gradinger F, Elston J, Martin S & Byng R (2020) 'Capturing the Role of Context in Complex System Change: An Application of the Canadian Context and Capabilities for Integrating Care (CCIC) Framework to an Integrated Care Organisation in the UK' International Journal of Integrated Care 20, (1) , DOI Open access

Asthana S, Jones R & Sheaff W (2019) 'Why does the NHS struggle to adopt eHealth innovations? A review of macro, meso and micro factors' BMC Health Services Research , DOI Open access

Asthana S, Elston J, Gradinger F, Byng R, Lilley-Woolnough C, Wroe S & Harman H (2019) 'Does a social prescribing ‘holistic’ link-worker for older people with complex, multi-morbidity improve well-being and frailty and reduce health and social care use and costs? A 12-month before and after evaluation' Primary Health Care Research and Development , DOI Open access

Sheaff W, Halliday J, Exworthy M, Gibson A, Allen P, Clark J, Asthana S & Mannion R (2019) 'Repositioning the Boundaries between Public and Private Healthcare Providers in the English NHS' Journal of Health Organization and Management (7 / 8) , DOI Open access

Gradinger F, Elston J, Asthana S, Martin S & Byng R (2019) 'Reflections on the Researcher-in-Residence model co-producing knowledge for action in an Integrated Care Organisation: a mixed methods case study using an impact survey and field notes' Evidence & Policy: A Journal of Research, Debate and Practice 15, (2) 197-215 , DOI Open access

Husk K, Elston J, Gradinger F, Callaghan L & Asthana S (2018) 'Social prescribing: where is the evidence? Commissioned editorial' British Journal of General Practice 69, (678) 6-7 Author Site , DOI Open access

Asthana S & Gibson A (2018) 'The National Health Service (NHS) in 'crisis': the role played by a shift from horizontal to vertical principles of equity' Health Economics, Policy and Law 1-17 Author Site , DOI Open access

Asthana SNM & Gibson A (2018) 'The National Health Service (NHS) in 'crisis': the role played by a shift from horizontal to vertical principles of equity' Health Economics, Policy and Law , DOI Open access

Lloyd H, Pearson M, Sheaff WR, Asthana S, Wheat H, Sugavanam T, Britten N, Valderas J, Bainbridge M & Witts L (2017) 'Collaborative action for person-centred coordinated care (P3C): an approach to support the development of a comprehensive system-wide solution to fragmented care' Health Research Policy and Systems , DOI Open access

Sheaff WR, Halliday J, Byng R, Øvretveit J, Exworthy M, Peckham S & Asthana S (2017) 'Bridging the discursive gap between lay and medical discourse in care coordination' Sociology of Health and Illness 39, (7) , DOI Open access

Asthana S, Moon G, Gibson A, Bailey T, Hewson P & Dibben C (2016) 'Inequity in cardiovascular care in the English National Health Service (NHS): a scoping review of the literature' Health & Social Care in the Community , DOI Open access

Sheaff R, Halliday J, Exworthy M, Allen P, Mannion R, Asthana S, Gibson A, Clark J & Sheaff WR (2016) 'A qualitative study of diverse providers' behaviour in response to commissioners, patients and innovators in England: research protocol' BMJ Open , DOI Open access

Asthana S, Gibson A, Bailey T, Moon G, Hewson P & Dibben C (2016) 'Equity of utilisation of cardiovascular care and mental health services in England: a cohort-based cross-sectional study using small-area estimation' Health Services and Delivery Research 4, (14) 1-712 , DOI Open access

Sheaff WR, Halliday J, Øvretveit J, Byng R, Exworthy M, Peckham S & Asthana S (2015) 'Integration and Continuity of Primary Care: Polyclinics and Alternatives, a Patient-Centred Analysis of How Organisation Constrains Care Coordination' Health Services and Delivery Research 3, (35) 1-150 , DOI Open access

