London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
(University of London)
Department of Public Health & Policy
Senior Lecturer in Health Systems and Policy
Many countries face challenges as a result of profound socioeconomic and political changes,
ranging from the current global economic crisis to climate change and conflict. Policy
makers need high-quality evidence on the impact that these changes have on the
performance of health systems as well as on the health of populations. The Department of
Health Services Research and Policy (HSRP) is seeking to appoint an excellent researcher
to work in this exciting area. The candidate will be based in the European Centre of Health
in Societies in Transition (ECOHOST), a WHO Collaborating Centre, directed by Professor
Martin McKee. ECOHOST is a major partner in the WHO-funded European Observatory on
Health Systems and Policies.
The post will focus on health and health systems in societies undergoing major
socioeconomic and political transition. It will address questions that are of high relevance to
European and global health policy makers. Mental health will be a priority area. The work
will combine long-term in-depth research with rapid responses that are often necessary to
influence policy. It will involve communicating the results of this work to diverse audiences
via a wide range of media and not just academic journals, although these are an essential
part of the task of advancing knowledge.
Current research themes include health and lifestyles in the former USSR (the EU-funded
Health in Times of Transition project), the consequences of the financial crisis for health and
health systems (with the University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, and the
University of California, San Francisco), and the mental health of internally displaced
persons in the Caucasus. It is expected that the successful candidate will take the lead in
several of these areas, developing them further, while identifying new but related
opportunities. A priority is to develop strong links with other school centres working in
related areas, in particular mental health and non-communicable diseases.
Applicants need to have a detailed knowledge and understanding of the determinants of
health and health systems in societies undergoing major transition. Experience in working
on countries of the former Soviet Union or countries exposed to conflict situations is an
asset. Ideally, they will combine expertise in several of the following areas: health services
research, epidemiology, political science, sociology, economics, or another of the social
sciences. Research interests and experience may cover any of the following topics: health
systems, mental health, health determinants, health in conflict and post-conflict areas, health
in post-Soviet societies.
They should possess a good level of skills in both quantitative and qualitative analysis. They
must be willing to travel extensively and frequently, mainly within Europe but also beyond,
and to be able to engage effectively with senior politicians and policy makers.
The School
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is one of Europe’s leading schools of
Public Health and a leading postgraduate institution worldwide for research and
postgraduate education in global health.
Part of the University of London, the London School is the largest institution of its kind in
Europe with a remarkable depth and breadth of expertise encompassing many disciplines.
The School was ranked one of the top 3 research institutions in the country in the Times
Higher Education’s 'table of excellence', which is based on the 2008 Research Assessment
Exercise (RAE). In 2009, the School became the first UK institution to win the Gates Award
for Global Health.
The School’s environment is a rich multicultural one: there are almost 4000 students from
100+ countries following 22 taught Masters courses delivered either in London (~650) or
through distance learning (~2700), and undertaking Research Degree training (~400). Over
40% of these students are from non-European countries. The largest growth has been in
distance learning students (>40% over 3 years), although the London-based student
population (where accommodation limits growth) is at its highest level ever. Alumni are
working in more than 180 countries. The School has about 1500 staff drawn from over 60
nationalities.
There are research collaborations with over 100 countries throughout the world, utilizing our
critical mass of multidisciplinary expertise which includes clinicians, epidemiologists,
statisticians, social scientists, economists, molecular biologists, immunologists,
ophthalmologists, anthropologists, virologists, pharmacologists and nutritionists. At any one
time around 100 School staff are based overseas, particularly in Africa and Asia. We have a
strong commitment to partnership with institutions in low and middle income countries to
support the development of teaching and research capacity.
The School has expanded greatly in recent years. Its research funding now exceeds £67M
per annum, much of it from highly competitive national and international sources. The
commitment of staff to methodological rigour, innovative thinking and policy relevance will
ensure that the School continues to occupy a leadership position in national and global
health, adapting quickly to new challenges and opportunities.
Mission
To improve health and health equity in the UK and worldwide; working in partnership to
achieve excellence in public and global health research, education and translation of
knowledge into policy and practice.
Organisation and Management
There are three academic faculties, one principally concerned with infectious and tropical
diseases and two with public health (Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health; Faculty
of Public Health and Policy).
Faculty of Public Health and Policy
The Faculty of Public Health & Policy is responsible for research and teaching in the policy,
planning and evaluation of health programmes and services. Its interests are both national
and international, encompassing industrialised, and less developed countries. The Faculty
has three research departments:
Health Services Research and Policy
Global Health and Development
Social and Environmental Health Research
Each department is multidisciplinary containing about 50 - 70 academic staff representing
medicine, statistics, epidemiology, sociology, economics, anthropology, operational
research, psychology, nursing and history. Each department is responsible for its own
research. The School has adopted a rotating system of management for its academic
