Meet the Team

Dr Ashworth studied medicine at the Universities of St Andrews (BSc Med Sci. 1987) and Manchester (MB ChB 1990). After qualifying, she completed specialist training in Anaesthesia, becoming a fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and was appointed as a Consultant at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire in 1998. Dr Ashworth later specialised in Pain Medicine. She is a fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine and has worked full-time in Pain Medicine since 2009.

Julie joined Keele in 2008 as a part time researcher, then Honorary Senior Lecturer and was appointed Senior Lecturer in 2017. She continues to work clinically as a Consultant in Pain Medicine and is Clinical Lead for the IMPACT Community Pain Service, Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust, in North Staffordshire.

Julie’s research is inspired by her clinical work and focuses on improving care for patients with chronic pain and reducing harm from analgesics. She currently co-leads a major research programme to reduce inappropriate opioid prescribing for chronic pain.

Papers

• Appleyard T, Ashworth J, Bedson J, Yu D, Peat G. 2019. Trends in gabapentinoid prescribing in patients with osteoarthritis: a United Kingdom national cohort study in primary care. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, vol. 27(10), 1437-1444. 
• Vowles KE, Sowden G, Ashworth J. 2014. A comprehensive examination of the model underlying acceptance and commitment therapy for chronic pain. Behav Ther, vol. 45(3), 390-401. 
• Vowles KE, Witkiewitz K, Sowden G, Ashworth J. 2014. Acceptance and commitment therapy for chronic pain: evidence of mediation and clinically significant change following an abbreviated interdisciplinary program of rehabilitation. J Pain, vol. 15(1), 101-113.
• Vowles KE, McCracken LM, Sowden G, Ashworth J. 2014. Psychological flexibility in coping with chronic pain: further examination of the brief pain coping inventory-2. Clin J Pain, vol. 30(4), 324-330. 
• Ashworth J, Green DJ, Dunn KM, Jordan KP. 2013. Opioid use among low back pain patients in primary care: Is opioid prescription associated with disability at 6-month follow-up?. Pain, vol. 154(7), 1038-1044.
• Ashworth J, Konstantinou K, Dunn KM. 2011. Prognostic factors in non-surgically treated sciatica: a systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 12, 208.
• Vowles KE and Ashworth J. 2011. Is opioid withdrawal necessary within comprehensive pain rehabilitation programs?. Pain, vol. 152(9), 1948-1950.
• Ashworth J and Smith I. 1998. Comparison of desflurane with isoflurane or propofol in spontaneously breathing ambulatory patients. Anesth Analg, vol. 87(2), 312-318.
• Smith I and Ashworth J. 1997. Evaluation of desflurane anesthesia in spontaneously-breathing outpatients. ANESTHESIOLOGY, vol. 87(3), A6.

Prof Hassell is a consultant rheumatologist at the Haywood Hospital. He completed his medical training in the North West and West Midlands Deaneries, having qualified from Manchester University. He completed a MD at Birmingham.

Prof Hassells initial interest in education was in postgraduate education –the higher medical training of rheumatologists, postgraduate education of nurses and allied health professionals in rheumatology, in aspects of core medical training in medicine and in the education of medical teachers. For 5 years he was an Associate Dean (Education) in the West Midlands Deanery. He completed the Dundee Masters in Medical Education in 2005.

With the advent of a new medical school at Keele, he became involved in undergraduate medical education, initially as a module lead in the Manchester MBChB and then became Director of Undergraduate Programmes in 2007.

In March 2015 Prof Hassell started as Head of the School of Medicine until 2020.