Sheaff WR, Halliday J, Øvretveit J, Byng R, Exworthy R, Peckham S & Asthana S (2015) 'Integration and Continuity of Primary Care: Polyclinics and Alternatives, a Patient-Centred Analysis of How Organisation Constrains Care Coordination' Health Services and Delivery Research 3, Publisher Site Open access

Asthana SNM, Hewson P, Halliday J & Gibson A (2013) 'Policy Analytics Need More Than A Spreadsheet: A case study in funding formulae' Annals of Operational Research , DOI

Halliday J, Asthana S, Hewson P & Gibson A (2013) 'Playing with fire: Limitations of the Big Society for an emergency service' Public Policy and Administration 28, (3) 290-305 Publisher Site

Asthana SNM, Halliday J, Hewson P & Gibson A (2013) 'Playing with fire: Limitations of the Big Society for an emergency service' Public Policy and Administration 28, (3)

Asthana S & Gibson A (2013) 'Acute care: The real reason for 'failing' hospitals' Health Serv J 123, (6343) 20-22 Author Site

Asthana SNM & Gibson A (2013) 'Francis and funding: an explanation for ‘failing’ hospitals' Health Services Journal

Halliday J, Asthana S, Hewson P & Gibson A (2012) 'Playing with fire: Limitations of the Big Society for an emergency service' Public Policy & Administration 28, (3) , DOI

Asthana S (2012) 'Lansley is right: age trumps poverty' Health Serv J 122, (6306) 16-17 Author Site

Asthana S & Gibson A (2012) 'The medicalisation of health inequalities and the English NHS: the role of resource allocation' Health Economics, Policy and Law , DOI

Asthana S, Gibson A, Hewson P, Bailey T & Dibben C (2011) 'Devolved commissioning, population size and budgetary risk: evidence from the modelling of ‘fair share’ practice budgets for mental health' Journal of Health Services Research and Policy

Asthana S & Gibson A (2011) 'Setting health care capitations through diagnosis-based risk adjustment: a suitable model for the English NHS' Health Policy 101, , DOI

Asthana S, Gibson A, Hewson P, Bailey T & Dibben C (2011) 'General practitioner commissioning consortia and budgetary risk: evidence from the modelling of ‘fair share’practice budgets for mental health' Journal of Health Services Research & Policy 16, 95-101

Gibson A & Asthana S (2011) 'Resource allocation for English local government: a critique of the four block model' Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series A 174, (3) 1-18

Gibson A & Asthana S (2011) 'Resource Allocation for English Local Government: A Critique of the Four-Block Model' Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A: Statistics in Society 174, (3) 529-546 , DOI

Asthana S (2010) 'Liberating the NHS? A Commentary on the Langley White Paper, “Equity and Excellence”' Social Science and Medicine 72, (6) 815-820 , DOI

Asthana S, Halliday J & Gibson AJS (2009) 'Social exclusion and social justice: a rural perspective on resource allocation' Policy and Politics 37, (2) 201-214 , DOI

Asthana S & Gibson A (2008) 'Deprivation, demography, and the distribution of general practice:' British Journal of General Practice 58, (555) 720-726 , DOI

Asthana S & Gibson AJS (2008) 'Deprivation, demography and the distribution of general practice: challenging the conventional wisdom of inverse care' British Journal of General Practice 58, (555) 718-727

Asthana S & Gibson AJS (2008) 'Health care equity, health equity and resource allocation: towards a normative approach to achieving the core principles of the NHS' Radical Statistics 96, 6-26

Halliday J & Asthana S (2007) 'From evidence to practice: addressing health inequalities through Sure Start' Evidence & Policy 3, (1) 31-45 , DOI

Asthana S & Gibson A (2006) 'A formula for unfairness' Health Serv J 116, (6032) 18-19 Author Site

Richardson S & Asthana S (2006) 'Inter-agency information sharing in health and social care services: The role of professional culture' BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL WORK 36, (4) 657-669 Author Site , DOI

Asthana S & Halliday J (2006) 'Developing an evidence base for policies and interventions to address health inequalities: the analysis of "public health regimes"' Milbank Q 84, (3) 577-603 Author Site , DOI

