Improving depression in adults with specialist palliative care needs using Behavioural Activation
Deadline: 14 March, 2025
Level of Study
Postgraduate Research
Funding Amount
The Studentship offers tuition fees and annual stipend to support living costs for a maximum of three years, depending on residency. For the year 2024-2025, the stipend rates for 2024-25 were £19,237.
Application Status
Open
Eligibility summary
- Level of StudyPostgraduate Research
Overview
Supervisors:
First Supervisor: Professor Audrey Roulston
Second Supervisor: Dr Paul Best
Third Supervisor: Stephen Herron (QUB)
Background on project
The aim of this project is to reduce waiting times for people known to palliative care services who present with depression and would benefit from Behavioural Activation.
Project Overview
Palliative care improves the quality of life of patients and families facing problems associated with life-limiting illness (WHO, 2002), which should be met holistically through psychological, social and spiritual support (NICE, 2004). According to Hasson et al. (2020), international palliative care research priorities include: ‘training and education’ of hospice and palliative care specialists and addressing ‘inequality of access’ to palliative care services. A priority identified by James Lind Alliance is finding ‘the best ways to recognise and treat depression and low mood in people who are dying’, including those with non-malignant diseases (i.e. Heart Failure, COPD, MND, Parkinson’s, Dementia, etc) or their carers (active or bereaved).
Specialist psychological services are difficult to access due to prohibitive waiting times and costs. According to Stein et al. (2021) Behavioural Activation improves depression. Upskilling hospice social workers will enable them to offer Behavioural Activation to the increasing number of individuals with palliative care needs presenting with depression, and informal carers, either pre- or post-bereavement.
The proposed objectives are for the PhD student to:
- Explore research evidence on the benefits of Behavioural Activation for depression.
- Access two clinical placements in the inpatient, outpatient or community services, alongside the multi-disciplinary teams in Marie Curie Belfast and Southern Area Hospice.
- Undertake formal training in Behavioural Activation and attend regular clinical supervision.
- Co-deliver an evidence-based 5-day BA training programme to social workers in palliative care.
- Introduce evidence-based methods into practice for screening individuals for depression.
- Develop and conduct a pre-test/post-test evaluation capturing qualitative and quantitative data from approx. 50- 60 participants at 3 time points (i.e. baseline, post-intervention, 6-week follow-up) using validated measures for depression, quality-of-life and life engagement).
Further Information
Information on the studentship
This studentship is being offered in collaboration with two agency partners:
- Marie Curie hospice in Belfast, the leading UK charity delivering palliative care services to people diagnosed with advanced malignant and non-malignant disease. Belfast hospice offers inpatient and outpatient services through a multi-disciplinary team to patients and their families.
- Southern Area Hospice offers inpatient, outpatient and community outreach services to patients and families through a multidisciplinary team.
Both partners employ a range of health and social care professionals who identified an increasing number of people presenting with depression who would benefit from psychological support. Both settings are well-acquainted with facilitating under-graduate and post-graduate student placements and nominated staff members from the social work team in each organisation will mentor and support the PhD student and generate opportunities to work alongside the wider multi-disciplinary team.
Funding Towards
Living Costs / Stipend, Tuition Fees
Funding Body
DfE
This project is funded via a Co-operative Awards in Science and Technology (CAST) studentship. The voluntary sector partner organisations are Marie Curie and Southern Area Hospice.
Funding Amount
The Studentship offers tuition fees and annual stipend to support living costs for a maximum of three years, depending on residency. For the year 2024-2025, the stipend rates for 2024-25 were £19,237.
Number of Awards
1
Funding Body
DfE
This project is funded via a Co-operative Awards in Science and Technology (CAST) studentship. The voluntary sector partner organisations are Marie Curie and Southern Area Hospice.
Eligibility
Essential criteria: An undergraduate degree or post-graduate qualification in health or social care (i.e. social work, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, psychology, counselling or psychotherapy or due to graduate in summer 2025. Minimum qualifications should be 2:1 at undergraduate or 60% at post-graduate level.
Enhanced Access NI checks will need to be completed prior to the successful student starting the clinical placements.
For further details about eligibility criteria (including academic, citizenship and residency criteria) please click on the DfE Research Eligibility Guidance Notes.
Funding Type
Help with new course
Fee Status
Study Level
Postgraduate Research
Start Date
Fri, 14 Feb 2025 12:53:08 GMT
Close Date
Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT
Contact Us
If you have any queries about your application, please contact:
Professor Audrey Roulston a.roulston@qub.ac.uk or Dr Paul Best p.best@qub.ac.uk
How to Apply
Start Date: September 2025
Application Deadline: Friday 14th March 2025
Interviews Tuesday 25th March 2025 at Queen’s University Belfast
Application process:
To apply, please log onto Queen's University Application Portal , select the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, selecting a PhD in Social Work, complete the required sections and submit your application by 14th March 2025. Cite reference CASTAR25 in the funding section of your application.
Applications received after this date cannot be considered.
All applicants are also required to submit a 500-word statement (please upload this document to ‘proposal’ in place of a standard research proposal) describing how their current practice, skills and research experience make them the ideal candidate for this project.
Candidates must nominate two academic referees.
If you any queries about your application, please email Professor Audrey Roulston a.roulston@qub.ac.uk