Papers

• Patient instructors in rheumatology. A Hassell. Medical Teacher. 2012. 34(7):539-42.
• Remission in early rheumatoid arthritis: predicting treatment response. Ma MH. Ibrahim F. Walker D. Hassell A. Choy EH. Kiely PD. Williams R. Walsh DA. Young A. Scott DL. Journal of Rheumatology. 2012. 39(3):470-5.
• Self-assessment by trainees using self-TAB as part of the team assessment of behaviour multisource feedback tool. Wall D. Singh D. Whitehouse A. Hassell A. Howes J. Medical Teacher. 2012. 34(2):165-7.
• The preoperative assessment clinic: the Keele experience. Walsh A. Hassell A. Chilton L. The clinical teacher. 2012. 9(1):67. [Letter]
• Effect of rating scales on scores given to junior doctors in multi-source feedback. Hassell A. Bullock A. Whitehouse A. Wood L. Jones P. Wall D. Postgraduate Medical Journal. 2012 88(1035):10-4.
• Introducing medical students to reflective practice. [Review] Chambers S. Brosnan C. Hassell A. Education for Primary Care. 2011. 22(2):100-5
• Disease activity, smoking, and reproductive-related predictors of poor prognosis in patients with very early inflammatory polyarthritis. Verstappen SM. McCoy MJ. Roberts C. Dale NE. Hassell AB. Symmons DP. Steroids In Very Early Arthritis Investigators. Journal of Rheumatology. 2011. 38(3):429-33.
• Effect of psychological distress on continuation of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Mattey DL. Dawes PT. Hassell AB. Brownfield A. Packham JC. Journal of Rheumatology. 2010. 37(10):2021-4
• Characterizing the clinical practice and professional behaviour of rheumatology nurse specialists: a pilot study. Ryan S. Hassell A. Carpenter E. Musculoskeletal Care. 2010 8(3):136-42.
• Attitudes and perceptions of rheumatologists regarding consultation skills training for specialist trainees: a qualitative study. Sandhu R, Cooper V, B Ong , Hassell AB. Clinical Medicine. 2010. 10(1):8-12.

Prof Hay came to North Staffordshire in 1994 as Consultant Rheumatologist at the Haywood Hospital and Senior Lecturer, Keele University. Her undergraduate and early postgraduate training was at the University of Sheffield, following which Elaine moved to Manchester as Senior Registrar in Rheumatology. Prof Hay was awarded an Arthritis Research Campaign Clinical Research Fellowship and completed my MD at the ARC Epidemiology Unit with Professor Symmons and Professor Silman in 1992. Elaine was promoted to Professor of Community Rheumatology in 2004 and took over from Peter Croft as Director of the Centre in 2010.

Papers

• Roddy E, Clarkson K, Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Mehta R, Oppong R, Avery A, Hay EM, Heneghan C, Hartshorne L, Hooper J, Hughes G, Jowett S, Lewis M, Little P, McCartney K, Mahtani KR, Nunan D, Santer M, Williams S, Mallen CD. 2019. Open-label randomised pragmatic trial (CONTACT) comparing naproxen and low-dose colchicine for the treatment of gout flares in primary care. Ann Rheum Dis. 
• Price AJ, Ogollah R, Kang S, Hay E, Barker KL, Benedetto E, Smith S, Smith J, Galloway JB, Ellis B, Rees J, Glyn-Jones S, Beard D, Fitzpatrick R, Hill JC. 2019. Determining responsiveness and meaningful changes for the Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ) for use across musculoskeletal care pathways. BMJ Open, vol. 9(10), e025357. 
• Konstantinou K, Dunn KM, van der Windt D, Ogollah R, Jasani V, Foster NE, SCOPiC study team. 2019. Subgrouping patients with sciatica in primary care for matched care pathways: development of a subgrouping algorithm. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 20(1), 313. 
• Protheroe J, Saunders B, Bartlam B, Dunn KM, Cooper V, Campbell P, Hill JC, Tooth S, Mallen CD, Hay EM, Foster NE. 2019. Matching treatment options for risk sub-groups in musculoskeletal pain: a consensus groups study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 20(1), 271. 
• Hider SL, Konstantinou K, Hay EM, Glossop J, Mattey DL. 2019. Inflammatory biomarkers do not distinguish between patients with sciatica and referred leg pain within a primary care population: results from a nested study within the ATLAS cohort. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 20(1), 202. 
• Oldroyd A, Sergeant JC, New P, McHugh NJ, Betteridge Z, Lamb JA, Ollier WE, Cooper RG, Chinoy H, UKMyoNet. 2019. The temporal relationship between cancer and adult onset anti-transcriptional intermediary factor 1 antibody-positive dermatomyositis. Rheumatology (Oxford), vol. 58(4), 650-655. 
• Chesterton LS, Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Burton C, Dziedzic KS, Davenport G, Jowett SM, Myers HL, Oppong R, Rathod-Mistry T, van der Windt DA, Hay EM, Roddy E. 2018. The clinical and cost-effectiveness of corticosteroid injection versus night splints for carpal tunnel syndrome (INSTINCTS trial): an open-label, parallel group, randomised controlled trial. Lancet, vol. 392(10156), 1423-1433. 
• Healey EL, Afolabi E, Lewis A, Edwards J, Jordan K, Finney A, Jinks C, Hay E, Dziedzic K. 2018. Uptake of the NICE osteoarthritis guidelines in primary care: a survey of older adults with joint pain. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 
• Healey EL, Afolabi EK, Lewis M, Edwards JJ, Jordan KP, Finney A, Jinks C, Hay EM, Dziedzic KS. 2018. Uptake of the NICE osteoarthritis guidelines in primary care: a survey of older adults with joint pain. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 19(1), 295. 
• Williams NH, Jenkins A, Goulden N, Hoare Z, Hughes DA, Wood E, Foster NE, Walsh D, Carnes D, Sparkes V, Hay EM, Isaacs J, Konstantinou K, Morrissey D, Karppinen J, Genevay S, Wilkinson C. 2018. Lessons learnt from a discontinued randomised controlled trial: adalimumab injection compared with placebo for patients receiving physiotherapy treatment for sciatica (Subcutaneous Injection of Adalimumab Trial compared with Control: SCIATiC). Trials, vol. 19(1), 408.

