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NIHR Greater Manchester Primary Care Patient Safety
Translational Research Centre
PhD Studentships 2013
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Greater Manchester Primary Care Patient Safety
Translational Research Centre (MATRiC) invites applications for our 2013 round of 3.5-year (42 months)
PhD studentships. Up to five MATRiC studentships will be appointed and awards will commence in
October 2013, providing an annual tax-free stipend of £18,181, full coverage of tuition fees and a
conference/travel allowance. Applicants must be UK/EU* nationals due to the nature of the funding.
MATRiC is an internationally leading centre in primary care patient safety research. Led by the University
of Manchester on behalf of NHS Greater Manchester our aim is to define, develop and test innovative
ways of improving patient safety in primary care. Central to this agenda is involvement with
public/patient groups to foster user engagement within our research.
Primary care handles the largest volume of patient contacts. Avoiding errors, or identifying and correcting
them, is a high priority for all health systems. Compared to safety research in hospitals there is very little
research from primary care settings.
MATRiC aims to improve patient safety through high quality translational research with three overarching
objectives:
1. Develop evidence-based approaches to keep patients safe in their interactions with primary care.
2. Develop capacity in primary care patient safety research.
3. Develop/test educational interventions aimed at both patients and practitioners to improve patient
safety.
MATRiC PhD opportunities
Four PhD research opportunities are available as part of the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences
Faculty Graduate School and span four research themes:

Medication Safety (Professor Darren Ashcroft: Darren.ashcroft@manchester.ac.uk)
This theme will develop an integrated safety management system (SMS) covering the drug use
process (prescribing, dispensing and administration) and examine its potential to reduce errors
associated with medication use in primary care and explore how the prescribing, dispensing and
administration of medicines within, and between, healthcare organisations can be improved.
This focus of this particular PhD studentship will be on Understanding and addressing procedural
violations in primary healthcare. The aim will be to examine the occurrence of procedural “violations”
NIHR Greater Manchester Primary Care Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (MATRiC). Main Offices:
Centre for Primary Care: Institute of Population Health. Suite 11, 7th Floor, Williamson Building. University of
Manchester. Manchester. M13 9PL. Research Secretary email: carly.rolfe@manchester.ac.uk
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– workplace behaviours that deviate from established protocols or practice guidelines. These are not
typically intended to cause harm; in fact, some types of violation are common practice and tolerated
by the organisation. However, they can have negative consequences for safety, either immediately
or in the long term and there is a need to understand what and why violations occur when
prescribing, dispensing and monitoring medicines use in primary care. The studentship will involve
both qualitative and quantitative work, including an ethnographic study of general practices and
community pharmacies.

Multimorbidity (Professor Peter Bower: peter.bower@manchester.ac.uk)
Patients with multimorbidity in primary care are potentially at greatest risk in terms of patient safety
issues. This theme will identify, develop and evaluate patient and carer-oriented interventions to
minimise safety failures in patients with multimorbidity. Studentship applications are welcome on
any aspect of this theme.

General Practice (Professor Stephen Campbell: stephen.campbell@manchester.ac.uk)
This theme will build on existing research evidence in general practice to identify innovations that are
directly or indirectly related to patient safety, and test them locally in general practice across a range
of individual research projects. Studentship applications are welcome on any aspect of this theme.

Interface and Informatics (Professor Iain Buchan: contact: georgina.moulton@manchester.ac.uk)
This theme works across all MATRiC research themes. It develops information systems harnessing
routine healthcare data for better understanding of patient safety, and for timelier and more locally
relevant quality improvement decisions. Studentship applications are welcome on any aspect of this
theme.
In addition, we have a PhD opportunity for candidates interested in implementation and/or
improvement science relating to any aspect of translating primary care patient safety into practice. We
are open to a range of ideas, which may include quality improvement in complex adaptive systems,
understanding organisational change, the psychology of improvement work and communities of practices
(Professor Ruth Boaden: contact: ruth.boaden@mbs.ac.uk). This project will be a MATRiC studentship
based within Manchester Business School. While forming part of a 'cohort' of MATRiC trainees
developing the primary care safety agenda across IPH and Pharmacy, the successful candidate will
become a member of the MBS Doctoral Programme (http://mbs.ac.uk/phd/)
How to Apply
Applications are invited through a two-stage process from individuals looking to develop a career in
primary care patient safety research relating to one or more of the above themes. With the exception of
the Medication Safety studentship, the focus of the research is flexible so long as there is evidence of
potential translation/impact upon patient care.
Candidates are expected to hold (or be due to obtain) a minimum upper-second (or equivalent)
undergraduate degree in a relevant area to health sciences/primary care and the relevant theme
studentship being applied for. Examples would include social sciences, psychology, public health,
epidemiology, economics, policy and management or pharmacy. A Masters qualification in an associated
NIHR Greater Manchester Primary Care Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (MATRiC). Main Offices:
Centre for Primary Care: Institute of Population Health. Suite 11, 7th Floor, Williamson Building. University of
Manchester. Manchester. M13 9PL. Research Secretary email: carly.rolfe@manchester.ac.uk
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area and/or relevant professional experience would be an advantage. Provision for part-time training will
be made where appropriate.
Stage 1 – Initial Expression of Interest
Potential applicants are encouraged to make initial contact with the theme lead and/or contact name for
the MATRiC theme or area they feel is most applicable to their research interests. They should enclose a
CV and broad summary of a potential research topic (300-400 words).
Stage 2 – Follow up Application
If encouraged by the theme lead or contact, applicants should then develop and submit the following:
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CV (maximum two pages).
Covering statement (maximum 600 words) explaining why you want to train in primary care
patient safety research, your proposed research ideas/methods and the likely potential
impact/influence of the research on patient care.
Contact details for two referees.
Funding covers PhD training over 3.5-years, so it’s important any proposal is designed to accommodate
research exceeding the standard three-year PhD period, yet also allowing thesis write-up and submission
within the 3.5 year timeframe.
Applications should be submitted via email to carly.rolfe@manchester.ac.uk. Please state MATRIC
Studentship 2013 within the subject heading.
Deadline for applications: Tuesday 2 April 2013
Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed: w/c 15 April or 22 April 2013
Further Information
Further information and guidance on MATRIC, our research themes, suitability of proposals and the
application/shortlisting process should be directed to the MATRiC lead, Professor Stephen Campbell:
stephen.campbell@manchester.ac.uk
http://www.population-health.manchester.ac.uk/
*Candidates must be UK/EU nationals permanently resident in the UK since at least 1 September 2010 in
order to qualify for full studentship funding
NIHR Greater Manchester Primary Care Patient Safety Translational Research Centre (MATRiC). Main Offices:
Centre for Primary Care: Institute of Population Health. Suite 11, 7th Floor, Williamson Building. University of
Manchester. Manchester. M13 9PL. Research Secretary email: carly.rolfe@manchester.ac.uk