Dr Tracey Parkin
Profiles

Dr Tracey Parkin

Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer)

School of Health Professions (Faculty of Health & Human Sciences)

Role

Role

As programme lead I enjoy working with the dietetic team to ensure that we deliver a quality programme. I have an active teaching role, leading the 'dietetics in practice' module in year 3 as well as leading communication skills/behaviour change training across the 3 years of the programme. In addition I supervise final year dissertations and maintain an active role in delivering clinical supervisory skills training to practice educators across the South West.

 

Qualifications

I graduated from Kings College London with a  degree in Nutrition, followed by a postgraduate diploma in dietetics. I went on to work as a dietitian in the NHS, covering a range of dietetic areas before specialising in diabetes. I worked as a diabetes specialist dietitian for 14 years with a strong interest in developing structured education programmes and developing communication skills. I completed my doctorate in 2012 which focuses on "empathy" and "information exchange" within the dietetic consultation. I joined the Dietetics team here at Plymouth in 2006 and have been the programme lead since 2016. 
  • BSc(Hons) Nutrition
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics RD
  • FETC
  • PgCert LTHE
  • FHEA
  • PhD  

Professional membership

  • Member of the British Dietetic Association
  • Registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC)
  • Member of Diabetes Management and Education Group (DMEG)
  • Member of Diabetes UK
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA)

Roles on external bodies

2009 - ongoing Member of the HEI Placement Network (BDA)

2014   - External Examiner  -  MSc Advanced Diabetes Educator (Children, young people and families )  (MDIAB) - Leeds Becket University 

2015 - Member of the Practice Education Working group - for the British Dietetic Association (BDA) 


Teaching interests

I teach undergraduates and postgraduates 

I cover a range of dietetic areas my specialist areas are:-
  • diabetes 
  • communication skills/behaviour change.
I teach communication skills / behaviours for effective working with patients across the 3 years of the dietetic programme. In addition I am interested in supervisory skills training and help deliver education in this area to practice educators across the South West.

Staff serving as external examiners

External Examiner MSc Advanced Diabetes Educator (Children, Young people and Families) (MDIAB),  Leeds Becket University 

Research interests

My research interest fall into three main areas:

Patient Education 
  • Communication skills around one to one consultations.
  • Facilitating self care management 
  • Structured education programmes for people with long term/chronic conditions
Diabetes
  • Dietary management of diabetes
  • Prevention of diabetes
Dietetic practice
  • communication /behaviour change skills training
  • supervisory skills 
  • student training- placement education
Current PhD students:

Co-supervisor for Linda Solbrig - investigating "Functional Imagery as a personalised e-health intervention for weight loss" 

Key publications are highlighted

Journals
Articles
Solbrig L, Jones R, Kavanagh DJ, May J, Parkin T & Andrade J 2017 'People trying to lose weight dislike calorie counting apps and want motivational support to help them achieve their goals' Internet Interventions PEARL
Parkin T, de Looy A & Farrand P 2014 'Greater professional empathy leads to higher agreement about decisions made in the consultation' PATIENT EDUCATION AND COUNSELING 96, (2) 144-150 Author Site , DOI PEARL
Parkin T, Looy A & Farrand P 2013 'An observational study exploring information exchange in consultations' DIABETIC MEDICINE 30, E9-E9 Author Site
Parkin 2007 'Effectiveness of a computerised assessment tool to prompt individuals with diabetes to be more active in consultations' Practical Diabetes International 24 (1), 36-41 , DOI
Skinner TC, Barnard K, Cradock S & Parkin T 2007 'Patient and professional accuracy of recalled treatment decisions in out-patient consultations' Diabetic Medicine 24 (5), 557-560 , DOI
Parkin T, Barnard K, Cradock S, Pettman P & Skinner T 2006 'Does professional-centred training improve consultation outcomes?' Practical Diabetes International 23, (6) 253-256 , DOI
Parkin 2003 'Discrepancies between patient and professionals recall and perception of an outpatient consultation' Diabetic Medicine 20 (11), 909-914 , DOI
Parkin 2001 'An audit of the theoretical basis of education during dietetic consultations with diabetic patients' Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics 14 (1), 33-42 , DOI
Conference Papers
Collinson AO, Parkin T & McMullan M 2016 'Prohealth@home: A feasibility study exploring the use of dietitians communicating with individuals at high risk of diabetes via a web based app to reduce the risk of developing diabetes' International Congress of Dietetics //0 //0 PEARL

Other academic activities

Contributed to the International Society of Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) Nutrition guidelines on the role of behaviour approaches in diabetes education. Out l2007