Professor Hider graduated from the University of Nottingham in 1996 and subsequently undertook training in Nottingham and Stoke-on-Trent. Sam undertook my postgraduate higher specialist training in Rheumatology in Manchester with an MSc Clinical Rheumatology (awarded with distinction, 2003) and a Ph.D. (2007) examining clinical and genetic predictors of response to methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis. She came to Keele in 2007 as an NIHR Walport Clinical Lecturer in Rheumatology and was appointed as a consultant rheumatologist and clinical lecturer in 2009 (promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2012, and Reader in 2017) as is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.

Professor Hider is the Director of Postgraduate Research for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (Applied Sciences) and medical Lead for the INSPIRE research programme (having led three grant awards funded by Academy of Medical Sciences and Wellcome Trust).

Sam’s research interests focus is on the optimal diagnosis, management and complications associated with common inflammatory rheumatological conditions, specifically rheumatoid arthritis and polymyalgia rheumatica. She has a particular interest in the development and management of multimorbidity in people with inflammatory conditions and the overlap between physical and mental health morbidities.

Professor Hider has lead cohort studies and intervention studies in inflammatory arthritis and am a co-applicant on a HTA five year programme investigating gait rehabilitation approaches in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. Her research has been funded by Arthritis Research UK, the NIHR CLARHC West Midlands and School for Primary Care Research and the Haywood Foundation.

Sam supervises PhD students, intercalated medical student MPhils, Academic Foundation trainees, and undergraduate student projects. She have published over 100 original peer-reviewed research publications and contributed to over £2million in grant income and is a current member of the Royal College of Physicians Research and Academic Medicine Committee.

Papers

• Muller S, Whittle R, Hider SL, Belcher J, Helliwell T, Morton C, Hughes E, Lawton SA, Mallen CD. 2019. Longitudinal clusters of pain and stiffness in polymyalgia rheumatica: 2-year results from the PMR Cohort Study. Rheumatology (Oxford). 
• Chen WMY, Subesinghe S, Muller S, Hider SL, Mallen CD, Scott IC. 2019. The association between gravidity, parity and the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 
• Chean CS, Prior JA, Helliwell T, Belcher J, Mackie SL, Hider SL, Liddle J, Mallen CD. 2019. Characteristics of patients with giant cell arteritis who experience visual symptoms. Rheumatol Int, vol. 39(10), 1789-1796. 
• Sultan AA, Mallen C, Muller S, Hider S, Scott I, Helliwell T, Hall LJ. 2019. Antibiotic use and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based case-control study. BMC Med, vol. 17(1), 154. 
• Warburton L, Hider SL, Mallen CD, Scott IC. 2019. Suspected very early inflammatory rheumatic diseases in primary care. Best Practice and Research: Clinical Rheumatology, 101419. 
• Hider S, Seale B, Vivekanatham A, Woods W, Chari D. 2019. INSPIRing medical undergraduates to do research: the career impacts of a summer studentship programme. The British Student Doctor Journal, vol. 3(2), 2. 
• Prior JA, Muller S, Helliwell T, Hider SL, Barraclough K, Dasgupta B, Mallen CD. 2019. The association of pain and stiffness with fatigue in incident polymyalgia rheumatica: baseline results from the polymyalgia rheumatica cohort study. PRIMARY HEALTH CARE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, vol. 20, Article UNSP e46. 
• Hider SL, Muller S, Helliwell T, Prior JA, Scott I, Lawton SA, Zwierska I, van Schaardenburg D, van der Helm-van Mil A, Raza K, Mallen CD. 2019. Symptoms associated with inflammatory arthritis are common in the primary care population: results from the joint symptoms survey. Rheumatology (Oxford), vol. 58(11), 2009-2014. 
• Hider SL, Konstantinou K, Hay EM, Glossop J, Mattey DL. 2019. Inflammatory biomarkers do not distinguish between patients with sciatica and referred leg pain within a primary care population: results from a nested study within the ATLAS cohort. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 20(1), 202. 
• Morton C, Muller S, Bucknall M, Gilbert K, Mallen CD, Hider SL. 2019. Examining management and research priorities in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica: a primary care questionnaire survey. Clin Rheumatol, vol. 38(6), 1767-1772. 

