Drug usage and pharmacy practice

Led by: Professor Darren Ashcroft and Professor Ellen Schafheutle

The Drug Usage and Pharmacy Practice group has two priority areas for research that relate strongly to some of the real challenges experienced by patients and the health service:

  • medicine use and drug safety
  • pharmacy workforce behaviour and performance

These relate to:

  • the growing cost and efficacy of medicines;
  • the complexity and range of conditions they are used to treat in different population groups;
  • the multiplicity of health professionals competing to provide advice and care in a diverse range of public and private healthcare settings.

As a result, our research aims to understand how patients use and respond to medicines, as well as the systems and organisations within which medicines are delivered. Our research also focuses on the health professionals who work with medicines and deliver healthcare services.

The Centre for Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety (led by Professor Ashcroft) undertakes high-quality research in pharmacoepidemiolgoy and improving safety in medicines use.

Particular research interests include the comparative safety and effectiveness of pharmaceuticals and biotechnology products, drug policy and risk management programme evaluation, and epidemiological methods using electronic healthcare databases.

We lead the major programme of work on medication safety in the NIHR Greater Manchester Primary Care Patient Safety Translational Research Centre.

The Centre for Pharmacy Workforce Studies (led by Professor Schafheutle) undertakes research on the workforce, the labour market, and on organisational change and development within the pharmacy profession.

The Centre's work has a major influence on policy and practice and informs the wider debate on employment, professional work in pharmacy, and workforce effectiveness.

Available projects

The below projects are available within this theme. The links will take you to the full project descriptions on FindAPhD.com, from where you can also email the lead contact for each project with any questions.

Next steps and contacts

If you are considering applying for a studentship for a project within this theme, please email the research contact for the relevant project to discuss your potential application and ask any questions you may have.

Professor Darren Ashcroft
Email: darren.ashcroft@manchester.ac.uk

Professor Ellen Schafheutle
Email: ellen.schafheutle@manchester.ac.uk

If after speaking to the leads you still wish to be considered for the programme, and you meet our eligibility criteria, you must complete a single online application, following the instructions on the how to apply page.