Richardson S & Asthana S (2006) 'Inter-agency information sharing in health and social care services: The role of professional culture' British Journal of Social Work 36, (4) 657-669

Asthana S & Gibson A (2005) 'Rationing in response to NHS deficits: rural patients are likely to be affected most' BMJ 331, (7530) 1472.1-1472.1 , DOI

Halliday J & Asthana S (2005) 'Policy at the margins: developing community capacity in a rural Health Action Zone' AREA 37, (2) 180-188 Author Site , DOI

Richardson S & Asthana S (2005) 'Policy and Legal Influences on Inter‐Organisational Information Sharing in Health and Social Care Services' Journal of Integrated Care 13, (3) 3-10 , DOI

Asthana S & Gibson A (2005) 'Rationing in response to NHS deficits: rural patients are likely to be affected most' British Medical Journal 331, (7530) 1472-1472

Asthana S & Halliday J (2004) 'What can rural agencies do to address the additional costs of rural services? A typology of rural service innovation' Health Soc Care Community 12, (6) 457-465 Author Site , DOI

Halliday J, Asthana SNM & Richardson S (2004) 'Evaluating Partnership' Evaluation 10, (3) 285-303 , DOI

Asthana S, Gibson A, Moon G, Brigham P & Dicker J (2004) 'The demographic and social class basis of inequality in self reported morbidity: an exploration using the Health Survey for England' J Epidemiol Community Health 58, (4) 303-307 Author Site , DOI

Asthana S, Gibson A, Moon G, Dicker J & Brigham P (2004) 'The pursuit of equity in NHS resource allocation: should morbidity replace utilisation as the basis for setting health care capitations?' Social Science & Medicine 58, (3) 539-551 , DOI

Halliday J & Asthana S (2004) 'The emergent role of the link worker: a study in collaboration' J Interprof Care 18, (1) 17-28 Author Site , DOI

Asthana S, Gibson A, Moon G, Brigham P & Dicker J (2004) 'The demographic and social class basis of inequality in self reported morbidity: an exploration using the Health Survey for England' Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 58, (4) 303-307

Asthana S & Halliday J (2003) 'Intermediate Care: Its Place in a Whole‐Systems Approach' Journal of Integrated Care 11, (6) 15-24 , DOI

Asthana S, Gibson A, Moon G & Brigham P (2003) 'Allocating resources for health and social care: the significance of rurality' Health & Social Care in the Community 11, (6) 486-493 , DOI

Asthana S, Gibson A, Moon G & Brigham P (2003) 'Allocating resources for health and social care: the significance of rurality' Health & Social Care in the Community 11, (6) 486-493

Asthana S, Richardson S & Halliday J (2002) 'Partnership working in public policy provision: A framework for evaluation' SOCIAL POLICY & ADMINISTRATION 36, (7) 780-795 Author Site , DOI

Gibson A & Asthana S (2002) 'Understanding social polarization: A possible research agenda' Research Papers in Education 17, (4) 414-415

Asthana S, Curtis S, Duncan C & Gould M (2002) 'Themes in British health geography at the end of the century: a review of published research 1998-2000' Soc Sci Med 55, (1) 167-173 Author Site , DOI

Gibson A, Asthana S, Brigham P, Moon G & Dicker J (2002) 'Geographies of need and the new NHS: methodological issues in the definition and measurement of the health needs of local populations' HEALTH & PLACE 8, (1) 47-60 Author Site , DOI

Asthana S & Oostvogels R (2001) 'The social construction of male 'homosexuality' in India: implications for HIV transmission and prevention' Soc Sci Med 52, (5) 707-721 Author Site , DOI

Gibson A & Asthana S (2000) 'Local Markets and the Polarization of Public-Sector Schools in England and Wales' Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 25, (3) 303-319 , DOI

Gibson A & Asthana S (2000) 'Estimating the Socioeconomic Characteristics of School Populations with the Aid of Pupil Postcodes and Small-Area Census Data: An Appraisal' Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space 32, (7) 1267-1285 , DOI