Following an undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy, Dr Konstantinou obtained an MSc in manual therapy in 1998 and a PhD in 2002. She joined Keele in 2005 to hold a joint clinical and research post. Dr Konstantinou is a Consultant Spinal Physiotherapist, the lead of the Spinal Service at the Haywood Hospital (Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust) and an NIHR Senior Clinical Lecturer at the Primary Care Centre Versus Arthritis, School of Primary, Community and Social Care.

Research and Scholarship

Dr Konstantinou’s interests are in trials and epidemiology, predominantly in the field of spinal musculoskeletal pain including sciatica, and in other musculoskeletal problems, and in care pathways for patients with spinal musculoskeletal pain. In 2010 she was awarded a three year NIHR CNO Clinical Lectureship, and in 2013 a five year NIHR/HEFCE Senior Clinical Lectureship, for epidemiological research into sciatica.

Teaching

Dr Konstantinou regularly teaches medical students in clinics, and supervises PhD and MSc students.

Current Member:

• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• Musculoskeletal Association of Chartered Physiotherapists (MACP)
• The Society for Back Pain Research (SBPR)
• Member of the Scientific Committee of ‘Physiotherapy Issues’, Academic Journal of the Hellenic Scientific Society of Physical Therapy.
• Previously member of:
• NHS England Pathfinder project for Low Back Pain and Sciatica (2013-14, update 2016-2017)
• Arthritis Research UK (AR UK) Fellowships Implementation Committee member (2012-2016).

Selected publications

• Konstantinou K, Lewis M, Dunn KM, Ogollah R, Artus M, Hill JC, et al. Stratified care versus usual care for management of patients presenting with sciatica in primary care (SCOPiC): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet Rheumatol 2020;2:e401–11.
• Konstantinou K, Dunn KM, van der Windt D, Ogollah R, Jasani V, Foster NE, SCOPiC study team. 2019. Subgrouping patients with sciatica in primary care for matched care pathways: development of a subgrouping algorithm. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 20(1), 313. 
• Konstantinou K, Dunn KM, Ogollah R, Lewis M, van der Windt D, Hay EM, ATLAS Study Team. 2018. Prognosis of sciatica and back-related leg pain in primary care: the ATLAS cohort. Spine J, vol. 18(6), 1030-1040. 
• Stynes S, Konstantinou K, Ogollah R, Hay EM, Dunn KM. 2018. Clinical diagnostic model for sciatica developed in primary care patients with low back-related leg pain. PLoS One, vol. 13(4), e0191852.  
• Genevay S, Courvoisier DS, Konstantinou K, Kovacs FM, Marty M, Rainville J, Norberg M, Kaux J-F, Cha TD, Katz JN, Atlas SJ. 2018. Clinical classification criteria for neurogenic claudication caused by lumbar spinal stenosis. The N-CLASS criteria. Spine J, vol. 18(6), 941-947. 
• Genevay S, Courvoisier DS, Konstantinou K, Kovacs FM, Marty M, Rainville J, Norberg M, Kaux J-F, Cha TD, Katz JN, Atlas SJ. 2017. Clinical classification criteria for radicular pain caused by lumbar disc herniation: the radicular pain caused by disc herniation (RAPIDH) criteria. Spine J, vol. 17(10), 1464-1471. 
• Foster NE, Mullis R, Hill JC, Lewis M, Whitehurst DGT, Doyle C, Konstantinou K, Main C, Somerville S, Sowden G, Wathall S, Young J, Hay EM, IMPaCT Back Study team. 2014. Effect of stratified care for low back pain in family practice (IMPaCT Back): a prospective population-based sequential comparison. Ann Fam Med, vol. 12(2), 102-111. 
• Konstantinou K, Hider SL, Jordan JL, Lewis M, Dunn KM, Hay EM. 2013. The impact of low back-related leg pain on outcomes as compared with low back pain alone: a systematic review of the literature. Clin J Pain, vol. 29(7), 644-654. 
• Hill JC, Whitehurst DGT, Lewis M, Bryan S, Dunn KM, Foster NE, Konstantinou K, Main CJ, Mason E, Somerville S, Sowden G, Vohora K, Hay EM. 2011. Comparison of stratified primary care management for low back pain with current best practice (STarT Back): a randomised controlled trial. Lancet, vol. 378(9802), 1560-1571. 
• Konstantinou K and Dunn KM. 2008. Sciatica: review of epidemiological studies and prevalence estimates. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), vol. 33(22), 2464-2472. 