departments and faculties. The management of a department is under the control of the
Department Head, appointed by the Director for a period of three years in the first instance.
The Faculty Head is appointed in a similar manner but for an initial period of up to five years.
The Faculty currently has a staff of 19 professors, 7 readers, 26 senior lecturers, 47
lecturers, 77 research fellows and assistants, about 40 computing, administrative and
secretarial staff, and a number of honorary staff.
Department of Health Services Research and Policy
(http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/php/hsrp/index.html)
The aim of HSRP is to carry out research that helps to improve the quality, organisation and
management of health services and systems. This extends from establishing what care
should be provided and how services should be organised, through assessing the quality of
existing services, to how improvements can be brought about. Most of the research is in high
income countries and, in particular, the UK. Our staff reflect both the multi-disciplinary
(epidemiology, public health, sociology, psychology, economics, statistics, social and public
policy) and multi-professional nature of our work.
Establishing what care should be provided and how services should be organised involves
primary evaluative research (on particular health care interventions and policies), reviews of
existing research evidence and modelling possible options. In addition to specific projects,
we run the Clinical Effectiveness Department at the Royal College of Surgeons of England,
support a similar Department at the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecology, the
Department of Health-funded Health Reforms Evaluation Programme
(http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/hsru/hrep/). The Department is also part of the School’s European
Centre on Health of Societies in Transition (ECOHOST) (http://www.lshtm.ac.uk/ecohost/)
which, in turn, is a major partner in the WHO-funded European Observatory on Health
Systems and Policies (http://www.euro.who.int/observatory).
ECOHOST
The European Centre on Health of Societies in Transition is a leading centre conducting
research on the effects of social, political, and economic transition in Europe. Originally
established to conduct research on the health effects of the collapse of communism, its
scope has expanded to encompass the implications for health of major transitions more
generally. These include how health systems are having to adapt to changing demographics,
patterns of disease, mobility, and expectations, and the consequences of new shocks, such
as the global financial crisis, as well as the challenges facing countries involved in or
emerging from conflict. Although its geographical focus remains on the countries of central
and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union, it is increasingly addressing global
change, such as international trade, and other major countries facing major transitions, such
as China.
The post holder will work very closely with the European Observatory, which supports and
promotes evidence-based health policy-making through comprehensive and rigorous
analysis of the dynamics of health care systems in Europe. It is a partnership between the
World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe, the Governments of Belgium,
Finland, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the Netherlands, the Veneto Region
of Italy, the Caisse nationale de l'assurance maladie, the European Investment Bank, the
World Bank, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and the School.
The LSHTM hub of the Observatory includes the production of Health System in Transition
reports on the health systems of the former Soviet Union, a major programme on health
systems performance (including methodological and empirical work) and monitoring of the
impact of the current financial crisis on health and health systems. The Observatory places
a high priority on communication of its findings, with an emphasis on face to face meetings,
supported by policy briefs (undertaken in association with the WHO Health Evidence
Network).
Teaching
The Faculty of Public Health and Policy is responsible for organizing a one year Master's
courses in Public Health, which allows students to take a general MSc in Public Health, or to
follow one of the following streams: Health Services Management, Health Promotion,
Environmental Health or Health Services Research. The Faculty also jointly teaches MSc
Public Health in Developing Countries and MSc Control of Infectious Disease (with the
Faculties of Infectious and Tropical Diseases and Epidemiology and Population Health), and
MSc Health Policy, Planning and Financing (with the LSE). Master's courses are organised
in a modular format across the whole School. One of the growing areas of Faculty teaching
is in the distance-based MSc in Public Health, introduced in 2005/6
The Faculty has also reorganised and expanded its research degree (MPhil/PhD; DrPH)
training. Currently there are about 108 students and 23 staff members registered for a
research degree.
Duties of the post holder
Research
 To lead projects on health and health systems of societies undergoing major
socioeconomic and political transition;
 To collaborate with colleagues in the rest of the Department, Faculty and the School,
and in the different hubs of the European Observatory and beyond in research on
health and health systems;
 To develop new research proposals with others and attract significant external
funding for research on health and health systems;
 To manage research staff working on projects;
 To publish research findings and their policy implications in high-quality, peer
reviewed journals, and in policy, professional and popular media (including social
media);
 To disseminate research findings at national and international conferences and
meetings;
 To participate in activities designed to encourage the uptake of research findings.
Teaching
 To contribute to the teaching programme of the Department of Public Health &
Policy, (up to 15% of available time), including organising a teaching module, giving
several lectures each year, leading seminars on two teaching modules a year and
acting as a tutor to three MSc students;
 To supervise up to three Research Degree (MPhil/PhD, DrPH) students, be a
member of several Research Degree students’ advisory committees and provide
research training;
 To undertake examination duties, for example, writing questions for exam papers and
sitting on exam boards.
Citizenship

