Staff Profile

Helen is a senior research methodologist with the NIHR Research Design Service North East and North Cumbria (https://rds-nenc.nihr.ac.uk/)  

Helen has a clinical background in community and palliative nursing care. Her PhD examined the organisation of care for children and adults with life-limiting illness and her research interests focus on end-of-life care and social justice. Helen is an experienced applied health care researcher and has experience in both qualitative and quantitative research methods and in trial design and delivery. She has been a successful co-applicant on several NIHR trials and her research portfolio currently spans the areas of gastrointestinal disorders, mental health, social care and end of life care. Her current research focuses on self-funded home support work for care-experienced children, and on the mental health needs of adopted children and families in the post-adoption period.

Qualifications

• PGCE Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, Durham University (2012)
• PhD Qualitative Applied Health Research, Northumbria University (2005)          
• B.Sc (Hons) Community Health Care Studies, Northumbria University (1999)       
• Specialist Nurse Prescriber, Northumbria University (1999)                     
• Specialist Practitioner: Community Nursing in the Home, Northumbria University (1999)  
• B.Sc (Hons) Nursing Studies and Registered General Nurse, Northumbria University (1993)

Area of expertise

Applied health research design and delivery

Previous positions

·   Senior First Contact Advisor/Research Fellow, NIHR Research Design Service (North East), Durham University (2016-2017) 

·   Health Research Methodologist, NIHR Research Design Service (North East), Durham University (2009-2016)

• Research Associate, Centre for Integrated Health Care Research, Durham University (2007- 2009)
• Research Associate, Centre for Clinical Management Development, Durham University (2005-2006)
• District Nursing Sister, Sunderland Primary Care Trust (1999-2005)
• Senior Community Staff Nurse, Sunderland Primary Care Trust (1996-1998)
• Junior Staff Nurse, St. Benedict’s Hospice, Sunderland (1993-1996)

Google Scholar: ‪Helen Close‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬ 

Research interests

My research interests are in end of life care, social justice, and social care for children with additional needs.

Funding:

• PAN-ICS study (PANenteric Crohn’s capsule versus Ileo-Colonoscopy and Scan) NIHR RfPB 2020 – 2022
• LENA I study Meeting the legal needs of adults with life limiting illness Legal Education Foundation 2017-2019
• An examination of factors influencing the success of a training app for individuals with partial visual loss. Dunhill Medical Trust 2016 – 2017
• NIHR Research Design Service North East re-tender 2012- 2018
• Optical diagnosis of small colorectal polyps in routine clinical practice (DISCARD 2) NIHR RfPB 2012 – 2014
• Tined lead test stimulation to predict long-term benefit from sacral nerve stimulation in patients with chronic constipation (TiLTS-CC) NIHR RfPB 2011-2015
• The association between Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Ischaemic Heart Disease. Northern and Yorkshire Research Network 2009-2013
• Lithium Use and Risk of Renal Failure. British Renal Society 2008-2009
• Evaluating the implementation of a new psychiatric inpatient facility: a mixed methods approach NIHR Physical Environment Research Programme 2010 – 2012
• The Association between Sleep Disorders and Myocardial Infarction Wolfson Research Institute Collaborative Research Grant 2008-2009
• Use and Risk of Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Disease European Society for Primary Care Gastroenterology ‘Rising Stars’ award 2008-2009

