Primary Care & Health Sciences
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I came to Keele in 1987 as an undergraduate, and graduated in 1990 with a BSc in Mathematics and Biology. I stayed at Keele and studied for my PhD in Statistics, which I gained in 1996. In 2009 I was awarded an MSc in Health Economics from the University of Birmingham.
In 1994 I was made Research Assistant at the School of Postgraduate Medicine, Keele. In 1997 I was appointed Lecturer in Statistics at the former Industrial & Community Health Research Centre - now the Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre, Keele. In 2006 I was promoted to Senior Lecturer.
I am a Fellow of the Royal Statistical Society.
My research interests are principally in the statistical and economic evaluations of clinical trials – with particular reference to primary care musculoskeletal research.
I have over 70 articles in press or published in international peer-review journals (see Publications tab for specific details). I have been a co-applicant on nine grant awards totalling over £6million.
Selected Publications
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2013. DEFINING OPTIMAL NHS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TREATMENT, INDIVIDUALIZED SPLINT AND PLACEBO SPLINT FOR PATIENTS WITH THUMB BASE OA: A DELPHI STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 52, pp. 105-106). link>
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2013. THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF NURSE-LED CARE IN PEOPLE WITH RA. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 52, p. 10). link>
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2013. TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF TENNIS ELBOW: A PRAGMATIC RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 52, p. 38). link>
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2013. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as adjunct to primary care management for tennis elbow: pragmatic randomised controlled trial (TATE trial). BMJ, vol. 347, f5160. link>
Full Publications List show
Journal Articles
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2013. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as adjunct to primary care management for tennis elbow: pragmatic randomised controlled trial (TATE trial). BMJ, vol. 347, f5160. link>
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2012. The size of a pilot study for a clinical trial should be calculated in relation to considerations of precision and efficiency. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, vol. 65(3), 301-308. doi> full text>
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2010. IMPaCT Back study protocol. Implementation of subgrouping for targeted treatment systems for low back pain patients in primary care: a prospective population-based sequential comparison. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 11, 186. link> doi> full text>
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2009. Testing a model of association between patient identified problems and responses to global measures of health in low back pain patients: a prospective study. Health Qual Life Outcomes, vol. 7, 74. link> doi> full text>
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2009. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation for the management of tennis elbow: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial: the TATE trial (ISRCTN 87141084). BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 10, 156. link> doi> full text>
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2008. A randomised clinical trial of subgrouping and targeted treatment for low back pain compared with best current care. The STarT Back Trial Study Protocol. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 9, 58. link> doi> full text>
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2008. The STarT Back screening tool: subgroups for targeted treatment of back pain in primary care. Arthritis and Rheumatism (Arthritis Care and Research), vol. 59(5), 632-641.
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2007. Cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging in primary care consulters with shoulder pain: a case-control study. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, vol. 66(10), 1363-1368. doi>
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2007. The use of CAM and conventional treatments among primary care consulters with chronic musculoskeletal pain. BMC Fam Pract, vol. 8, 26. link> doi> full text>
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2007. ICF core sets for low back pain: do they include what matters to patients?. J Rehabil Med, vol. 39(5), 353-357. link> doi> full text>
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2007. Epidemiology of insomnia: a longitudinal study in a UK population. Sleep, vol. 30(3), 274-280. link>
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2006. Lateral epicondylitis in general practice: course and prognostic indicators of outcome. Journal of Rheumatology, vol. 33, 2053-2059.
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2005. A comparison of two primary care trials on tennis elbow: issues of external validity. Ann Rheum Dis, vol. 64(10), 1406-1409. link> doi> full text>
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2005. Accidental breaches of the doping regulations in sport: is there a need to improve the education of sportspeople?. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SPORTS MEDICINE, vol. 39(8), 512-516. link> doi> full text>
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2005. Manual therapy or pulsed shortwave diathermy provide no additional benefit over advice and exercise in the treatment of neck disorders. Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies, vol. 10(4), 307-308.
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2004. ISSUES OF GENERALISABILITY IN RANDOMISED CLINICAL TRIALS. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 43, 86-87. link>
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2004. A comparison of four shoulder-specific questionnaires in primary care. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, vol. 63(10), 1293-1299. doi> full text>
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2004. Do Physiotherapist's attitudes towards evidence based practice change as a result of an evidence based educational programme?. Journal of Clinical Evaluation, vol. 10(2), 207-217. doi>
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2003. Consultation and the outcome of shoulder-neck pain: a cohort study in the population. J Rheumatol, vol. 30(12), 2694-2699. link>
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2003. Health status after hip or knee orthroplasty. Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, vol. 62(8), 700-701. doi>
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2003. Patients use and knowledge of aspirin in preventing vascular disease. Primary health care research and development.
