Diane is an established social care researcher with a national and international reputation for research excellence, leading a novel portfolio of work that has generated new knowledge to inform social care policy and practice. She leads impactful social care research with real world application, which has supported change in national social care provision for unpaid carers that is underpinned by significant Welsh Government investment totaling over £12 million.  

Diane’s research and research infrastructure capacity building work has attracted significant external grant funding totaling £12.5 million over the course of her career, as a lead investigator, principal co-investigator, and co-investigator. Her publications include peer review papers, book chapters, and published reports for government and for funding bodies.  They evidence Diane’s contribution to addressing global health and social care challenges, as well as opportunities, associated with population ageing. Diane’s appointment to ministerial advisory positions, and national and international steering groups highlights the esteem with which her work is held.   

Diane’s contribution to the development of a new international research network on participatory approaches to ageing research (PAAR-Net COST Action) reflects her longstanding commitment to collaborative research to improve social care outcomes.  

Diane’s passion and commitment to social care research is further evidenced in her championing of doctoral students and early career researchers, both in the UK and internationally, by securing postgraduate scholarship funding, by delivering international research training, and by mentoring future research leaders.  Diane is a pathway lead for social care, social work and social policy for the ESRC funded Wales Graduate School for Social Sciences.

Responsive to new opportunities, Diane is delighted to be part of the newly established Wales Centre for Vision Services Research.  She is committed to grow social care research that shapes policy and practice solutions in vision services with scientific rigor. 

Diane is Director of Research for the School of Health Sciences, and she is Chair of the North Wales Medical School and School of Health Sciences Academic Research Ethics Committee.

I welcome the opportunity to supervise PhD work that addresses social care issues as they relate to older people, including those living with dementia, their unpaid carers and those employed in the social care sector. I particularly welcome qualitative or mixed-methods studies about:

• Assessment and support planning for people with complex care needs and their unpaid carers
• Meaningful short breaks (sometimes called respite care) that support positive, sustainable caring relationships
• Ways to help individuals achieve personal well-being outcomes, with a focus on: 
  • Voice and control  
  • Prevention and early intervention  
  • Co-production of services
  • Integrated, multi-agency working  
• Nursing and residential care home provision