Postgraduate supervision

I am currently supervising a number of PhD and MD students  

• Articles

  • Close H, Sidhu K, Genn H, Ling J, Hawkins C. Qualitative investigation of patient and carer experiences of everyday legal needs towards end of life. BMC Palliative Care 2021, 20, 47.
  • Hawkins C, Rothwell C, Close H, Emmett C, Hesslegreaves H. Legal Issues in Life-Limiting Illness: Can Cross Agency, Interprofessional Education Support Integration of Care?. Journal of Law and Medicine 2021, 28(Part 4), 1082-1091.
  • Hawkins C, Close H, Kirby M, Hesslegraves H, Rothwell C. Legal Needs Towards end of Life: Definition, Experience and Implications for Policy and Practice. BMJ Supportive and Pallitative Care 2019, 9(4), A6-A7.
  • Yiannakou Y, Etherson K, Close H, Kasim A, Mercer-Jones M, Plusa S, Maier R, Green S, Cundall J, Knowles C, Mason J. A randomized double-blinded sham-controlled cross-over trial of tined-lead sacral nerve stimulation testing for chronic constipation. European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology 2019, 31(6), 653-660.
  • Stocker R, Close H, Hancock H, Hungin APS. Should heart failure be regarded as a terminal illness requiring palliative care? A study of heart failure patients’, carers’ and clinicians’ understanding of heart failure prognosis and its management. BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care 2017, 7(4), 464-469.
  • Yiannakou Y, Etherson K, Close H, Kasim AK, Mercer-Jones M, Plusa P, Maier R, Green S, Cundall J, Knowles C, Mason J. A randomised double-blinded sham controlled cross-over trial of tined lead sacral nerve stimulation testing for chronic constipation; TiLTS-cc results. 2017. Submitted.
  • Rees CJ, Rajasekhar PT, Wilson A, Close H, Rutter MD, Saunders BP, East JE, Maier R, Moorghen M, Muhammad U, Hancock H, Jayaprakash A, MacDonald C, Ramadas A, Dhar A, Mason JM. Narrow band imaging optical diagnosis of small colorectal polyps in routine clinical practice: The Detect Inspect Characterise Resect and Discard 2 (DISCARD 2) study. Gut 2016, 66(5), 887-895.
  • Close H, Mason JM, Wilson DW, Hungin APS, Jones R, Rubin G. Risk of ischaemic heart disease in patients with inflammatory bowel disease: Cohort study using the general practice research database. PLoS ONE 2015, 10(10), e0139745.
  • Wood V, Gesler W, Curtis S, Spencer I, Close H, Mason J, Reilly J. ‘Therapeutic Landscapes’ and the Importance of Nostalgia, Solastalgia, Salvage and Abandonment for Psychiatric Hospital Design. Health & Place 2015, 33, 83-89.
  • Close H, Reilly J, Mason JM, Kripalani M, Wilson D, Main J, Hungin APS. Renal failure in lithium-treated bipolar disorder: A retrospective cohort study. PLoS ONE 2014, 9(3), e90169.
  • Dhar A, Close H, Hancock H, Maier R, Wilson D, Mason JM, Vishwanath YKS, Rees C, Dwarakanath D. Biodegradable stent or ballon dilatation for benign oesophageal stricture: Pilot randomised controlled trial. World Journal of Gastroenterology 2014, 20(48), 18199-18206.
  • Hancock HC, Close H, Fuat A, Murphy JJ, Hungin APS, Mason JM. Barriers to accurate diagnosis and effective management of heart failure have not changed in the past 10 years: A qualitative study and national survey. BMJ Open 2014, 4(3), e003866.
  • Stocker R, Close H. Assessing the uptake of the Liverpool Care Pathway for dying patients: a systematic review. BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care 2013, 3(4), 399-404.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Hawkins C, Close H, Kirby M, Hesslegreaves H, Rothwell C, Beardon S, Genn H. Legal needs towards end of life: definition, experience and implications for policy and practice. In: Dying for change: evolution and revolution in palliative care, Hospice UK 2019 National Conference. 2019, Liverpool: BMJ Group.
  • Yiannakou Y, Etherson K, Close H, Kasim A, Mercer-Jones M, Plusa S, Maier R, Green S, Cundall J, Knowles C, Mason J. Tined lead test stimulation to predict long-term benefit from sacral nerve stimulation in patients with chronic constipation (TiLTS-cc trial). In: European Society of Coloproctology 11th Scientific and Annual Meeting. 2016, Milan, Italy.
  • Cox J, Hancock H, Spratt J, Close H, May C, Mohammed U, Mason J. Multidectector CT improving surgical; outcomes in patients with breast cancer: A randomised controlled trial. In: UK Radiological Congress. 2015, Liverpool, UK.
  • Cox J, Hancock H, Spratt J, Close H, Lee CM, Mohammed U, Mason J. Multidetector CT Improving Surgical Outcomes in Breast Cancer (MISO BC). In: British Society of Breast Radiology Annual Scientific Meeting 2014. 2014, Brighton, UK: BioMed Central Ltd.

• Editorial

  • Cornford C, Close H. The physical health of people who inject drugs: Complexities, challenges, and continuity. British Journal of General Practice 2016, 66(647), 286-287.

• Online Publications

  • O'Connor N, Bushby L, Barnabez J, Wallace S, Garcia-Gonzalez-Moral S, Close H, Pearson F. What is known about anxiety, claustrophobia and its impact on decision-making about important occupations and equipment for people with motor neurone disease? a scoping review protocol. 2024. Available at: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/VXJY6.
  • Bevin-Nicholls A, Tshuma B, Close H. "What’s going on, I feel a bit wobbly?!”: Crafting power dynamics at a public involvement event. London: NIHR Research Design Service, 2023. Available at: https://www.rdsblog.org.uk/what-s-going-on-i-feel-a-bit-wobbly-crafting-power-dynamics-at-a-public-involvement-event.