Dr Christopher Poyner

Dementia Fellow

Contact details

Email: c.poyner@bham.ac.uk

Address: Muirhead Tower
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Chris’ background is in dementia specific social science research within social care contexts. He is a qualitative methodologist.

Google Scholar

Researchgate

Qualifications

PGCHE, University of Birmingham, June 2021

PhD in Dementia Studies, University of Stirling- June 2019

MA in Social Research (Social Policy), University of Birmingham, 2012

BA (Hons) in Sociology, 2011, University of Warwick

Biography

Chris studied for a BA (Hons) in Sociology at the University of Warwick before completing his MA in Social Research at the University of Birmingham.

In 2013 he began his academic career at Bournemouth University as a KTP Associate. This project explored a model of extra care housing designed specifically for couples living with dementia. Chris went on to start his PhD at Bournemouth. The primary aim was to critically evaluate a new and innovative model of dementia care within a new build care home environment. An ethnographic research design was employed. Chris transferred his PhD to the University of Stirling in 2015. Whilst at Stirling he was employed as a researcher on 2 studies; one exploring the LGBT experience of homelessness and life in deprived communities in Glasgow and Edinburgh; and another investigating the usability of a medication management software in care homes. He also worked as a teaching assistant on several modules delivered for the faculty of social sciences.

Chris’ first postdoctoral role involved the facilitation and evaluation of the peer support and community engagement work taking place at the University of Salfords' purpose built ‘dementia hub’.

He began working at the University of Birmingham in 2018 as a Qualitative Research Fellow on various clinical trials for disease areas such as liver (CALIBRE trial), bowel (OCEAN trial), and growth hormone deficiency (GHD trial). During the pandemic Chris worked on COVID-19 specific studies, exploring issues such as the uptake of lateral flow tests and clinician experiences of working during the pandemic (COPE study). His current post as a Dementia Fellow within the ARC West Midlands commenced in February of 2023. He is leading on a project exploring life in rural areas of the West Midlands with dementia.

Postgraduate supervision

Chris is interested in supervising qualitative research in dementia health and/or social care.

Research

Research interests

Dementia health and social care, social/structural inequalities, homelessness, palliative care, peer support, the lived experience of disease.

Current Research

Exploring rural community based health and social care support for people living with dementia in Shropshire and Staffordshire.

Previous research

eTHOS - Enhancing the Health of NHS Staff. A randomised controlled pilot trial of an employee health screening clinic for NHS staff.

COPE- West Midlands: The contribution of occupational exposures to risk of COVID-19 and approaches to control among healthcare workers

CALIBRE - Carvedilol versus variceal band ligation in primary prevention of variceal bleeding in liver cirrhosis (NIHR)

Evaluation of the Salford Institute for Dementia community based peer support groups for people living with dementia

A critical evaluation of a new and innovative model of dementia care in a newly opened care home

Exploring the usability of a computer based medication system, aimed at facilitating integration and communication between care homes, pharmacies, and GP services

Experiences of homelessness and living in deprived areas within the LGBT community

Consultation study with formal dementia care staff, family carers and people with dementia into the ‘Shared Care’ concept

Publications

Reynolds, L., Innes, A., Poyner, C., Hambidge, S. (2016). ‘The stigma attached isn’t true of real life’: Challenging public perception of dementia through a participatory approach involving people with dementia. Dementia (Innovative Practice), Vol. 16 Issue: 2, pp. 219-225.

Poyner, C., Innes, A., Dekker, F. (2017). Extra care: viable for couples living with dementia? Housing, Care and Support, Vol. 20 Issue: 1, pp.8-18.

Matthews, P., Poyner, C. (2019). The experience of living in deprived neighbourhoods for LGBT+ people – making home in difficult circumstances. E&PA: Economy & Space. Vol. 51 Issue: 7, pp. 1499-1515

Matthews, P., Poyner, C., Kjellgren. (2019). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer experiences of homelessness and identity: insecurity and home(o)normativity. The International Journal of Housing Policy, Vol. 19 Issue: 2, pp. 232-253.

Poyner, C., Tripathi, D., Mathers., J. (2021). Exploring patients’ perceptions and experiences of treatments for the prevention of variceal bleeding – A qualitative study. BMJ Open Gastroenterology, Vol.8 Issue 1, e000684.

Mathers, J., Poyner, C., Thompson, D., Rudge, G. and Pritchett, R. (2022), An exploration of the uptake of asymptomatic COVID-19 lateral flow testing in Birmingham, BMJ Open, 12:e056606

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