I am a Chartered Psychologist with a PG qualification in Health Psychology, and a fellow of NIH TIDIRC (Training Institute in Dissemination and Implementation in Cancer) programme. I am interested in the design, adaptation, evaluation and implementation of psychosocial interventions for people with long-term conditions, in particular among older people and those with sensory or cognitive impairments. I am committed to furthering the implementation of effective and valued services, particularly within the community and voluntary health sector through the application of Implementation Science.

Noleen’s research focuses on the design, adaptation and evaluation of psychosocial interventions for older people with long-term conditions. Currently she is leading research projects:

• To develop an ACT-based carer-facilitated intervention for stroke survivors living with significant cognitive impairment, funded by NI Chest Heart and Stroke, and in collaboration with health service colleagues in Belfast HSC Trust.
• To develop an intervention to promote walking among people living with visual impairment, funded by MRC PHIND, and in collaboration with Guide Dogs.
• To evaluate, using realist evaluation methods, how befriending interventions work and to assess the use of remote modes of service provision. This work is funded by ESRC Impact Acceleration Account.

Social Prescribing

I am module co-ordinator for the PG short course in Social Prescribing (SCM7057). The course has been developed as a collaboration between the School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences and Graduate School at QUB, and the GP Federations. The course provides students with a knowledge of the background, principles and policy context underlying social prescribing, the impact of social prescribing, and its role in delivering community-based solutions and reducing inequalities. Students learn how to evaluate social prescribing outcomes, and develop skills in communication and engagement.

Psychology / Behavioural Science in Undergraduate Medicine

I lead on the integration of Psycholgy and Behavioural Sciences within the undergraduate medical programme at QUB, including the integration of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences in Case-Based Learning scenarios, lectures and tutorials within MED1028 (Foundations for Practice 1) and MED2022 (Foundations for Practice 2).

Public Health Methods and Determinants

I contribute to the Masters in Public Health, hosted by Centre for Public Health, specifically sessions on survey design, questionnaire design and validation on SCM8103 (Public Health Sciences), and Health Behaviour Change on SCM8102 (Determinants and Improvement of Health)