Professor Helen Snooks - Director of AWARD Mid & West Wales

I am a professor in Health Services Research, based in the Centre for Health Information Research and Evaluation (CHIRAL) in the School of Medicine at Swansea University. I am currently Director of AWARD's Mid and West Wales section. My main research interests and expertise lie in the fields of Emergency Pre-hospital and Unscheduled Care, Clinical Audit and Effectiveness, and research support. I am chair of the 999 EMS Research forum and lead the Thematic Research network for emergency and UnScheduled Treatment (TRUST). The focus of my work is to plan, design and carry out evaluations of new models of service delivery. My work is strongly patient-focused and collaborative, and uses mixed methods to achieve study aims - ranging from randomised controlled trials to action research. In recent years, my research support work has taken me to new areas and I have recently been involved in diverse studies concerning; evaluation of policy related to Chronic Conditions Management; evaluation of the delivery of a bibliotherapy scheme in Wales; the provision of gastrointestinal services; and health-related community development.

Qualifications
Bsc (Hons) Economics, Sociology, Statistics; Upper Second Class awarded 1981 at University of Surrey
PhD in Health Services Research ‘Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in seriously injured accident victims’. Awarded 2000, University of Sheffield

Employment History
2006 - present
Professor of Health Services Research, Centre for Health Information, Research and Evaluation (CHIRAL), School of Medicine, Swansea University
2002 - present
Director, AWARD (Mid and West Wales), Centre for Health Information, Research and Evaluation (CHIRAL), School of Medicine, Swansea University
2000 - 2006
Senior Lecturer in Health & Social Care Research, Swansea University
1995 - 1999
Clinical Audit and Research Manager, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
1991 - 1995
Research Associate, Medical Care Research Unit, SCHARR, University of Sheffield

Key Recent Publications
Mason S, Knowles E, Freeman J, Snooks H. Safety of paramedics with extended skills. Academic Emergency Medicine. Accepted for publication, March 2008

Peconi J, Snooks H, Edwards A. Thematic Research network for emergency and UnScheduled Treatment (TRUST): scoping the potential. Bio Med Central Emergency Medicine. Accepted for publication January 2008

Porter A, Snooks H, Youren A, Gaze S, Whitfield R, Rapport F, Woollard M.
'Covering our backs': ambulance crews' attitudes towards clinical documentation when 999 patients are not conveyed to hospital. EMJ 2008; 25(5)

Porter A, Peconi J, Evans A, Snooks H, Lloyd K, Russell I. Equity and service innovation: the implementaion of a bibliotherapy scheme in Wales. Journal of Health Service Research and Policy 2008 Vol13 Supplement 2 pp 26 - 31

Snooks H, Williams A, Griffiths L, Peconi J, Rance J, Snelgrove S, Sarangi S, Wainwright P, Cheung WY. Real nursing?: The development of telenursing through NHS Direct: views from within - and outside - the service. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2008. 61(6);631 - 640

Rapport F, Snooks H, Evans A, Tee A. Getting involved means making a difference?” Insider views on the impact of a ‘healthy living’ community intervention. Critical Public Health, 2008 in press

Mason S, Knowles E, Colwell B, Dixon S, Wardrope J, Gorringe R, Snooks H, Perrin J, Nicholl J
Paramedic Practitioner Older People’s Support Trial (PPOPS): A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial. BMJ 2007, in press

Turner J, Snooks H, Youren A, Dixon S, Fall D, Gaze S, Davies J.
The costs and benefits of managing low priority 999 ambulance calls by NHS Direct nurse advisors. SDO research summary June 2007

Williams J, Roberts S, Ali F, Cheung WY, Cohen D, Demery G, Edwards A, Greer M, Hellier M, Hutchings H, Ip B, Longo M, Russell I, Snooks H, Williams J. Gastroenterology services in the UK. The burden of disease, and the organisation and delivery of services for gastrointestinal and liver disorders: a review of the evidence. Gut 2007;56;1-113

Porter A, Snooks H, Youren A, Gaze S, Whitfield R, Rapport F, Woollard M. ‘Should I stay or should I go?’ Deciding whether to go to hospital after a 999 call. Journal of Health Service Research and Policy April 2007 Vol 12 Suppl 1;32-38

Snooks H, Nicholl J. Sorting patients: the weakest link in the emergency care system. (Commentary) Emergency Medicine Journal, Feb 2007; 24:74

Snooks H, Halter M, Close J, Cheung WY, Moore F, Roberts SE. Emergency care of older people who fall: a missed opportunity. Quality and Safety in Health Care, Dec 2006; 15: 390 – 392

Snooks H, Halter M, Yolanda Palmer, Booth H, Moore F. Hearing half the message? A reaudit of the care of patient with acute asthma by emergency ambulance crews in London. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 2005; 14: 455 - 458

Snooks H, Kearsley N, Dale J, Halter M, Foster J. Gaps between policy, protocols and practice: a qualitative study of the views and practice of emergency ambulance staff concerning the care of patients with non-urgent needs. Quality and Safety in Health Care 2005; 14:251-257