To participate in School, Faculty and Department activities, particularly to improve
management systems and performance, such as Department Research Degrees
Coordinator, chair of a School working group, membership of the Research Ethics
Committee, etc;

To support the management of ECOHOST;

To contribute to other activities that will help to achieve the Department's objectives;

To sit on external committees and advisory groups for policy and research funding
bodies;

To maintain an up-to-date personal page on the School’s website.
Person specification
Essential

A PhD or equivalent post-graduate degree in health services research, epidemiology,
health policy and/or systems or a related field of research;

An established reputation and track record of research in one of the above
disciplines;

An ability to communicate effectively with senior policy-makers in national
governments and international agencies;

Proven ability to secure external research funds;

Proven ability to initiate and manage research projects;

Excellent track record in writing up research in high quality, peer reviewed journals
and communicating research findings to policy, management, professional and lay


audiences;
Ability to contribute to post-graduate teaching in one or more of the areas of health
systems, services and policy.
A willingness and ability to travel outside the United Kingdom several times per
month, on occasions at short notice.
Desirable

Experience of mental health research;

Experience of teaching at post-graduate level;

Experience of working directly with health policy makers, managers or clinicians;

Knowledge of current international developments as they impact on health and health
policy;

Working knowledge of one or more modern European languages other than English.
Accountability
The post holder will be based in the European Centre on Health of Societies in Transition,
within the Department of Health Services Research and Policy, and will be responsible to
Professor McKee, and through him to the Head of the Health Services Research and Policy
Department, the Head of the Faculty of Public Health & Policy and, ultimately, the Director of
the School.
Salary and conditions of appointment
In accordance with current LSHTM policy, the post will be a full-time appointment for five
years initially..
Salary is on the Academic Pathway Grade 8 (£50,333 - £57,771 per annum inclusive
Relocation expenses will be payable in accordance with School policy.
Applications
Applications should be made on-line at our website at jobs.lshtm.ac.uk. The reference for
this post is MMCK10. Online applications will be accepted by the automated system until
midnight on of the closing date. Any queries regarding the post can be addressed to
Professor Chris Frost (chris.frost@lshtm.ac.uk). Any queries regarding the application
process may be addressed to jobs@lshtm.ac.uk
The supporting statement section should set out how your qualifications, experience and
training meet each of the selection criteria. Please provide one or more paragraphs
addressing each criterion. The supporting statement is an essential part of the selection
process and thus a failure to provide this information will mean that the application will not be
considered. An answer to any of the criteria such as "Please see attached CV" will not be
considered acceptable. Please note that if you are shortlisted and are unable to attend on
the interview date it may not be possible to offer you an alternative date.
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is committed to being an equal
opportunities employer.