Dr Annette Boaz

Reader in Health Care Research, St. George’s, University of London & Kingston University

Annette Boaz is a social scientist working in the field of evaluating the impact of research on policy and practice. She co-edits the leading journal in the field: Evidence & Policy (http://www.policypress.co.uk/journals_eap.asp) and recently contributed to a special issue of the journal Research Evaluation on research impact assessment.

With colleagues at Brunel University she has just completed an evidence synthesis for National Institute for Health Research exploring whether research engagement (by clinicians, managers and teams) leads to better outcomes for patients. As part of a European Union Framework seven programme on measuring the impact of stroke research, she has worked with colleagues to develop elements of an implementation score. The leadership elements of the score are currently being piloted in the National Sentinel Stroke Audit.

She is currently leading the MRC funded See-Impact study (stakeholder engagement in EQUIPT for impact). This study will prospectively explore the ways in which stakeholder engagement at different stages of a medical research project might help to maximize its impact. This study will use EQUIPT, a three-year €2 million research project led by the Health Economics Research Group (HERG) at Brunel University, and funded by the European Commission, in order to observe stakeholder events, conduct stakeholder surveys and review documents associated with the project to build up a picture of the level of engagement, the timing of engagement, and the type of stakeholders

In addition to her work on research impact she has expertise in service improvement research, patient involvement in research and in patient experience research. She has recently combined her interest in service improvement and patient involvement by conducting an NIHR funded ethnographic evaluation of an Experience Based Co-Design intervention in lung cancer and intensive care pathways in two UK hospitals. She works closely on public and patient involvement with Professor Mary Chambers, the Faculty Centre for Public Engagement and the PPI theme within the South London CLAHRC.