Having trained as a rheumatologist in Oxford, Jon completed his doctorate studying the outcomes of adults with juvenile arthritis. He joined the Haywood Hospital, Stoke on Trent as a Consultant Rheumatologist in 2002, with clinical specialist interests in axial spondyloarthritis / psoriatic arthritis / juvenile arthritis

He is a clinical academic rheumatologist with an international reputation in interventional and epidemiological spondyloarthritis research, research grants exceeding £7 million and over 110 academic publications. He is an associate clinical professor at University of Nottingham and an honorary professor at Keele University, collaborating with clinical academics and patient partners across the UK and Europe.

He has led numerous pharmacological studies in rheumatology/infectious diseases and in 2020 was principle investigator for a covid vaccine study (Novovax) recruiting over 600 patients across Staffordshire. He has recently been awarded a national NIHR programme grant over £2.5 million to improve how patients with axSpA are referred from primary care into specialist rheumatology. 

He has been a clinical expert member on the NICE committees for depression in chronic disease and spondyloarthropathy clinical guidelines/quality standards and a number of high-cost drug technology appraisals. He was recently a trustee of the British Society for Rheumatology (BSR), chair of the BSR biologics committee, responsible for the governance of all BSR national registries. He is a founder member and Trustee of BRIT-PACT and on the steering committee of BRITSpA, both charitable organisations promoting education and research in psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis.

Zoe joined Keele in 2009 as a Clinical Lecturer in Rheumatology. Prior to this, she undertook full time clinical training in rheumatology in the West Midlands. Following her medical degree (MBChB, University of Leicester) she completed a Masters in Medical Education (University of Warwick) and Membership of the Royal College of Physicians (London). She completed my PhD at Keele in 2014.

Zoe is currently a Reader and an Honorary Consultant in Rheumatology at the Haywood Rheumatology Centre in Stoke-on-Trent and Clinical Lead for the osteoporosis service for North Staffordshire. She leads the osteoporosis research group. She is training and curriculum lead for the West Midlands Rheumatology Services and training committee, chairs the Midlands Bone Interest Group, is a member of the National Osteoporosis Guideline Group, Vice Chair of the Royal Osteoporosis Society Bone Research Academy Effectiveness working group and a committee member for Versus Arthritis.

Papers

• Paskins Z, Hughes G, Myers H, Hughes E, Hennings S, Cherrington A, Evans A, Holden M, Stevenson K, Menon A, Bromley K, Roberts P, Hall A, Peat G, Jinks C, Oppong R, Lewis M, Foster NE, Mallen C, Roddy E. 2018. A randomised controlled trial of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of ultrasound-guided intra-articular corticosteroid and local anaesthetic injections: the hip injection trial (HIT) protocol. BMC Musculoskelet Disord, vol. 19(1), 218.
• Paskins Z, Sanders T, Croft PR, Green J, McKinley R, Hassell AB. 2018. Non-disclosure of symptoms in primary care: an observational study. Fam Pract, vol. 35(6), 706-711.
• Paskins Z, Whittle R, Abdul Sultan A, Muller S, Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Helliwell T, Packham J, Hider S, Roddy E, Mallen C. 2018. Risk of fragility fracture among patients with late-onset psoriasis: a UK population-based study. Osteoporos Int, vol. 29(7), 1659-1664.
• Oppong R, Jowett S, Lewis M, Clarkson K, Paskins Z, Croft P, Edwards JJ, Healey E, Jordan KP, Morden A, Ong BN, Porcheret M, Finney A, Hay E, Dziedzic K. 2018. Cost-effectiveness of a model consultation to support self-management in patients with osteoarthritis. Rheumatology (Oxford), vol. 57(6), 1056-1063.
• Paskins Z, Whittle R, Sultan AA, Muller S, Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Helliwell T, Hider S, Roddy E, Mallen C. 2018. Risk of fracture among patients with polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis: a population-based study. BMC Med, vol. 16(1), 4.
• Paskins Z, Sanders T, Croft PR, Hassell AB. 2017. Exploring the Added Value of Video-Stimulated Recall in Researching the Primary Care Doctor-Patient Consultation: A Process Evaluation. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF QUALITATIVE METHODS, vol. 16(1), Article UNSP 1609406917719623.
• Paskins Z, Jinks C, Mahmood W, Jayakumar P, Sangan CB, Belcher J, Gwilym S. 2017. Public priorities for osteoporosis and fracture research: results from a general population survey. Arch Osteoporos, vol. 12(1), 45.
• Paskins Z and Warburton L. 2016. Bisphosphonates beyond five years. BMJ, vol. 352, i264.
• Paskins Z, Sanders T, Croft PR, Hassell AB. 2015. The Identity Crisis of Osteoarthritis in General Practice: A Qualitative Study Using Video-Stimulated Recall. Ann Fam Med, vol. 13(6), 537-544.
• Paskins Z, Sanders T, Croft P, Hassell A. 2014. Evaluating the Use of Video-Stimulated Recall to Research the Osteoarthritis Consultation in Primary Care: Reaching Parts Other Methods don't Reach. ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY, vol. 66, S1019.