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2003. Prophylatic aspirin use in the adult general population. Journal of Public Health Medicine, vol. 25(4), 377-80.
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2002. The effect of diabetic control on the incidence of, and changes in, retinopathy in type 2 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients. Br J Gen Pract, vol. 52(476), 214-216. link>
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2002. A community pharmacy based survey of users of over the counter sleep aids. Pharmaceutical Journal.
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2002. Effects of manual work on recovery from lateral epiondylitis. Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, vol. 28(2), 109-116.
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2002. Physical activity in young people. Primary Health Care, vol. 12(3), 25/31.
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2002. Pulsed short-wave diathermy effects on human fibroblast proliferation. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation. doi>
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2002. The Impact of Sporadic Compylobacter and Salmonella Infection on Health and Health Related Behaviour: a case control study. Epidemiology & Infection. doi>
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2001. Factors affecting over-the-counter use of aspirin in the secondary prophylaxis of cardiovascular disease. Br J Gen Pract, vol. 51(473), 1001-1003. link>
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2001. Prevalence of neck pain in the adult UK population. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 40, 147. link>
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2001. Who gets persistent neck pain in the population?. RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 40, 132. link>
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2001. A case-control study of differences between regular and causal adult attenders in general dental practice. Prim Dent Care, vol. 8(1), 35-40. link>
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2000. Atrial fibrillation: a comparison of methods to identify cases in general practice. Br J Gen Pract, vol. 50(458), 727-729. link>
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2000. Does psychological status predict the presentation in primary care of women with a menstrual disturbance?. BRITISH JOURNAL OF GENERAL PRACTICE, vol. 50(455), 491-492. link>
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2000. Carpal tunnel syndrome: a nested case-control study of risk factors in women. Am J Epidemiol, vol. 151(6), 566-574. link>
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2000. Local injection, naproxen, and simple analgesia led to similar 1 year rates of symptom relief in lateral epicondylitis. Evidence-Based Medicine, vol. 5, 120.
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2000. The prediction of inpatient length of stay for actue psychiatric admissions. Journal of Mental Health, vol. 9, 145-153.
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1999. Pragmatic randomised controlled trial of local corticosteroid injection and naproxen for treatment of lateral epicondylitis of elbow in primary care. BMJ, vol. 319(7215), 964-968. link>
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1997. Psychiatric beds attached to a Community Mental Health Centre. Psychiatric Bulletin, vol. 21, 202-204.
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1995. Some designs for multi-criteria bandits. Adaptive Designs, vol. 25, 88-94.
Other
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2013. DEFINING OPTIMAL NHS OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY TREATMENT, INDIVIDUALIZED SPLINT AND PLACEBO SPLINT FOR PATIENTS WITH THUMB BASE OA: A DELPHI STUDY. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 52, pp. 105-106). link>
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2013. THE COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF NURSE-LED CARE IN PEOPLE WITH RA. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 52, p. 10). link>
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2013. TRANSCUTANEOUS ELECTRICAL NERVE STIMULATION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF TENNIS ELBOW: A PRAGMATIC RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 52, p. 38). link>
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2012. Cost Effectiveness of Nurse-Led Care for People with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Multicentre RCT. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 64, pp. S736-S737). link>
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2008. Practical application of the start back screening tool: A pilot study in primary care. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 47, p. II156). link>
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2007. The pain burden of participants in pragmatic trials for regional musculoskeletal conditions. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 46, p. I125). link>
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2006. Cost-utility analysis of a brief pain management programme and physical treatments for low back pain: Results from an economic analysis alongside a randomised clinical trial. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 45, p. I123). link>
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2006. Validation of a new low back pain sub-grouping tool for primary care (the STarTBack tool). RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 45, p. I119). link>
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2006. Re: Goldby LJ, Moore AP, Doust J, Trew, ME. A randomised controlled trial investigating the efficiency of musculoskeletal physiotherapy on chronic low back disorder.
