Dr Frances Mielewczyk

My career has been an eclectic one that began in nursing, including staff nurse roles on both adult and paediatric wards and nearly five years working on a neonatal unit. I went on to study psychology at City University, London, where I was awarded my BSc and MSc and a PhD in Health Psychology: my thesis was a mixed methods exploration of social cognitive influences on attempts to change health behaviour. While studying for my PhD, I also held a lecturing post at City University and was Course Director of the MSc Health Psychology programme for several years.  

Other roles I have held include: assisting in the evaluation of innovations in medical education at the Joint Centre for Education in Medicine, University of London; working as a Staff Tutor at the Open University; and coordinating psychologists’ responses to consultations on public policy on behalf of the British Psychological Society.

I started work in TIMMS (The Infant Mortality and Mortality Studies) at the University of Leicester in 2012 and held study administrator roles in connection with LAMBS (the Late And Moderate preterm Birth Study), EMSYCAR (the East Midlands and South Yorkshire Congenital Anomalies Register), and MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audit and Confidential Enquiries across the UK). 

In 2020, I was appointed as a researcher for the Leicester City Football Club Research Programme, which is a body of work aimed at finding out why some babies are born 2-6 weeks early (i.e. ‘late preterm’ and ‘early term’), why some of those babies do better than others, and how we can try to improve experiences and outcomes for parents, babies, children and families in Leicester and beyond. 

My current research is a qualitative investigation, involving interviews with parents, obstetricians and midwives about their views and experiences of parents’ involvement in decisions about whether or not their baby needs to be born late preterm or early term.

Boyle EM, Mielewczyk FJ, Mulvaney C, Late preterm and early term birth: challenges and dilemmas in clinical practice, Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 2024 (pre-proof), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.siny.2024.101564.

Boyle, EM, Mielewczyk, FJ, How to write a good research grant proposal. Paediatrics and Child Health, 2023, 34 (1), 6-10, https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.paed.2023.10.002.

Mielewczyk, Frances J. & Boyle, Elaine M. Uncharted territory: a narrative review of parental involvement in decision-making about late preterm and early term delivery. BMC Pregnancy & Childbirth, 2023, DOI 10.1186/s12884-023-05845-6.

Obonyu, I.M., Onyedinma, C.A., Mielewczyk, F. & Boyle, E. UK maternity care experiences of ethnic minority and migrant women: systematic review. Public Health Nursing, 2023, 1-11. DOI: 10.1111/phn.13240. 

Mielewczyk, F. (2017). Effective Essay Writing.  Chapter 6 of Bor, R. & Watts, M. (eds) Handbook for Trainee Counsellors, Counselling Psychologists and Psychotherapists.  4th Edition. London; Sage Publications.

Manktelow BN, Smith LK, Evans TA, Hyman-Taylor P, Kurinczuk JJ, Field DJ, Smith PW, Mielewczyk F, Draper ES, on behalf of the MBRRACE-UK Collaboration. MBRRACE-UK Perinatal Mortality Surveillance Report, UK Perinatal Deaths for Births from January to December 2013. Supplementary Report: UK Trusts and Health Boards. Leicester: The Infant Mortality and Morbidity Studies Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, 2015.

Mielewczyk, F. & Willig, C. (2007).  Old Clothes and an Older Look:  The case for a radical makeover in health behaviour research.  Theory & Psychology, 17(6), 811-837. DOI: 10.1177/0959354307083496

Stanton, F. (1999). Social Cognitive Influences on Determination to Lose Weight in Healthy Weight Women. Gedrag & Gezondheid (Special Edition, in English), 27(1/2), 73-85. 

Grant, J., Flood, S., Mack, J., Stanton, F. & Waring, C. (1998). An Evaluation of Educational Needs and Provision for Doctors Within Three Years of Completion of Vocational Training for General Practice.  London; Joint Centre for Education in Medicine.

Stanton, F. & Grant, J. (1998). Approaches to Experiential Learning, Course Delivery and Validation in Medicine:  A background document.  London; Joint Centre for Education in Medicine.

Grant, J. & Stanton, F. (1998). A Research-based Approach to Educational Development for Postgraduate Medical Education:  The example of Service-based Learning for Senior House Officers.  The ANZAME Bulletin, 25 (1), 6-11.

Grant, J. & Stanton, F. (1998).  The Effectiveness of Continuing Professional Development:  A report for the Chief Medical Officer’s Review of Continuing Professional Development in Practice.  Revised edition.  London; Joint Centre for Education in Medicine.

Chambers, E., Mountford, B., Stanton, F. & Grant, J. (1997). Career Choice, Development and Change in Medicine:  An in-depth study with case histories.  London; Joint Centre for Education in Medicine.

Grant, J., Marsden, P., Perez-Avila, C., Stanton, F. & Waring, C. (1994). Service-Based Learning in Practice:  An evaluation report of the first 6 months. London;  Joint Centre for Education in Medicine.

Stanton, F. & Golombok, S. (1993). Maternal-Fetal Attachment during Pregnancy following In Vitro Fertilisation.  Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 14, 153-158.

I currently supervise MSc Quality and Safety in Healthcare students in their dissertations.

I am currently involved in supervising and acting as personal tutor for students enrolled on the MSc in Quality and Safety in Healthcare.

BSc Psychology

MSc Health Psychology

PhD Health Psychology