Cheyann Heap
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Cheyann Heap - Trial Manager Cheyann is the Clinical Trial Manager for the RAPID study on remotely-delivered psychosocial interventions for people with severe mental health problems. Her academic background is in psychology at undergraduate and doctoral level, with her doctoral thesis focused on communication and personhood in dementia care. Cheyann also completed a post-doctoral Masters in Applied Human Rights, where she conducted research including: an assessment of the needs of women leaders in...
Aqsa Choudary
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Aqsa Choudary - Research Assistant Aqsa Choudary has worked at the Psychosis Research Unit (PRU) since 2020. Her first role was as a Research Assistant on the STAR (Study of Trauma and Recovery) trial. This is a large-scale study investigating the effectiveness of trauma-focused therapy for people who have experiences of voices, visions, sensations, or worries about being unsafe or persecuted. Since Summer 2023, Aqsa has also been working on the RAPID...
Emma De Paola
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Emma De Paola, a dedicated Research Assistant, plays a crucial role in the Talking with Voices II Trial, focusing on liaison, recruitment, and assessments. Her journey into this role stemmed from her previous position as the Assistant Clinical Research Practitioner for JUICE, the Youth Mental Health Research Unit, and C-TRU, the Complex Trauma and Resilience Research Unit. In these roles, Emma provided invaluable recruitment support across various studies within GMMH...
Gillian Macafee
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Gillian Macafee, a dedicated Service User researcher, has been an integral part of the Psychosis Research Unit (PRU) since 2018, when she assumed the role of Public and Patient Involvement Lead for the EYE2 study. This groundbreaking project aimed to establish and manage Social Groups tailored for individuals experiencing first-time psychosis, with the objective of assessing whether such groups could effectively maintain engagement with mental health services among young people. Her...
Dr Kim Towey-Swift
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Dr Kim Towey-Swift – Clinical Psychologist Kim Towey-Swift is a clinical psychologist at the Psychosis Research Unit (PRU). Her role is to provide psychological therapy to people who are participating in research trials. Kim is currently working on the study: Talking with Voices II, a user-informed approached developed from the work of the Hearing Voices Movement. This therapy aims to promote a more peaceful relationship between hearer and voice. Within her...
Hannah Sowery
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Hannah Sowery - Research Assistant Hannah Sowery is a Research Assistant working on the RAPID Trial, and is involved in liaison with clinical teams, recruitment, and assessment of trial participants. Hannah previously worked on the Culturally Adapted Family Intervention (CaFI) trial at Greater Manchester Mental Health Trust before she began working on the RAPID trial in April 2022. Hannah is originally from Liverpool and obtained a first-class Psychology degree from The University...
Dagmar Makara
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Dagmar Makara - Research Assistant Dagmar Makara is a Research Assistant who works on numerous projects within PRU including designing studies, systematic reviews, data entry, transcribing and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative work. He is also a member of SURG (the Service-User Reference Group) as well as Rapid SURG and the GMMH Research PPI group. Dagmar has been working for 10 years in Bolton with various charities, including Vision, Headspace Bolton...
Dr Samantha Bowe
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Samantha Bowe is the Clinical Assistant Director at the Psychosis Research Unit (PRU) and a Clinical Psychologist. She is also a joint Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp) Training Programme Lead at the Psychological Therapies Training Centre (PTTC) at GMMH NHS Trust. In her role at PRU, Samantha works across research trials providing clinical leadership, psychological therapies to research participants, clinical supervision and training to PRU research trial therapists. She manages...
Leah Orme
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Leah Orme - Research Assistant Leah is a Research Assistant working at PRU on research that focuses on the impact of adverse life experiences and severe mental health problems. She is currently involved with two projects funded by the NIHR looking at the feasibility and efficacy of trauma-focused therapies for people with psychosis STAR and individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis (RESTART). Leah gained her undergraduate degree reading Psychological and Behavioural Sciences...
Vicky Brooks
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Vicky Brooks - Reasearch Clinical Psychologist Vicky Brooks is a Cognitive Behaviour therapist specialising in CBT for psychosis. Having trained as a mental health nurse in 1996, Vicky worked in acute inpatient settings, A & E Liaison and as a care coordinator in community mental health teams and an early intervention in psychosis team. Vicky completed the postgraduate diploma in CBT in 2008 and has since worked as a therapist within an...