
I am an applied health services researcher focused on using modelling, simulation and data science techniques to help provide evidence to solve problems in health and social care settings, and inform decision making. My areas of expertise include the use of Discrete Event Simulation to model patient pathways, System Dynamics to model whole systems, Agent Based Simulation to model emergent population dynamics from individual-level behaviours and machine learning methods to train machines to replicate decision making.
I have a particular research interest in the application of AI-based Natural Language Processing techniques to health and social care data to automate the extraction of information from free text data. This includes identifying important named information (Named Entity Recognition) and predicting the sentiment of free text data (such as patient surveys) and the particular issues raised to help organisations better understand what is and isn’t working well in the delivery of their services (Aspect-Level Sentiment Analysis).
My prior projects have led to significant impacts for patients and services across the region, including significant reductions in referral to treatment time for muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients in Cornwall, and close work with Kernow CCG to improve the provision of urgent and emergency care provision across Cornwall.
In addition to my research work, I lead the development and delivery of the PenARC Health Service Modelling Associates (HSMA) Programme – an innovative and impactful programme in which health and social care staff are released from their usual role for a day a week for a year to undertake a modelling or data science project of importance for their organisation. We provide training and ongoing mentoring support for HSMAs, and previous HSMA projects have led to £multi-million investments in mental health services and emergency department facilities, as well as the establishment of new in-house Operational Research teams in NHS organisations across the region.
I am a firm advocate of the use of Free and Open Source software in developing my models and solutions, to ensure that the work I do can be freely shared, developed upon and critically appraised. I have significant programming experience, primarily in the use of the Python programming language, which I use for most of my work.
Contact by phone
01392 726081
Employed by
University of Exeter
Areas of expertise
Operational Research, Data Science
PenCHORD - Modelling rheumatology bottlenecks to facilitate patient-initiated clinics (PIC) rollout
PenCHORD - Torbay Cardiology Clinic Scheduling PenCHORD - Optimising plastic surgery clinic scheduling at Derriford Hospital PenCHORD - Ophthalmology location analysis PenCHORD: Modelling the optimal size of Derriford Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU) PenCHORD - Diabetic retinopathy screening interval assesment PenCHORD - Optimising Polypharmacy using Agent-Based Simulation PenCHORD - Optimising the location of outpatient services in Cornwall: Phase One PenCHORD - Optimising GP Appointment Policies at Ivybridge Health Centre PenCHORD - Reducing A&E four hour breaches in Cornwall PenCHORD - What are the factors that most influence demand for ambulances in South West England? PenCHORD - Streamlining the bladder cancer pathway at RCHT PenCHORD - Optimising the location of urgent care sites in Cornwall PenCHORD - Modelling high level health and social care capacity needs in Cornwall PenCHORD - Fractured neck of femur: Fast track pathway modelling End of Life Care Resource Modelling Supporting the NHS through Operational Research Police Service Modelling Associates (PSMA) Programme Using Systems Dynamics modelling during COVID-19Online
Patient and Public Involvement Advice Clinics Whatever your query,
from finding out more about Patient and...
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COVID-19 update: As a result of the pandemic, all PenARC staff are
currently working remotely. While...
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17 December 2020
Figures and surveys have shown that high-risk alcohol consumption
increased during lockdown periods, while exercise...
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10 December 2020
A team of researchers from across the University of Exeter Medical
School, Royal Devon &...
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01 December 2020
Professor of Health Service Research, Adrian Taylor, discusses
motivation, exercise schemes, and the future impact on...
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Theme: ARC - Methods for Research & Improvement
The PSMA Programme is a pilot programme which supports analytical
staff working in policing to...
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Theme: ARC - Public Health
A research project to investigate how to ensure the delivery of
effective care accessed remotely...
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