Prof Roddy graduated from the University of Nottingham in 1997 and subsequently undertook training in general medicine in Nottingham and Western Australia and rheumatology in the East Midlands. Ed undertook his doctoral thesis at the University of Nottingham, researching the epidemiology and treatment of gout in primary care.

He came to Keele in 2007 as a Clinical Lecturer in Rheumatology, and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2011, Reader in 2017, and Professor in 2021. Ed is co-lead for Keele’s inflammatory conditions research programme, director of the Keele-Haywood Academic Rheumatology Group, and provides medical leadership for Keele's Clinical Trials Unit.

Ed leads cohort studies and clinical trials in gout and common foot/ankle problems such as osteoarthritis and plantar heel pain. He is also Chief Investigator for recently completed trials of corticosteroid injections for carpal tunnel syndrome and hip osteoarthritis. His research has been funded by Arthritis Research UK, and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit Programme, Health Technology Assessment, and School for Primary Care Research.

Ed supervises PhD students, intercalated medical student MPhils, Academic Foundation trainees, and undergraduate student projects. He has published over 130 original peer-reviewed research publications and contributed to over £12million in grant income. Current active research collaborators include researchers in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and the USA, as well as across the UK.

He leads Keele’s annual 4-day short course: ‘Practical Introduction to Running Randomised Clinical Trials’ and is currently senior author of the Crystal Arthropathies module of the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) online course. Ed has given over 50 invited lectures at regional, national and international meetings and co-authored over 30 book chapters, review articles and editorials. He led the 2017 British Society for Rheumatology Gout Management Guideline and is clinical topic advisor to the NICE gout guideline committee. 

.

Current committee membership includes:

• Deputy chair, British Society for Rheumatology Standards Audit and Guidelines Working Group
• Member, NIHR HTA Prioritisation Committee B Hospital-based Care
• Chair, Versus Arthritis Progress Review Committee
• Founder and lead convenor, British Society for Rheumatology Crystal Arthritis Special Interest Group
• Co-convenor, British Society for Rheumatology Foot and Ankle Special Interest Group
• Editorial Board member, Journal of Foot and Ankle

Key Publications:

