Dr Fawn Harrad Hyde

Following the completion of my undergraduate BSc Psychology with Sociology (University of Leicester), I joined the Department of Health Sciences in 2012 as a Research Intern within the Implementation Theme of the Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for Leicestershire Northamptonshire and Rutland (CLAHRC-LNR), now Applied Research Collaboration East Midlands (ARC-EM). Here I provided support to number of research projects aimed at implementing research evidence to improve local healthcare services.

Whilst in post at the university I also worked in a number of ‘bank’ social care roles – for example as a Support Worker in small residential settings for adults for people with learning disabilities – and I undertook an MPhil research project (funded by Everards brewery) which applied theories from social and ecological psychology to understand the social nature of public houses.

In 2015 I left the university to work as a Healthcare Assistant on an NHS mental health unit for people living with dementia. Then, from 2017 onwards I began to seek out roles that combined my skills in research and my love of care work. I completed my PhD, which focused on care home staff decision-making when faced with residents who potentially require transfers to hospital. (Full thesis available here: https://doi.org/10.25392/leicester.data.15060003.v1) and joined the Clinical Research Network West Midlands’ ENRICH team. ENRICH (Enabling Research in Care Homes) is a national initiative delivered by the NIHR that aims to increase the amount of research carried out in care homes.

Since completing my PhD in May 2021 I have taken up the post of Research Associate. I am currently working on a collaborative project between the University and LOROS hospice to explore the potential role that peer mentors might have in preparing family members of care home residents to think ahead about potential deteriorations and end of life. I have continued by employment with Clinical Research Network West Midlands as the ENRICH West Midlands Lead.

My PhD funded by the University of Leicester College of Life Sciences studentship was a qualitative study of care home staff decision-making when faced with residents who potentially require transfers to hospital. I conducted interviews with members of care home staff. I also carried out ethnographic work in three care homes.

(0) Harrad, Fawn (2021): Understanding hospital transfers from care homes in England: An ethnographic study of care home staff decision-making. University of Leicester. Thesis. https://doi.org/10.25392/leicester.data.15060003.v1 

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I am currently supervising:

- Jennifer O'Donnell (part time PhD student 2022 - 2028) - Project title: Assessing feasibility of psychological support/therapy for staff working in the social care sector