Dr Farhad Peerally

Farhad is an Associate Professor in the Social Science Applied to Healthcare Research Group (SAPPHIRE) at the University of Leicester and a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation trust, University Hospitals of Northamptonshire Group Trust. He spends half of his time as a clinical-academic with research and educational roles at the University of Leicester and the other half as a Gastroenterologist at Kettering General Hospital, looking after patients with a range of gastrointestinal disorders, particularly inflammatory bowel disease and Barrett’s oesophagus.

Farhad has experience in leading patient safety research, using mixed qualitative methods to study safety in different healthcare settings and explore how healthcare organisations learn from past adverse patient safety events.

Farhad also holds an active clinical research interest, with experience in endoscopy research in the management of early oesophageal cancer and as principal investigator in clinical trials on inflammatory bowel disease.

Farhad has wide experience in developing novel educational interventions, including simulation-based programmes based on past patient safety incident and using virtual platforms to create a community of Gastroenterology learners. His role as an educator has been recognised nationally as a previous recipient of the British Society of Gastroenterologist Alistair McIntyre prize for improving Gastroenterology training. He is currently the lead for the patient safety and applied human factors module on the Masters in Quality and Safety in Healthcare programme at the University of Leicester, and regularly supervises both Masters and Doctoral students.

Farhad holds research interests in patient safety, health services and gastrointestinal conditions, particularly Barrett’s oesophagus and Inflammatory Bowel disease.

His patient safety research draws from principles in a wide range of fields, including but not limited to systems thinking, human factors, high reliability theory and implementation science, using primarily qualitative or mixed methods.

Research he is currently leading/ co-leading on includes:

• Chief investigator on the SCALE-ENDO research study- exploring safety in Gastrointestinal endoscopy funded through a £200,000 research grant from the MPS Foundation.
• Co-chief investigator on the ReACTION project - an evaluation of how national patient safety recommendations are produced and received, funded through an NIHR Patient Safety Research Collaborative grant.
• Co-investigator on a national evaluation of the patient safety specialist and patient safety partner programmes, funded through a £920,000 grant from the NIHR HSDR.

Farhad is also the lead supervisor on an NIHR PSRC funded doctoral project on exploring capacity and capability of healthcare organisations to conduct safety investigations in healthcare. 

Farhad's previous research on safety investigations in healthcare has obtained national recognition as one of the recipients of the Royal College of Physicians Turner Warwick Lectureship prize, and has been a springboard to publications, invited lectures, advisory roles and national guideline development, thereby influencing both policy and practice.

Farhad is a principal investigator on trials in inflammatory bowel disease and Barrett's oesophagus at Kettering General Hospital.

Kumar, A., Peerally, M. F., Saifuddin, A., Bancil, A. S., Ryan, P., Iqbal, T., . . . Brookes, M. J. (2025). Using data to enable growth of research capability and capacity: a retrospective longitudinal analysis of gastroenterology and hepatology research participation across secondary and tertiary healthcare settings within England. Frontline Gastroenterology. doi:10.1136/flgastro-2024-103038

Little, S., Tawn, J., Khalil, G., Hardasani, R., Radford, S., Das, D., & Peerally, M. F. (2025). Embracing qualitative approaches in gastroenterology research: a call to action. Frontline Gastroenterology. doi:10.1136/flgastro-2024-102952

Usman, M., Javed, N., Jawhari, A., Ghouri, N., Waqar, S., Shah, F., . . . Peerally, M. F. (2025). Ramadan intermittent fasting for patients with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary diseases: practical guidance for health-care professionals. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 10(2). doi:10.1016/s2468-1253(24)00283-8

Martin, G., Pralat, R., Waring, J., Peerally, M. F., Lamont, T., & Group, O. B. O. T. P. S. S. F. E. S. (2024). Professionalising patient safety? Findings from a mixed-methods formative evaluation of the patient safety specialist role in the English National Health Service. Journal of Health Services Research and Policy. doi:10.1177/13558196241268441

Peerally, M. F., Carr, S., Waring, J., Martin, G., & Dixon-Woods, M. (2024). Risk controls identified in action plans following serious incident investigations in secondary care: a qualitative study. Journal of Patient Safety, 20(6). doi:10.1097/PTS.0000000000001238

Peerally, M., Carr, S., Waring, J., Martin, G., & Dixon-Woods, M. (2022). A content analysis of contributory factors reported in serious incident investigation reports in hospital care. Clinical Medicine, 22(5). doi:10.7861/clinmed.2022-0042

Sidhu, R., Turnbull, D., Haboubi, H., Leeds, J. S., Healey, C., Hebbar, S., . . . Penman, I. (2023). British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines on sedation in gastrointestinal endoscopy. Gut. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2023-330396

