PROMPPT Research Team

Prof Christian Mallen
Chief Investigator
My research focuses on improving the diagnosis and management of common musculoskeletal problems in primary care settings. Along with colleagues I have been increasingly concerned by the rapid increase in prescribing opioid medication in the absence of an evidence base to support their use. PROMPPT provides us with the unique opportunity to proactively address these issues, using novel approaches to support people living with chronic pain.
I am looking forward to working closely with patients and the public, academics and clinicians to find innovative solutions to help people living with chronic pain reduce the burden and complications associated with opioid pain medication.

Dr Julie Ashworth
Principal Investigator
I trained in medicine at the Universities of St Andrews and Manchester and completed specialist training in Anaesthesia before further specialising in Pain Medicine. My research is inspired by my clinical work and focuses on improving care for patients with long-term pain.
In my clinic I regularly meet patients who struggle with chronic pain and see little alternative to continuing opioids, even when they no longer help or cause troublesome side-effects. Previous studies with colleagues at Keele have explored the long-term use of opioid painkillers and as Principle Investigator, I am delighted to be co-leading the enthusiastic team delivering the PROMPPT programme. Too often, people with long-term pain struggle to find the help they need and this programme is a great opportunity to help patients who may be continuing unnecessarily on medicines that are harming rather than helping them.

Dr Annette Bishop

Dr Nicola Cornwall
Applied Health Researcher
I am excited to be a part of the research team working on the PROMPPT study to improve outcomes for people living with persistent pain. I will be mainly working on the qualitative aspects of the research programme including the interviews with people with pain, GPs and clinical pharmacists that will help to design the clinical pharmacist review consultation (PROMPPT). I am also one of the faces behind @KeelePain our social media accounts for both Twitter and Facebook.

Professor Lisa Dikomitis
Dr Lisa Dikomitis contributes to PROMPPT via her leadership of the online qualitative study component, called netnography. This is an innovative approach in intervention development work and will ensure the PROMPPT research team captures the voices, experiences and perceptions of a diverse group of chronic pain patients.

Dr Sarah Harrisson
Clinical Lecturer in Pain Sciences and Honorary Specialist Pain Physiotherapist

Professor Toby Helliwell
I have completed a Masters degree in medicine and a PhD in musculoskeletal general practice and I am currently a Senior Lecturer in general practice, a fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners and work as a research scholar for the clinical research network as well as being part of the global health team here at Keele University. My interests are wide but my main focus is in improving community health particularly around disabling and painful conditions.

Julie Hooper
Trial Manager


Professor Clare Jinks
Qualitative Lead

Dr Sue Jowett
Health Economics
My primary role in PROMPPT is to lead the health economic component and supervise the health economics researcher in research design, data collection, analysis and write up of the economic evaluation. The purpose of this work is to assess the cost-effectiveness of the PROMPPT intervention, taking into account costs, quality of life and the risks and benefits of opioid medication. I’m particularly looking forward to the challenge of the application of health economic modelling to estimate the potential long-term impact of the intervention.

Associate Professor Roger Knaggs
I aim to promote the importance of pain within pharmacy and the role of pharmacy within pain management. To this end I was the inaugural chair of the United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association pain management group. I am Vice President of the British Pain Society at present, having been a coopted and elected Council member. In addition, I have associations with several other healthcare policy and government organisations, including the Faculty of Pain Medicine, Care Quality Commission and NICE.
I will use my substantial experience of supporting people taking opioids for long-term pain in primary care and secondary pharmacy in the development of the intervention in the PROMPPT study.

Professor Gillian Lancaster
Statistics Lead
I am Statistics Lead on PROMPPT and this is a great team to be working with!

Dr Libby Lang
In my current role as a Research Fellow, I have been working on a longitudinal evaluation of a primary care prescribing safety intervention (PINCER). This has involved conducting interviews and focus groups with GPs, pharmacists and patients in order to gather their experiences and opinions on different aspects of the intervention. Whilst continuing to work in my current role, I will also be helping with the qualitative components of the PROMPPT study which I am really looking forward to.

Professor Paul Little

Emma Marshall
Study Co-ordinator

Dr Elaine Nicholls
Statistician
As PROMPPT study statistician, I will enjoy being part of the team and using my skills to contribute to an important and relevant research question that will lead to direct patient benefit. Within my role as the study statistician, I will contribute to the study design, and will analyse the quantitative data that are collected as part of the project.

Professor Tamar Pincus
Most recently my research has focused on delivering effective reassurance to patients in primary care, and studying the use of technology to deliver rehabilitation. My practical work focuses on training practitioners in effective communication skills and fostering awareness of patients’ psychological needs and concerns.
One of the most challenging problems in the field of health at the moment is our relationship to pharmacological interventions. PROMPPT addresses this problem by testing a novel solution that might really change people’s lives. My role within this project is to explore how best to optimise the behaviours of clinicians to elicit and maintain a change in the behaviour of patients.

Professor Miriam Santer

Ms Clare Sillitto
Having suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis for 35 years, I know only too well the importance of regular reviews of pain medication. It is easy to get stuck on high doses of strong pain relief which can keep increasing if the pain gets worse, or you keep on taking it because of fear of the pain returning. In my case strong pain killers have a tendency to leave me dizzy, lethargic, sleepy and disorientated making it difficult for me to function. I believe it’s really important to review your pain medicines and how they are working for you on a regular basis.
My role on PROMPPT is to ensure that the research is relevant to those people who are most likely to benefit from the work. I will be a member of the PROMPPT Patient Advisory Group and support the development and delivery of the 5-year research programme. I am excited that the PROMPPT research programme will answer some of the questions regarding the correct use of taking medications for pain relief and how regular pain reviews can happen.

Dr Simon White

Dr Charlotte Woodcock
Applied Health Researcher
I am thrilled to be part of the PROMPPT study team and have this opportunity to work with people living with persistent pain on such an important project. To begin with, I will be involved in facilitating our online discussion forum where people with long-term pain can discuss their experiences and share their views. These patient voices will support the PROMPPT project to improve outcomes for patients using regular opioid medication.

Professor Tony Avery
Collaborator
My research focuses on identifying the frequency, nature and causes of prescribing safety problems in primary care, and the development and testing of interventions to improve safety. I have led a number of important studies in recent years including:
– The PRACTICE study (which investigated the prevalence, nature and causes of prescribing errors in general practices)
– The PINCER trial (which demonstrated the effectiveness of a pharmacist-led, IT-based, intervention to help reduce prescribing errors in general practice)
– An evaluation of patient reporting to the UK Yellow Card Scheme
– The development, piloting and evaluation of a Patient Safety Toolkit for use in general practices
– A large-scale investigation of the frequency and causes of avoidable significant harm in primary care
Tackling problems with the prescription of opioids is a major safety challenge for the NHS and I am excited that our PROMPPT Programme is setting out to address this challenge.

Dr Janet Lefroy
Collaborator
My involvement in the PROMPPT study is helping to devise and deliver the training for these vitally important consultations between clinical pharmacists and their patients who are taking long-term opioids. I am excited to support this initiative which will hopefully change patients’ lives and will doubtless change my own GP consultations too!