Gibson A & Asthana S (2000) 'What's in a number? Commentary on Gorard and Fitz's ‘Investigating the determinants of segregation between schools’' Research Papers in Education 15, (2) 133-153 , DOI

Asthana S (1999) 'The geography of fundholding in southwest England: implications for the evolution of primary care groups' Health & Place 5, (4) 271-278 , DOI

Gibson A & Asthana S (1998) 'Schools, Pupils and Examination Results: contextualising school ‘performance‘' British Educational Research Journal 24, (3) 269-282 , DOI

Gibson A & Asthana S (1998) 'School Performance, School Effectiveness and the 1997 White Paper' Oxford Review of Education 24, (2) 195-210 , DOI

Asthana S & Oostvogels R (1996) 'Community participation in HIV prevention: problems and prospects for community-based strategies among female sex workers in Madras' Soc Sci Med 43, (2) 133-148 Author Site , DOI

Asthana S (1996) 'AIDS-related policies, legislation and programme implementation in India' Health Policy Plan 11, (2) 184-197 Author Site , DOI

Asthana S (1996) 'Women's health and women's empowerment: a locality perspective' Health & Place 2, (1) 1-13 , DOI

Asthana S (1995) 'Variations in poverty and health between slum settlements: Contradictory findings from Visakhapatnam, India' Social Science & Medicine 40, (2) 177-188 , DOI

Asthana S (1994) 'Integrated slum improvement in Visakhapatnam, India' Habitat International 18, (1) 57-70 , DOI

Gibson A & Asthana S 'A Tangled Web: Complexity and Inequality in the English Local Government Finance Settlement' Local Government Studies

Letters

Asthana S (2012) 'Tensions between healthcare equity and health equity must be debated' BMJ 344, Author Site , DOI

Books

Asthana S & Halliday DJ (2006) What Works in Tackling Health Inequalities?. The Policy Press

Asthana S & Halliday J (2006) What works in tackling health inequalities?: Pathways, policies and practice through the lifecourse.

Chapters

Asthana S, Watson P, House S, Hart R, Abbas J & Gaudl S (2023) 'A Case Study Using Virtual Reality to Prime Knowledge for Procedural Medical Training' in Abdelnour Nocera J; Kristín Lárusdóttir M; Petrie H; Piccinno A; Winckler M Lecture Notes in Computer Science book series (LNCS,volume 14145) Cham Switzerland Springer , DOI

Asthana S (2022) 'COVID-19 in the United Kingdom: How a Mixed Welfare Regime Has Responded to the Pandemic' Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreaks, Vaccination, Politics and Society Springer International Publishing 305-318 , DOI

Asthana S & Gibson A (2021) 'Technical appendix' in Whitty C; Loveless B Chief Medical Officer Annual Report, 2021: Health in Coastal Communities London Department of Health and Social Care 245-253 Publisher Site

Asthana S & Gibson A (2021) 'Analysis of Coastal health outcomes' in Whitty C; Loveless B Chief Medical Officer Annual Report, 2021: Health in Coastal Communities London Department of Health and Social Care 189-208 Publisher Site Open access

Asthana S (2020) 'Health and Development' International Encyclopedia of Human Geography Elsevier 297-302 , DOI

Asthana S (2009) 'Health and Development' in Kitchin R; Thrift N International Encyclopedia of Human Geography Oxford Elsevier 28-34

Reports

Jones R, Asthana S, Walmsley A, Sheaff R, Andrade J, May J & Chatterjee A (2019) Developing the eHealth sector in Cornwall. Plymouth, UK University of Plymouth Open access

Sheaff WR, Halliday J, Exworthy M, Gibson A, Allen P, Clark J, Asthana S & Mannion R (2018) Diverse Healthcare Providers: Behaviour in response to commissioners, patients and innovations. National Institute for Health Research Policy Research Programme Open access

Gibson AJS & Asthana S (2016) Police Funding Arrangements in Engand and Wales: Report to the NRCN. National Rural Crime Network Open access