Peerally, M., Jackson, C., Bhandari, P., Ragunath, K., Barr, H., Stokes, C., . . . de Caestecker, J. (2023). Factors influencing participation in randomised clinical trials among patients with Barrett’s early neoplasia: A multi-centre interview study. BMJ Open, 13. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-064117

Liu, Z., Le, K., Zhou, X., Alexander, J. L., Lin, S., Bewshea, C., . . . Bishop, J. (2023). Neutralising antibody potency against SARS-CoV-2 wild-type and omicron BA.1 and BA.4/5 variants in patients with inflammatory bowel disease treated with infliximab and vedolizumab after three doses of COVID-19 vaccine (CLARITY IBD): an analysis of a prospective multicentre cohort study. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 8(2), 145-156. doi:10.1016/s2468-1253(22)00389-2

Saifuddin, A., Kent, A. J., Mehta, S. J., Hicks, L. C., Gonzalez, H. A., Segal, J. P., . . . Sebastian, S. (2022). Treatment adaptations and outcomes of patients experiencing inflammatory bowel disease flares during the early <scp>COVID</scp>‐19 pandemic: the <scp>PREPARE‐IBD</scp> multicentre cohort study. Alimentary Pharmacology &amp; Therapeutics, 56(10), 1460-1474. doi:10.1111/apt.17223

Lin, S., Kennedy, N. A., Saifuddin, A., Sandoval, D. M., Reynolds, C. J., Seoane, R. C., . . . Bishop, J. (n.d.). Antibody decay, T cell immunity and breakthrough infections following two SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses in inflammatory bowel disease patients treated with infliximab and vedolizumab. Nature Communications, 13(1). doi:10.1038/s41467-022-28517-z

Peerally, M. F., Mohanan, V., Verma, A., & DeCaestecker, J. (2021). PTU-85 Playing Hide and Seek: Qualitative research and Gastroenterology. In Posters (pp. A209.2-A210). BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Society of Gastroenterology. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2021-bsg.385

Kennedy, N. A., Goodhand, J. R., Bewshea, C., Nice, R., Chee, D., Lin, S., . . . Ahmad, T. (2021). Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses are attenuated in patients with IBD treated with infliximab. Gut, 70(5). doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2021-324388

Sebastian, S., Walker, G. J., Kennedy, N. A., Conley, T. E., Patel, K. V., Subramanian, S., . . . Frunza, C. (2021). Assessment, endoscopy, and treatment in patients with acute severe ulcerative colitis during the COVID-19 pandemic (PROTECT-ASUC): a multicentre, observational, case-control study. The Lancet Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 6(4). doi:10.1016/S2468-1253(21)00016-9

de Caestecker, J., Barr, H., Bhandari, P., Lovat, L., Peerally, M. F., Ragunath, K., & Smart, H. (2020). Randomized studies for Barrett’s ablation: identifying the most cost-effective solutions by keeping an open mind. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 91(5), 1218-1220. doi:10.1016/j.gie.2020.01.019

Peerally, M. F., Goldie, F., Savva, S., Khan, F., & Kadri, S. (2019). PWE-073 EUS-guided drainage of peripancreatic fluid collections: hot axios experience from a tertiary referral centre. In Posters (pp. A161.1-A161). BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Society of Gastroenterology. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2019-bsgabstracts.304

Peerally, M. F., Bhandari, P., Ragunath, K., Barr, H., Stokes, C., Haidry, R., . . . de Caestecker, J. S. (2018). Radiofrequency ablation compared with argon plasma coagulation after endoscopic resection of high-grade dysplasia or stage T1 adenocarcinoma in Barrett's esophagus: a randomized pilot study (BRIDE).. Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. doi:10.1016/j.gie.2018.07.031

Liberati, E. G., Peerally, M. F., & Dixon-Woods, M. (2017). Learning from high risk industries may not be straightforward: a qualitative study of the hierarchy of risk controls approach in healthcare.. International Journal for Quality in Health Care. doi:10.1093/intqhc/mzx163

Powell-Dunford, N., Brennan, P. A., Peerally, M. F., Kapur, N., Hynes, J. M., Hodkinson, P. D., & Centre, M. W. U. K. A. A. (2017). Mindful Application of Aviation Practices in Healthcare. Aerospace medicine and human performance. doi:10.3357/AMHP.4911.2017

Peerally, M. F., Carr, S., Waring, J., & Dixon-Woods, M. (2016). The problem with root cause analysis.. BMJ Quality and Safety. doi:10.1136/bmjqs-2016-005511

