People

Evaluation Lead: Associate Professor Samuel Tromans

University of Leicester and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust

Samuel Tromans is Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the SAPPHIRE Group, Department of Population Health Sciences at the University of Leicester, and an Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist in the Adult Learning Disability Service at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. He is Academic Secretary of the Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry Special Interest Group and the Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability Faculty. His research interests include Neurodevelopmental Conditions and Psychiatric Epidemiology, and he is currently working on the 2023/4 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, amongst other projects. He has authored over 85 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters, and is an editor of the book 'Psychiatry of Intellectual Disability Across Cultures,’ published by Oxford University Press.

Evaluation Co-Lead: Professor Terry Brugha

University of Leicester and Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust

After 20 years as a psychiatric epidemiologist, studying social factors in a wide range of mental disorders including depression, I began in 2007 to include autism in my research.  I have practiced as a psychiatrist in Dublin, London and Leicester.  I have collaborated with the World Health Organization on surveys and on instrumentation standardizing the measurement of mental disorders, most recently expanding this to include ADHD and autism.  I have held academic appointments at the University of London, Kings College and at the University of Leicester where I am now based.  I am a Member of the European Academy.

Implementation Science Lead: Professor Nicola Mackintosh

University of Leicester

Nicola Mackintosh is a Professor in Social Science applied to Health. She has a background in critical care nursing, and is a graduate of King’s College London. Her research uses sociological theory and qualitative research methods to bring new understandings to patient safety and improvement science research. Nicola brings an extensive portfolio of experience in ethnographic research in different care settings. Her research has included the management of escalation of care in various settings, speaking up about healthcare quality and safety, the role of new digital technologies in shaping service user-provider roles, and safety culture tools. She is Research Group Lead for SAPPHIRE (Social science APPlied Healthcare and Improvement Research) at the University of Leicester. SAPPHIRE is internationally renowned particularly for its use of ethnographic methods to generate novel insights into efforts to improve healthcare quality and safety. 

Qualitative Research Lead: Doctor Jennifer Creese

University of Leicester

Dr Jennifer Creese is a social and medical anthropologist with a focus on healthcare professional and organizational cultures in healthcare work and training. She has a particular interest in mental health and wellbeing, health inequalities and health justice. She is an expert in qualitative methodologies, particularly ethnography and novel digital methods. She is deputy lead of the Social Science, Applied Healthcare and Improvement Research (SAPPHIRE) Group within the Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Leicester. She is also an academic affiliate of the NIHR-funded Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Consortium, and a 2025 Reform Scholar with Reform Thinktank in London.

Quantitative Research Lead: Dr Tom Morris

University of Leicester

I am a statistician specializing in clinical trials and meta-analysis. I have previously worked at three clinical trials units on a wide variety of trial designs and disease areas. I am now a research associate programming web applications to make complex meta-analysis methods accessible to non-specialists, and investigating the impact of poor quality studies on meta-analyses. I am also a senior quantitative advisor for the NIHR Research Support Service. My PhD is in pure mathematics. 

Quantitative Researcher and Evaluation Management: Doctor Zoe Morgan

University of Leicester

Zoe is an accomplished medical statistician, neurodevelopmental psychologist, and epidemiology fieldwork manager, with a robust background in clinical trials, study design, statistical analysis, and reporting. In addition to her work on the OMMT evaluation, she currently contributes to the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) series, where she conducts semi-structured clinical psychiatric interviews and oversees fieldwork operations. Her recent research has fuelled a deep interest in adult psychiatric conditions, particularly in understanding their risk and protective factors, and exploring how targeted interventions can reduce symptoms. Zoe recently earned her PhD in epidemiology, focusing on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in the adult general population. Outside of her professional life, Zoe enjoys cycling, walking, swimming, and attending the theatre.

Qualitative Researcher and Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Panel Coordination: Doctor Joy Spiliopoulos

University of Leicester and Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration

Dr Joy Spiliopoulos is a sociologist, and she joined the SAPPHIRE research group, Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Leicester, in June 2023. She is part of the NIHR funded Greater Manchester Patient Safety Research Collaboration (GM PSRC). Her background is in Applied Social Science/Social Work and holds a PhD from the Department of Applied Social Science (now Department of Sociology), Lancaster University.  She has worked for academic institutions in the UK (Lancaster University, University of Leicester) and China (University of Nottingham Ningbo China, and Zhejiang University). She has worked on a number of projects funded by bodies such as NIHR, ESRC, DFID, Oxfam, UK Home Office, and local authorities. Joy's research focuses on migration of healthcare workers, gender, racism, exploitation and discrimination, social and health inequalities, adult social care, using primarily feminist theory. She has a particular interest in social impact, public engagement and co-creation with stakeholders.

