Dr Ferhana Hashem

About

With a background in sociology and the social sciences, I am a Reader in Health Services Research with experience of research in both NHS and non-NHS settings. I am involved in engaging the non-academic community by bringing research to public representatives, practitioners and professionals. I have a track record of supporting healthcare professionals to develop research ideas in their Trusts / social care organisations to build research capacity and ultimately to help improve outcomes and service delivery.

As the CRN KSS’s Health Services Research Specialty Lead, I promote research within the region’s research network. As the former Site Lead in Kent for the NIHR Research Design Service South East, I ensured the delivery of a service that was aimed at supporting high-quality research grant applications, while working closely with NIHR infrastructure, NHS and non-NHS organisations linking the health and social care community in the region.

My research expertise has a focus on person-centred approaches to intervention development, qualitative trials evaluation, palliative and end of life care services and ethnicity and health.

I am at the forefront of a programme of research embedding qualitative approaches in intervention design and post-trials assessment, and three successful NIHR grants have concentrated on patient experience in shaping exercise interventions.

I have built a reputation for providing external academic peer-review to the wider academic community nationally and internationally through the following activity:

• Research Assessor for the Carnegie Trust
• Member of study steering group committees
• National Asthma Strategy Group’s (NASG) Application Expert Review Group member
• Collaborative team of academics from both members and non-members of the European Community submitting to the previous EU Horizon 2020 and COST frameworks funding calls, and to the new Horizon Europe programme

Research interests

• intervention development
• qualitative trials evaluation
• health services research
• palliative and end of life care services
• ethnicity and health

Currently researching:
KASCP (NIHR)
E-Learning for Clinicians (NIHR Academy)
DOLPHIN II (NIHR)

Teaching

Action Learning Set – GPs with a special interest in Dermatology
Action Learning Set – GPs with a special interest in Ophthalmology

Supervision

MSc dissertation supervision (MSc in Healthcare Management)
Research Champions supervision – Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
Research and Innovation Catalyst supervision – East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust)

Professional

Member of the Social Research Association (October 2019)