Aziz, I., Peerally, M. F., Barnes, J. -H., Kandasamy, V., Whiteley, J. C., Partridge, D., . . . Sanders, D. S. (2017). The clinical and phenotypical assessment of seronegative villous atrophy; a prospective UK centre experience evaluating 200 adult cases over a 15-year period (2000–2015). Gut, 66(9), 1563-1572. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2016-312271

Aziz, I., Peerally, M. F., Barnes, J. H., Kandasamy, V., Vergani, P., Cross, S. S., & Sanders, D. S. (2016). The Clinical and Phenotypic Assessment of Seronegative Villous Atrophy; A Prospective UK Centre Experience Evaluating 200 Cases over a 15 Year Period (2000–2015). In British Society of Gastroenterology: Annual Meeting (BSG 2016), Liverpool, United Kingdom. BMJ Publishing Group with British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG). doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2016-312388.26

Peerally, M. F., Barr, H., Lovat, L. B., Bhandari, P., Ragunath, K., Smart, H., . . . Decaestecker, J. (2016). OC-008 RESULTS OF A FEASIBILITY STUDY COMPARING APC WITH RFA AFTER ENDOSCOPIC RESECTION OF EARLY NEOPLASIA IN BARRETT'S OESOPHAGUS: THE BRIDE STUDY (NCT01733719). In GUT Vol. 65 (pp. A7). BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2016-312388.8

Peerally, M. F., Barr, H., Lovat, L., Bhandari, P., Ragunath, K., Smart, H., . . . de Caestecker, J. S. (2016). 566 BRIDE (Barrett's Randomised Intervention for Dysplasia by Endoscopy) - Results of a Feasibility Study Comparing Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC) With Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) After Endoscopic Resection of Patients With High Grade Dysplasia or T1 Adenocarcinoma in Barrett's Esophagus. In GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY Vol. 83 (pp. AB151). San Diego, CA: MOSBY-ELSEVIER. doi:10.1016/j.gie.2016.03.105

Peerally, M. F., & Carr, S. (2016). Longitudinal patient safety education as a means to promote organizational learning in different resource settings. Medical Teacher. doi:10.3109/0142159X.2016.1149556

Peerally, M. F., & Carr, S. (2014). Opportunities in postgraduate medical education via clinical academic training.. British journal of hospital medicine (London, England : 2005), 75(3), C34-C37. doi:10.12968/hmed.2014.75.sup3.c34

Peerally, M. F. (2014). 0192 Implementing Themes From Serious Incidents Into Simulation Training For Junior Doctors. BMJ Simulation and Technology Enhanced Learning, A22.

Kurien, M., Hopper, A. D., Barker, J., Peerally, M. F., Fielding, J., & Sanders, D. S. (2013). Is research declining amongst gastroenterology trainees in the United Kingdom?. Clinical Medicine, 13(1), 118-119. doi:10.7861/clinmedicine.13-1-118a

Kurien, M., Hopper, A. D., Barker, J., Peerally, M. F., Lunn, E. J., & Sanders, D. S. (2012). OC-137 Is research declining among gastroenterology trainees?: Abstract OC-137 Figure 1. In Gut Vol. 61 (pp. A59.2-A59). BMJ. doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2012-302514a.137

Peerally, M. F. (2007). The real elephant in the room. BMJ, 335(7622), 684. doi:10.1136/bmj.39353.489120.BE

Peerally, M. F. (2007). The real elephant in the room. BMJ, 335(7622), 684.2-684. doi:10.1136/bmj.39353.489120.be

Farhad currently supervises masters, doctoral, predoctoral and postdoctoral projects. These include projects relating to

• Mixed methods evaluations of the practice of safety investigations in healthcare.
• Qualitative evaluations of interventions aiming at improving patient safety.
• Qualitative explorations of quality and experience of care for patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Farhad is module lead on the Patient Safety and applied Human Factors module for the MSc in Quality and Safety in Healthcare. He is a supervisor to Academic Doctors, PhD and Masters students at the University. He teaches on the undergraduate medical school programme and acts as educational/ clinical supervisor to doctors in training.

• Patient safety incidents in healthcare
• Avoidable harm in healthcare
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• British Society of Gastroenterology New Consultants Advisory Group member.
• British Society of Gastroenterology Guideline Development Group member for safe sedation in Endoscopy.
• Committee member of the Midlands Gastroenterology Society.
• Peer reviewer for a range of medical and healthcare safety journals.

2021 Royal College of Physicians Turner Warwick Lecturer Prize

2021 British Society of Gastroenterology Alistair McIntyre Prize for improving Gastroenterology training

• MBChB (University of Sheffield)
• MRCP (UK) and MRCP (Gastroenterology)
• MmedSci (University of Nottingham)
• PhD (University of Leicester)