Doctor Fiona Gullon-Scott

Newcastle University

Dr Gullon-Scott is an HCPC registered clinical psychologist with 30 years’ experience specialising in autism, working both as a consultant psychologist and a Senior Lecturer in clinical psychology at Newcastle University. She has travelled nationally and internationally delivering training and consultancy to various groups, including Singapore Ministry of Health & Ministry of Education, Sendai Health Service & University in Japan, and autism services in Malta, Portugal, Hungary, and Finland amongst others. Current research includes links between autism and hoarding; development of adapted therapies; wellbeing for neurodivergent students; work on trauma and policy relating to inappropriate Fabricated Induced Illness (FII) allegations against autistic parents, including co-developing guidelines for social workers; and development of screening measures for autism in females. Dr Gullon-Scott is an Insights North East (INE) Associate, active in policy work around FII and neurodivergent parents, and modelling new ways to identify and support autism & ADHD in Higher Education.

Professor Elizabeth (Liz) Anderson

University Leicester and UK Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education

Professor Anderson leads interprofessional education (IPE) at the University of Leicester. She previously worked a nurse, midwife and Health Visitor. She moved into education after working as a healthcare researcher for a community NHS Trust exploring poverty and disadvantage and poor access to healthcare. In 2007, she was awarded a National Teaching Fellowship by the Higher Education Academy for outstanding contributions to education. She is widely published in the area of IPE and has served on the Board of the Centre for the Advancement of Interprofessional Education (UK) - CAIPE (www.caipe.co.uk). She leads the university patient and carer involvement group.

Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Members

Mrs Sinead Robinson

For over 10 years prior to starting a family, I worked in marketing management roles for professional services and start-up businesses.  I have spent the past 16 years as a full-time parent/carer to my 4 children which has led us into the world of SEND, and neurodivergence in particular.  During this time, while supporting and advocating for my children’s needs and rights, I have amassed a vast amount of experience interacting with health and social care professionals, services and systems. I am an active member of the local SEND parent carer forum and have contributed to panels relating to NHS and LA processes and pathways. I am passionate about helping to improve the lives and experiences of autistic (and other neurodivergent) individuals through my lived experience and that of my children. I also own a cake business that specialises in wedding and celebration cakes, but it is currently paused as I prioritise my young family.

Mrs Susan Liverman

Susan is a late-diagnosed AuDHD adult and parent to neurodivergent young people. She has navigated challenging systems while seeking support for herself/family across various services over the past few years. In addition to her own experiences, Susan recently completed two years volunteering to support parents and carers of children and young people facing barriers to accessing education or attending school; observing how marginalised people can be vulnerable to harm in systems when experiences are not understood - and signposting to resources and support. In her professional life, Susan is the founder of The Kindful - delivering evidence-based, trauma-informed mental health education that prioritises inclusivity and accessibility. Overall, Susan is passionate about lived experience inclusion in research to ensure representation and input to solutions - and is therefore delighted to join the OMMT Evaluation team and supporting its aims.

Mrs Sarah Douglas

Sarah Douglas is a late diagnosed AuDHD, neurosparkly, AFAB cis woman who has multiple lived experiences of abuse, coercion, and control. She also has ME/CFS, depression and anxiety and is recovering from eating disorders, self-harm, and suicidality, but is living proof that with the right support, a disabled person can have a good quality of life and do amazing things. Energy allowing, Sarah’s work includes advising participatory autism research studies and support services for survivors of abuse. Sarah is also a published author, co-writing Understanding Autistic Relationships Across the Lifespan with Dr Felicity Sedgewick and is conducting her own research into the intersection of spiritual abuse and autism. Current interests include theatre, metal/rock music and red squirrels, the latter ironically coinciding with her ADHD diagnosis at the ripe old age of 52.

Mr David Goulvent

I am a music industry consultant and experienced product manager specializing in e-commerce, digital strategy, and user experience. Originally from France, I have lived in London since 2005. Beyond my professional work, I am deeply engaged in autism advocacy, shaped by my personal experience as a parent of a 9-year-old with autism and Strong Demand Avoidance (also known as PDA). This perspective influences my approach to accessibility and inclusivity, both in technology and broader social initiatives. I am also passionate about travel, and as a family (my partner, our two kids, and I), we embarked on a 10-month world trip in 2018.