Towards primary care for non-serious callers to the emergency ambulance service: results of a controlled study of ‘Treat and Refer’ protocols for ambulance crews. Snooks H, Kearsley N, Dale J, Halter M, Redhead J, Cheung WY Quality and Safety in Health Care, 2004; 13: 435-443

Safety of telephone consultation for ‘non-serious’ emergency ambulance service patients
Dale J, Williams S, Foster T, Higgins J, Snooks H, Crouch R, Hartley-Sharpe C, Glucksman E. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 2004;13:363-373

On-scene alternatives for emergency ambulance crews attending patients who do not need to travel to the Accident and Emergency Department: a review of the literature. Snooks HA, Halter M, Hartley-Sharpe C, Dale J. Emergency Medicine Journal, 2004;21:212-215

Results of an evaluation of the effectiveness of triage and direct transportation to Minor Injuries Units by ambulance crews. Snooks H , Foster T, Nicholl J Emergency Medicine Journal, 2004;21:105-111

Books
Brophy S, Snooks H, Griffiths LJ. Small-Scale Evaluation in Health: A Practical Guide. Sage Publications 2008.
To order a copy of this book please click here

Williams G, Cropper S, Porter A, Russell M, Snooks H, O’Neill M, Carlisle S, Roberts C, Moore R.
Community health and wellbeing: action research on health inequalities
Policy Press, October 2007

Key Research Grants
2008 Co-applicant: Stroke Research Portfolio Development Fellow funding WORD/Stroke Association (£132,475)
2008 Co-applicant: Promoting health and wellbeing with the Family Links Nurturing Programme (FLNP) in South Wales: An RCT and economic evaluation. Cardiff Council on behalf of Cardiff Council, Newport Council, Torfaen County Borough Council & the Welsh Assembly Government (£345,671)
2008 Primary supervisor: PhD fellowship (Bridget Wells) implementation of computerised clinical decision support (CCDS) in a pre-hospital setting: processes of adoptioon and impact on paramedic role and practice. Wales Office of R&D (£61,000)
2008 Principal investigator: Involving people effectively in Research and Evaluation related to implementation of the Chronic Conditions Management Programme in Wales. CRC Cymru (£91,000)
2008 Principal investigator: How do people with chronic conditions experience care in Wales? Baseline study Welsh Assembly Government (£144,000)
2007 Principal investigator:999 EMS Research Forum infrastructure funding. Department of Health (£30,000)
2007 Co-applicant: Identifying service improvements for primary care provision: evaluating patient and carer experiences of using 'out-of-hours' services. Wales Office of R&D (£83,359)
2007 Principal investigator: Thematic Research network for emergency and UnScheduled Treatment (TRUST) Research Portfolio Development Wales Office of R&D (£119,963)
2006 Prinicipal investigator: SAFE (Support and Assessment for Fall Emergencies) Trial: recruitment and patient involvement support Clinical Research Collaboration Cymru Co-ordinating Centre (£99,000)
2006 Principal investigator: Evaluation of the costs and benefits of computerised on-scene decision support for emergency ambulance personnel to assess and plan appropriate care for older people who have fallen: a randomised controlled trial. Department of Health (£413,000) plus Trial recruitment and patient involvement support. Clinical Research Collaboration Cymru (£99,000)
2006 Principal investigator: Systematic review of evidence concerning the effectiveness of bibliotherapy. Wales Office of R&D (£22,000)
2006 Principal investigator: 999 EMS Research Forum infrastructure funding. Department of Health (£12,000)
2005 Principal investigator: Thematic Research Network for emergency and UnScheduled Treatment infrastructure funding. Wales Office of R&D (£239,000)
2004 Co-applicant: Review of Service Delivery in Gastroenterology. British Society of Gastroenterology (£60,000)
2004 Lead applicant Mid and West Wales section of All Wales Alliance for Research and Development in Health and Social care (AWARD). Wales Office of R&D
2003 Co-applicant: Review of primary care and community nursing in Wales.
Welsh Assembly Government (£130,000)
2002 Co-applicant: Evaluation of the cost-effectiveness of passing non-serious 999 calls over to NHS Direct for management. NHS Executive Service Delivery and Organisation research programme (£380,000)
2002 Co-applicant: Evaluation of an alternative model of paramedic treatment for older people who do not need to be conveyed to A&E. PPP (£260,000)
2002 Co-applicant: ‘Fit to be left: Can emergency ambulance staff use a tool to decide if older people who fall can be safely left at home?’ DoH R&D programme to support National Service Framework for Older People (£82,000)
2002 Co-applicant: ‘Evaluating healthy living in Pembrokeshire: are communities brought real health and social benefits? Phase two’. Sustainable Health Action Research Programme (SHARP) (£300,000)
2000 Prinicipal investigator: Evaluation of NHS Direct Wales. Swansea NHS Trust on behalf of Welsh Assembly Government (£160,000)