PhD Studentship: Memory Services / Diagnosis / Annual Review

Funded PhD Postion available within the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia I-Care DTC at Leeds Beckett University, choice of projects available

A fantastic opportunity for PhD students planning to develop a research career in dementia research who are passionate about improving care for people living with dementia to study within a cutting edge, supportive national network of leading dementia researchers.

The fellowships are funded by the Alzheimer’s Society Doctoral Training Centre for Integrated Care (ICare-DTC), which brings together five leading institutions in dementia care research: Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), University College London (UCL), London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Leeds Beckett University (LBU) and University of Plymouth (UoP). ICare-DTC has funding for 29 PhD students over 8 years, with a new cohort each year for five years.

Our experienced and passionate team will support a cohort of students in developing PhD studies that not only contribute to international research individually but also collectively create a unique body of knowledge. This research will focus on delivering seamless care from diagnosis to end of life, ensuring independence, autonomy, and choice for all, with a particular emphasis on reaching under-served populations. In our first student cohort, starting October 2025, we will support and nurture five talented future dementia research leaders to conduct PhDs, which will be funded for four years full time.

Our interdisciplinary group (primary care, allied health, psychiatry, psychology, geriatrics, neurology, nursing, social care) spans health and social care, people living with dementia, and current/former carers/supporters. Students will be supported by cross-institutional supervision teams. Their research projects will be co-produced with PPIE, and key stakeholders.

Students will learn from experts in different research methods to develop projects to understand and improve care and support. We will prioritise student wellbeing, with cohort-building and networking, and peer support including annual residential retreats, mentorship from PPIE, policy and international experts.

Through the ICare-DTC, students will also benefit from unique opportunities, including policy workshops, public engagement sessions teaching how to communicate our research to the public, individual training and development budgets, and with potential placements with our partners at Nuffield Trust, Marie Curie and many more.

Our first student cohort will start in October 2025.  In this cohort, each of the five institutions will support and nurture a future dementia research leader to conduct a 4-year PhD. With 15 projects to choose from across the five institutions, the following options are projects aligned to Leeds Beckett University:

Option 1: Exploring the role of integrated working between Memory Assessment Services (MAS) and Primary Care to improve diagnostic and post diagnostic outcomes

Based at Leeds Beckett University

Theme: Independence, autonomy and choice

Supervisor and lead contact: Prof Sarah Smith (LBU), email:s.j.smith@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Background

Diagnosis for dementia typically occurs in specialist Memory Assessment Services (MAS). However, primary care plays a significant role in screening, identification, and referrals to MAS, as well as providing post-diagnostic  support for people with a diagnosis of dementia. The role of primary care practice has long been recognised as an important part of the diagnostic and post diagnostic pathway. Despite this, collaboration between MAS and primary care can be limited and lack integration. Historically, MAS have reported issues such as inappropriate referrals contributing to delays in diagnosis. Research concerning patient experience suggests that post diagnostic support (frequently not commissioned as part of MAS) is often missing or fragmented once patients are discharged from MAS to primary care.

A recent review of best practice in MAS in the UK (commissioned and conducted in the Centre for Dementia Research, Leeds Beckett) revealed novel approaches to collaboration between MAS and primary care to improve 1) diagnostic accuracy and timeliness 2) person centred post diagnostic support. The role of primary care was also highlighted as an avenue for improving access to MAS for underrepresented communities and providing tailored post diagnostic support.

Aims

This study will examine collaborative working practices between MAS and Primary Care to facilitate timely diagnosis and effective post diagnostic support.

