The  MODS Team

Professor David Ekers: Chief Investigator

Clinical Director for Research and Development, Honorary Visiting Professor, Nurse Consultant, and Mental Health Speciality Lead for Clinical Research Network North East North Cumbria.

“We regularly hear of the growing challenge to meet the needs of older adults with complex physical and psychological healthcare problems. This programme offers the opportunity to develop and test a practical, acceptable treatment that builds on what we have seen can work for depression in similar groups.”

"If we find our new treatment works and can be applied across NHS settings, this could be of substantial value in the coming years to patients and NHS providers alike."

Email: david.ekers@nhs.net  Twitter: @DavidEkers

Professor Simon Gilbody: Chief Investigator

Director of the Mental Health and Addictions Research Group, Hull York Medical School 

“The MODS programme is an important next step for us as we research ways to help promote healthy ageing. The University has been at the forefront of research in this area and we anticipate this research programme will inform practice and policy for many years to come.”

"The strategic partnership with TEWV means we’re ideally placed to respond to this and other NHS challenges. This challenge on healthy ageing will only be solved by conducting rigorous research into what works and what is good value for money for the NHS. This is what York does well."

Dr Liz Littlewood: MODS Programme Manager 

Research Fellow, Mental Health and Addiction Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of York

Liz is an experienced health services researcher with an interest in the development and evaluation of psychological interventions for common mental health problems. She has managed several large scale NIHR funded studies. 

Email: liz.littlewood@york.ac.uk 

Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham:

Professor of General Practice Research, School of Primary, Community and Social Care, Keele University

GP Principal, The Chorlton Family Practice, Manchester

Carolyn is an academic GP with experience in qualitative research methods and process evaluation of mental health interventions in primary care, and is co-leading Workstreams 1 and 4. 

Email: c.a.chew-graham@keele.ac.uk Twitter: @CizCG 

Professor Dean McMillan: 

Professor of Clinical Psychology, Mental Health and Addiction Research Group, Department of Health Sciences and Hull York Medical School, University of York.

Dean is a Clinical Psychologist with specialist training in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, and is an experienced health services researcher. He is co-leading Workstream 1. 

Email: dean.mcmillan@york.ac.uk

Della Bailey:

Research Fellow, Mental Health and Addiction Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of York

Della is a clinician and researcher with considerable experience of training and supporting people to deliver psychological interventions in clinical trials.  She will be supervising the support workers in the MODS study.

Email: della.bailey@york.ac.uk 

Suzanne Crosland:

Research Fellow, Mental Health and Addiction Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of York

Suzanne is a qualified mental health nurse with training in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. She is an experienced health services researcher who will be supervising support workers in the MODS study.

Email: suzanne.crosland@york.ac.uk 

Kate Bosanquet: 

Research Fellow, Mental Health and Addiction Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of York

Kate is an expert in collaborative care research for older adults. 

Email: kate.bosanquet@york.ac.uk

Lucy Atha:

Trial Coordinator York Trials Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of York

Email: lucy.atha@york.ac.uk 

Eloise Ryde:

Research Assistant, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV) and Mental Health and Addiction Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of York 

Email: eloise.ryde@nhs.net Twitter: @Eloise_Ryde 

Dr Gemma Traviss-Turner:

Lecturer in Primary Care, University of Leeds

Gemma is a lecturer in primary care with experience in randomised controlled trials of psychological interventions for older adults 

Email: g.traviss@leeds.ac.uk

Leanne Shearsmith

Research Assistant, Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds 

Email: L.Shearsmith@leeds.ac.uk Twitter: @LShears_ 

Maddy Elliott

Data Administrator, York Trials Unit, University of York 

Email: maddy.elliott@york.ac.uk 

Professor Catherine Hewitt:

 Co-Director, York Trials Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of York

Catherine is an experienced health research statistician. 

Email: catherine.hewitt@york.ac.uk

Dr Peter Coventry: 

Mental Health and Addiction Research Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of York

Peter is an expert in collaborative care and multi-morbidity. He is an experienced health care researcher and implementation scientist. He will co-lead Workstream 4. 

Email: peter.coventry@york.ac.uk Twitter: @Peteyc73 

Professor Karina Lovell: 

Professor of Mental Health, Division of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work, University of Manchester

Karina is an NIHR Senior Investigator with extensive experience in research into psychological interventions in healthcare and is an expert in effective PPI. 

Email: karina.lovell@manchester.ac.uk 

Dr Sarah Dexter Smith: 

Director of People and Culture, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (TEWV)

Sarah is a consultant clinical psychologist specialising in work with older people.  As Director of Therapies she is responsible for the Allied Health professions, Psychology Professions, Chaplaincy and Social Work in TEWV.  She is also the organisation’s lead coach.

Email: sarah.dexter-smith@nhs.net

Professor Andrew Hill: 

Professor of Medical Psychology, University of Leeds

Andrew is a health psychologist and experienced health care researcher.

Email: A.J.Hill@leeds.ac.uk

Professor Andrew Clegg: 

Clinical Senior Lecturer in the Academic Unit of Elderly Care and Rehabilitation, University of Leeds

Honorary Consultant Geriatrician at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Andrew is a consultant geriatrician and research and is an expert in frailty in older adults. 

Emailandrew.clegg@bthft.nhs.net 

Tom Gentry:

Head of Health Influencing, Age UK

Tom has experience in engagement with the public and health care sector. 

Email: tom.gentry@ageuk.org.uk