People

Our members include academics, practitioners, and doctoral students from across the School of Health, Wellbeing and Social Care who work with a range of stakeholders in their research including students, local authorities the NHS, third sector partners and regulatory bodies.

Group Chairs

Dr Philippa Waterhouse

I became a group lead in 2024. I am a senior lecturer in Health at The Open University. My research interests centres on the consequences that an individuals’ occupancy of multiple roles can have for individual and family wellbeing. My work can be broadly divided into two streams. The first is how students who have work and/or family responsibilities manage their multiple responsibilities. The second is work-family balance of women in sub-Saharan Africa.

Professor Sarah Vicary

As an experienced practitioner and academic Sarah’s interests in social work with adults, especially in mental health, is long standing. Qualifying in 1987 and still registered as a social worker (SW81040), Sarah moved into academic posts in early 2000. Sarah is now Professor of Social Work and Mental Health. I am interested in the way in which practitioners understand and undertake professional mental health work and my research is based on the generation, dissemination and application of new understandings of legal roles in Mental Health Social Work