Option 2: Exploring the feasibility of using annual dementia reviews to support cancer detection and management

Based at Leeds Beckett University

Theme: Complexity and risk

Supervisor and lead contact: Prof Claire Surr (LBU), email:c.a.surr@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Background

At least 1 in 13 people aged 75+ who have dementia also have cancer. People with dementia experience suboptimal routes to cancer diagnosis. They are diagnosed with later stage cancers, are more likely to present with cancer as an emergency and to be diagnosed by chance. Suboptimal diagnostic routes lead to worse outcomes including poorer symptom management and quality of life. In England all routine cancer screening programmes cease at age 74, meaning there is a reliance on independent symptom identification followed by active help-seeking for cancer assessment. Both these activities are compromised when someone has dementia. Likewise, having dementia may impede a person’s ability to attend routine cancer screening. Early findings from our ongoing NIHR funded study on the management of cancer in people with dementia in primary care confirms cancer identification in this setting is often by chance, and that annual dementia reviews had provided an opportunity to identify potential cancer symptoms and initiate appropriate follow-up/referral for some patients. This suggests specific questions related to potential cancer symptoms within the review could provide a more structured approach to identification of undiagnosed cancer and could be used for supporting ongoing management of patients with comorbid cancer and dementia. However, there has been no research to date to explore the acceptability or feasibility of this for clinicians, people with dementia or their carers.

Aims

This study will examine the feasibility of using primary care annual dementia reviews to support identification of potential cancer-related symptoms and ongoing cancer management.

Option 3: Exploring pathways for brain health for people from marginalised communities in Memory Assessment Services

Based at Leeds Beckett University

Theme: Under-served populations

Supervisor and lead contact: Prof Sarah Smith (LBU), email:s.j.smith@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Background

A recent review of memory assessment service (MAS) provision identified meeting the needs of people Mild Cognitive Impairment as a service improvement priority. This corresponds with findings of wider research that suggest addressing the needs of people with subjective memory complaints is critical for timely intervention. It also articulates with an increased focus on brain health as a public health priority that may fall within the remit of an expanded role for memory services – or related services. Contemporary thinking that Brain Health Clinics are the next step in dementia care provision is reflected in a recent European Task Force position paper promoting the deployment of a second generation of memory clinics designed to offer evidence – based prevention in at risk individuals. These types of pathways– conceptualised as Brain Health Services – are likely to become more important as earlier minimally or non-invasive dementia screening and diagnostic tests become more widely available (e.g. blood tests) and new disease modifying drugs come onto the market. These may lead to earlier presentation at MAS and a need to combine pharmaceutical treatment with a range of health advice on personalised prevention and risk reduction and ongoing monitoring for people with MCI or subjective cognitive impairment. In the context of understanding the needs and service requirements for people with subjective memory complaints, it is critical to represent the views of people from marginalised communities, who are already disproportionately underserved by existing MAS.

Aims

The PhD will aim to understand the experience of people from marginalised communities who attend MAS with subjective cognitive complaints, but do not meet the threshold for a diagnosis of dementia. The project will explore and document their experience of the MAS, whether they have unmet needs that underlie their subjective cognitive complaints (Brain Health profile), and whether these needs have or could have been met by the service itself or onward referrals. The findings will be used to make recommendations for diagnostic and therapeutic pathways that will meet the needs of this population with consideration of service development implications and constraints.

Prior to applying, we recommend prospective applicants contact the lead for their first-choice project, who will be happy to discuss the opportunity and answer any questions.

For information about the other institutions and PhD projects available to choose from, FAQs, or to apply, please visit our main post on the dementia researcher website. 

Applications close at midnight on 22^nd January 2025.

Interviews will be held in person at Queen Mary University of London, Whitechapel Campus on Friday 14^th February 2025. We will reimburse reasonable, standard class travel for shortlisted candidates on provision of valid receipts. If attendance in person is not possible, in line with our inclusive ethos we will liaise with shortlisted candidates to enable virtual participation.

 ICare-DTC and associated institutions are committed to equality, diversity, widening participation and inclusion. We welcome applications, irrespective of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, or transgender status. All appointments are made on merit.

For more information or to ask questions, please join the ICare-DTC lunchtime Webinar on Thursday 5^th December 2024 from 12:00 to 13:00 hosted by the centres co-leads Prof Nathan Davies and Prof Claudia Cooper. Please Join the meeting here (Meeting ID: 374 284 433 895, Passcode: 7Rka2v)

For general enquires please email icare-dtc@qmul.ac.uk