Asthana SNM (2012) Variations in Access to Social Care for Vulnerable Older People in England: Is there a Rural Dimension?. Variations in Access to Social Care for Vulnerable Older People in England: Is there a Rural Dimension? Commission for Rural Communities London Commission for Rural Communities

Asthana S, Bailey T, Gibson AJS, Hewson P & Dibben C (2009) Developing a Person Based Resource Allocation Formula for Setting Practice-Level Mental Health Budgets: 2009/10 and 2010/11. Department of Health, Policy Research Programme

Hewson P, Halliday J, Gibson AJS & Asthana S (2009) Resource Allocation in Statutory Service provision: an assessment of the police and fire formulae. Rural Services Partnership

Asthana S, Gibson AJS, Bailey T, Dibben C, Hewson P, Economou T, Batchelor D, Eastham J, Craig R & Scholes S (2008) Person Based Resource Allocation (PBRA): The Feasibility of Developing a Need-Based Approach to PBRA. Department of Health, Policy Research Programme

Presentations and posters

Elston J, Gradinger F, Asthana S, Fox M, Dawson L, Butler D & Byng R Elston J, Gradinger F, Asthana S, Fox M, Dawson L, Butler D & Byng R 'Impact of “enhanced” intermediate care located in a health & wellbeing hub at the integrated care organisation (ico) in torbay and south devon, uk' , DOI Open access

Gradinger F, Elston J, Asthana S, Lilley-Woolnough C, Myers C, Fox M, Butler D & Byng R Gradinger F, Elston J, Asthana S, Lilley-Woolnough C, Myers C, Fox M, Butler D & Byng R 'Implementation and impact of co-locating the voluntary sector with a multidisciplinary, cross-sector community hub at the Integrated Care Organisation (ICO) in Torbay and South Devon, UK' , DOI Open access

Other Publications

Asthana SNM & Beer O (2016) What Causes Stress in Social Work?.

Asthana SNM & Gibson A Funding Implications for Rural PCTs of the new NHS Resource Allocation Methodology.

Personal

Conferences organised

Convenor, ‘Tackling Health Inequalities, an examination of current policy and practice’, Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society and Institute of British Geographers, University of Plymouth, January, 2001.

Convenor, 'International Perspectives on the Geography of Health’. 9th International Medical Geography Symposium, Montreal, 3rd-7th July 2000.

Convenor, 'Reflections on Health Geography on the Millennium'. Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers, University of Sussex, January, 2000.

Convenor, ‘Gender, Health and Development’, Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers, University of Leicester, January, 1999.

Convenor, ‘Geographical Implications of the NHS Reforms’, Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers, University of Exeter, January 1997.

Convenor, ‘New Perspectives on the Geography of Health in a Changing World’, Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers, University of Exeter, January 1997.

Convenor, Medical Geography, Annual Conference of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers, 3-6th January, 1996, University of Strathclyde.

Convenor, Workshop on 'Current Debates in Health and Development', held at the Midsessional Conference of the IBG Medical Geography Study Group and the IGU Commission on Health, Environment and Development. 13-15th July, 1993, Crossmead Conference Centre, Exeter, UK.

Convenor, Midsessional Conference of the IBG Medical Geography Study Group and the IGU Commission on Health, Environment and Development. 13-15th July, 1993, Crossmead Conference Centre, Exeter, UK.

Other academic activities

Expert witness or consultancy work

External expert, National Audit Office, Landscape Review on Formula Funding, 2011.

Written and oral evidence presented to the All Party Parliamentary Group (Rural Services) Enquiry on Resource Allocation, 9th February, 2010.

External expert, DEFRA Evidence Investment Strategy, 2009. Written and oral evidence presented to the Health Select Committee’s Inquiry on NHS Deficits, 19th October, 2006

Technical Advisor on Resource Allocation to Rural Health Allocation Project Team, 2001-2003.

Profiles

Director of Plymouth Institute of Health and Care Research

Peninsula Medical School (Faculty of Health)