• Roddy E, Clarkson K, Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Mehta R, Oppong, Avery A, Hay E, Heneghan C, Hartshorne L, Hooper J, Hughes G, Jowett S, Lewis M, Little P, McCartney K, Mahtani K, Nunan D, Santer M, Williams S, Mallen C. An open-label randomised pragmatic trial (CONTACT) comparing naproxen and low-dose colchicine for the treatment of gout flares in primary care. Ann Rheum Dis 2019 doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-216154.
• Bucknall M, Mallen C, Muller S, Hayward R, West S, Choi H, Roddy E. Gout as a consequence of obstructive sleep apnea: a matched cohort study. Arthritis Rheum 2019;71(1):154-160.
• Babatunde O, Legha A, Littlewood C, Chesterton L, Thomas M, Menz HB, van der Windt D, Roddy E. Comparative Effectiveness of Treatment Options for Plantar Heel Pain: A Systematic Review with Network Meta-Analysis. Br J Sports Med 2019;53(3):182-194.
• Chesterton L, Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Burton C, Dziedzic K, Davenport G, Jowett S, Myers M, Oppong R, Rathod-Mistry T, van der Windt DA, Hay E, Roddy E. The clinical and cost effectiveness of corticosteroid injection compared with night splints for carpal tunnel syndrome: An open label; parallel group randomised clinical trial (The INSTINCTS trial). Lancet 2018;392(10156):1423-1433.
• Bevis M, Blagojevic-Bucknall M, Mallen C, Hider S, Roddy E. Comorbidity clusters in people with gout: an observational cohort study with linked medical record review. Rheumatology 2018;57(8):1358-1363.
• Roughley M, Abdul Sultan A, Clarson L, Muller S, Whittle R, Belcher J, Mallen CD, Roddy E. Risk of chronic kidney disease in patients with gout and the impact of urate lowering therapy: a population-based cohort study. Arthritis Res Ther 2018 ;20(1):243
• Abdul Sultan A, Mallen C, Hayward RA, Muller S, Whittle R, Hotston M, Roddy E. Gout and subsequent erectile dysfunction reporting in men with incident gout: A population-based cohort study from England. Arthritis Res Ther 2017;19(1):123.
• Menz HB, Roddy E, Marshall M, Thomas MJ, Rathod T, Peat GM, Croft PR. Epidemiology of shoe wearing patterns over time in older women: associations with foot pain and hallux valgus. J Gerontology A Biol Sci Med Sci  2016;71(12):1682-1687.
• Clarson LE, Hider SL, Belcher J, Heneghan C, Roddy E, Mallen CD. Increased risk of vascular disease associated with gout: a retrospective, matched cohort study in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink. Ann Rheum Dis 2015;74(4):642-7.
• Roddy E, Thomas M, Marshall M, Rathod T, Myers H, Menz HB, Thomas E, Peat G. The population prevalence of symptomatic radiographic foot osteoarthritis in community-dwelling older adults: cross-sectional findings from the Clinical Assessment Study of the Foot. Ann Rheum Dis 2015;74(1):156-63.

Sarah Ryan is a Professor of Rheumatology Nursing at the Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust. This innovative post is partly funded by the Haywood Foundation, a local arthritis charity. Sarah’s PhD (2000) explored coping strategies in people with RA. Sarah is course director for the MSc in Rheumatology Practice at Keele University. Sarah became a fellow of the Royal College of Nursing in 2003. Sarah’s research interests are focused on patient and professional education. Sarah is editor of Musculoskeletal Care.

Key Publications

• Robinson S, Walker D, Hassell AB, Ryan SJ (2018) An exploration of the experiences of rheumatology nurses counselling patients on Methotrexate therapy. Musculoskeletal Care 16 (4): 463-470
• Greenen R, Overman CL, Christensen R, Asenlof P, Capele S, Huisinga K, Husebo MEP, Koke A, Paskins Z, Pitsillidou I, Savel C, Austin J, Hassett A, Severijuns G, Stoffer M, Vlaeyer J, Fernandez C, Ryan SJ, Bergman S (2018) EULAR recommendations for the health professionals approach to pain management in inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. Annals of Rheumatic Diseases 10.1136/annrheumdis-2017-212662
• Packham J, Arkell P, Sheeran T, Brownfield A, Cadwgan A, Ryan S (2017) Patient experiences, attitudes and expectations towards receiving information about anti-TNF medication: A quantitative study. Clinical Rheumatology 36 (11): 2595-2600
• Robinson S, Walker D, Hassell A, Ryan S et al (2017): A national survey of nurse training: confidence and competence in educating patients commencing Methotrexate therapy. Musculoskeletal Care 15 (3): 281-292
• Ryan S, McCabe C, Adams J (2016) The current knowledge and confidence of rheumatology nurses in providing advice on pain management. Musculoskeletal Care 14(1): 62-66
• Healey E, Main C, Ryan S et al (2016) A nurse led clinic for patients consulting with OA in general practice: developments and impact of training in a cluster RCT. BMC Family Practice 17: 173
• Finney A, Healey E, Jordan JL, Ryan S, Dziedzic K (2016) Multi-disciplinary approaches to managing OA in multiple joint sites. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders 17:266
• Van Eijk-Hustings Y, Ndosi M, Buss B, Ryan S et al (2014) Dissemination and evaluation of the EULAR recommendations for the role of the nurse in the management of chronic inflammatory arthritis: results of a multinational survey among nurses, rheumatologists and patients. Rheumatology 53 (8):1491-1496
• Dziediz KS, Healey EL, Procheret M, Ryan S et al (2014) Implementing the NICE OA guidelines. A mixed method study and cluster randomisation of a model OA consultation in primary care: the MOSAICs study protocol. Implementation Science. 9:95 doi: 10.1186/s13012-014-0095-y
• Ndosi M, Lewis M, Hale C, Quinn H, Ryan S, Emery P, Bird H, Hill J (2014) The outcome and cost effectiveness of nurse led care in people with rheumatoid arthritis. Annals of Rheumatic Disease 73(11)1975-1982

