Primary Care & Health Sciences

I received my academic training in the Netherlands at the EMGO+ Institute for Health and Care Research of the VU University in Amsterdam, working in a programme of research on the diagnosis, prognosis and management of musculoskeletal disorders. I obtained a PhD in 1997 (on the prognosis and management of shoulder disorders in primary care), and continued to work at the EMGO+ Institute as a lecturer and senior lecturer.  In 2006 I took up a joint appointment between Amsterdam and Keele, with the aim to build international experience and develop an international programme of research across the two Centres. I joined the Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre in Keele fulltime in October 2009.

My research activities focus on the epidemiology of pain in the community, and the diagnosis, prognosis and management of musculoskeletal disorders and other common conditions in primary care. I have been involved in the design and conduct of several prospective cohort studies investigating the influence of physical, occupational and psychological factors on the prognosis of several musculoskeletal conditions, and have led (cluster) randomised trials on the effectiveness of primary care interventions for back pain, shoulder pain, tennis elbow, and other conditions.

I have a strong interest in research methodology, and am involved in research exploring methods for diagnostic and prognosis research. Other interests concern trial methodology and the methodology of systematic reviews of diagnostic, prognostic and intervention research. She provides methodological support to health care professionals and researchers to undertake research on musculoskeletal pain and other conditions, and has been involved in the development of clinical guidelines in this field.

• Research Methods SSC (3^rd year, Keele Medical School)
• Postgraduate Course Epidemiology (VU University, Amsterdam)
• Systematic reviews (workshops)
• Supervision MSc and PhD students

• Member of the Editorial Team of Cochrane Diagnostic Test Accuracy Reviews
• Panel member of the Arthritis Research UK Clinical Studies Subcommittee