PhD Studentship - Diagnostic Delays in Lewy Body Dementia; Exploring the Primary Care Perspective using a Mixed Method Approach

Award summary

A 4 year funded PhD with home fees and annual stipend allowance paid (starting at £20,500). A training allowance and consumables budget is also available. International applicants will be required to pay the difference between home and international fees. 

Overview

Background: People with Lewy body dementia (LBD) are more likely to wait longer for an accurate diagnosis. The primary care pre-diagnostic pathway for people with LBD i.e. how GPs manage patients prior to specialist referral and eventual diagnosis, remains unexplored.  

Objective: to explore primary care pathways of people diagnosed with LBD prior to diagnosis. 

Methods: mixed methods approach but this is flexible. First quantitatively describe the primary care pre-diagnostic pathway of people diagnosed with LBD, compared to matched age/sex controls of those Alzheimer disease (AD), using large primary care databases e.g. Clinical Practice Research Database (CPRD).    

Secondly qualitatively explore in detail the factors which influence primary care pre-diagnostic pathways for people with LBD. Data collection via interviews with people with LBD, their family carers and GPs.    

Finally using key findings from both of the above, task groups (a modified focus group approach) will be held with i) people with LBD and their family carers and ii) healthcare professionals to identify possible solutions for example, primary care guidelines. t.   

Potential impact: Academic outputs and non-academic outputs e.g. guidelines for GPs 

Number of awards: 1

Start date: 15^th September 2025

Award duration: 4 years

Sponsor

The Lewy Body Society (LBD DTN) 

Supervisors

Professor Dame Louise Robinson Staff Profile | Faculty of Medical Sciences | Newcastle University 

Professor Louise Allen Louise Allan Profile | University of Exeter 

Professor Matthew Prina  

Eligibility Criteria

A 2:1 honours degree, or international equivalent, in a relevant subject. A Masters with strong research training element would be highly advantageous.  

If your first language is not English you need an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (at least 5.5 in all sub-skills) or equivalent language qualification. 

International applicants may require an ATAS (Academic Technology Approval Scheme) clearance certificate prior to obtaining their visa and to study on this programme.   

How To Apply

You must apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal 

Register and apply through the University’s Apply to Newcastle Portal https://applyto.newcastle.ac.uk/ and ‘Create a Postgraduate Application’. 

In ‘Course choice’ tab, click ‘Search Course’ put ‘Postgraduate Research’, in 'Type of Study', ‘Full Time’, in ‘Mode of Study’, ‘2025’ as ‘Year of Entry’, code ‘8370F’ in ‘Course Title’, blank in ‘Research Area’. 

Press ‘Search’, select ‘PhD Population Health Sciences (FT)’, and click ‘Save selection.’ 

Either upload a document or write into ‘Personal Statement’. Put code ‘PH056’ in ‘Studentship/Partnership Reference’. When prompted for research proposal, select ‘Write Proposal’. Type in the title of the research project from this advert. A research proposal is not required. You can also upload a covering letter and CV, please state how your interests and experience relate to the project. 

You must submit one application per studentship, you cannot apply for multiple studentships on one application. 

Contact Details

a.l.robinson@newcastle.ac.uk

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