Ian graduated from the University of Birmingham in 2004, and subsequently undertook an MSc, and PhD (in genetic epidemiology) at King’s College London, whilst completing his training in general medicine and rheumatology. He was appointed as a Consultant Rheumatologist and Honorary Senior Lecturer, at the Haywood Hospital, and Keele University in 2016. 

Ian’s research focus is around improving the health of people living with inflammatory arthritis, with a particular emphasis on improving pain, alongside electronic healthcare record studies and digital epidemiology. He was awarded a National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Advanced Research Fellowship in 2020 to deliver a programme of research in this area. 

He has expertise in systematic reviews, epidemiology, statistics, and observational studies. He has over 45 peer-reviewed publications, and has been awarded over £1.4 million in competitive, peer-reviewed funding for personal research fellowships and grants as lead applicant. 

Papers

• Chen WMY, Subesinghe S, Muller S, Hider SL, Mallen CD, Scott IC. The association between gravidity, parity and the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Semin Arthritis Rheum, in press.
• Traylor M, Knevel R, Cui J, Taylor J, Harm-Jan W, Conaghan PG, Cope AP, Curtis C, Emery P, Newhouse S, Patel H, Steer S, Gregersen P, Shadick NA, Weinblatt ME, Van Der Helm-van Mil A, Barrett JH, Morgan AW, Lewis CM, Scott IC. Genetic associations with radiological damage in rheumatoid arthritis: Meta-analysis of seven genome-wide association studies of 2,775 cases. PLoS One. 2019 Oct 9;14(10):e0223246.
• Scott IC, Ibrahim F, Panayi G, Cope AP, Garrood T, Vincent A, Scott DL, Kirkham B; TITRATE Programme Investigators. The frequency of remission and low disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and their ability to identify people with low disability and normal quality of life. Semin Arthritis Rheum. 2019 49:20-26
• Scott IC, Mangat N, MacGregor A, Raza K, Mallen CD, Hider SL. Primary Care Challenges In Diagnosing And Referring Patients With Suspected Rheumatoid Arthritis: A National Cross-Sectional GP Survey. Rheumatology Advances in Practice 2018; rky012.
• Euesden J, Matcham F, Hotopf M, Steer S, Cope AP, Lewis CM, Scott IC. The Relationship Between Mental Health, Disease Severity and Genetic Risk For Depression In Early Rheumatoid Arthritis. Psychosomatic Medicine 2017; 79: 638-645
• Traylor M, Markus H, Curtis C, Breen G, Lee SH, Xu X, Newhouse S, Patel H, Dobson R, Steer S, Cope AP, Lewis CML, Scott IC. Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors for Rheumatoid Arthritis in a UK African Ancestry Population: The GENRA Case-Control Study. Rheumatology. 2017; 56: 1282-1292.
• Scott IC, Ibrahim F, Lewis CM, Scott DL, Strand V. The Impact Of Intensive Treatment And Remission On Health-Related Quality Of Life In Early And Established Rheumatoid Arthritis. RMD Open 2016; 2:e000270
• Seegobin SD, Ma MHY, Dahanayake C, Cope AP, Scott DL, Lewis CM, Scott IC. ACPA-Positive And ACPA-Negative Rheumatoid Arthritis Differ In Their Requirements For Combination DMARDs and Corticosteroids: Secondary Analysis Of A Randomised Controlled Trial. Arthritis Research and Therapy 2014; 16: R13
• Scott IC, Seegobin SD, Steer S, Tan R, Forabosco P, Hinks A, Eyre S, Morgan AW, Wilson AG, Hocking LJ, Wordsworth P, Barton A, Worthington J, Cope AP, Lewis CM. Predicting the Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Its Age of Onset through Modelling Genetic Risk Variants with Smoking. PLoS Genetics 2013; 9: e1003808.
• Scott IC, Tan R, Stahl D, Steer S, Lewis CM, Cope AP. The Protective Effect Of Alcohol On Developing Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis. Rheumatology 2013; 52: 856-67.