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2005. Cost utility analysis of a brief pain management programme and manual therapy for low back pain: An economic evaluation along-side a randomised clinical trial. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 52, p. S663). link>
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2005. Outcome in low back pain: What matters to the patients?. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 44, p. I160). link>
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2005. Startback - Development of a low back pain screening tool. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 44, p. I85). link>
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2005. The influence of psychosocial factors of the work environment on the relationship of piecework with musculoskeletal pain and general health in a general population. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 44, p. I86). link>
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2005. Validation of a perceived confidence log in the examination of the shoulder and knee joints. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 44, p. I79). link>
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2005. What influences undergraduate medical students to utilise the computer assisted learning package "Virtual Rheumatology"?. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 44, p. I78). link>
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2005. Measuring Clinically Important Change in Low Back Pain. J Bone Joint Surg Br Orthopaedic proceedings (vol. 87, p. 39).
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2004. The computer assisted learning package, virtual rheumatology, has a measurable impact on the learning of musculoskeletal examination skills by medical students. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 50, p. S273). link>
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2004. Association of hand paraesthesia with specific job tasks: results from a population study in North Staffordshire, UK. Rheumatology (vol. 43, p. ii88).
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2004. Association of specific work activities and psychosocial factors with neck and upper limb pain: results from a population study. 5th International Scientific Conference on Prevention of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders.
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2004. Early physiotherapy management of back pain in primary care: a randomised clinical trial of physical treatments versus a brief pain management programme. Rheumatology (vol. 43, p. ii18).
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2004. Is video analysis of clinical interventions in treatment trials valuable? Experiences from a low back painstudy. Rheumatology.
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2004. PANTHER - Issues of generalisability in randomised clinical trials. Rheumatology.
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2004. PANTHER - Physiotherapists' perceived predictors of outcome in neck pain. Rheumatology.
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2004. Physiotherapists' perceived predictors of outcome in neck pain. Rheumatology (vol. 43, p. ii153).
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2004. Relationship between perceived confidence and actual performance I an objective structural clinical examination of shoulder and knee joint assessment. Rheumatology.
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2003. Does the expert rheumatology nurse influence control perceptions in a drug monitor clinic?. ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES (vol. 62, p. 548). link>
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2003. Do opinion leaders exist in clinical practice?. Rheumatology.
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2003. Expert nurse-conducted drug monitor clinics for patients with rheumatoid arthritis: added value?. Rheumatology.
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2003. Neck and upper limb pain in pottery workers in North Staffordshire, UK. Rheumatology (p. 35).
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2003. Structural cervical spine abnormalites and shoulder region pain: is there an association?. Rheumatology.
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2003. The effectiveness of manual therapy or pulsed shortwave diathermy in addition to exercise & advice for neck disorders: a pragmatic randomized controlled trial in physical therapy clinics. Arthritis & Rheumatism.
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2002. Agreement between medical and non-medical examiners in scoring a musculoskeletal OSCE. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 46, p. S209). link>
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2002. Consulting behaviour in a population with shoulder pain. Rheumatology (vol. 41, p. 46).
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2002. Early Pain Relief in Tennis Elbow: a 5-day diary on comparing steroid injection, NSAID and placebo. Rheumatology.
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2002. Inter-rater reliability assessment of the scoring of the body pain manikin. Rheumatology (vol. 41, p. 52). Oxford University Press.
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2002. Selection of shoulder questionnaires for use in prospective studies. Rhematology.
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2002. Validity and Reliability of a questionnaire for upper quadrant pain and occupational risk factors. Rheumatology (pp. 45-46). Oxford University Press.
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2001. A longitudinal study to investigate the change in physiotherapists clinical management of low back pain following an evidence based training programme. RHEUMATOLOGY (vol. 40, p. 147). link>
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2001. Does a general measure of health status reflect the severity of shoulder problems?. Rheumatology (vol. 40, p. 128).
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1998. A randomised placebo controlled trial of local steroid injection and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory tablets for the treatment of lateral epicondylitis in primary care. ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM (vol. 41, p. S93). link>
My current teaching commitments lie within the ‘Research Methods’ and ‘Statistics and Epidemiology’ modules of the Masters in Medical Science.
I am Co-Director of the Clinical Trials Unit (at the Arthritis Research UK Primary Care Centre). I am a member of Trial Steering Committees and Data Monitoring Committees for clinical trials carried out at Keele and in other academic institutions.

