Nikki has a background in Clinical Exercise Physiology and Public Health. She joined the Department for Health in 2011 teaching on the Professional Doctorate in Health, whilst maintaining her research post with the University of Bristol. In January 2016, Nikki transferred all of her academic interests to the University of Bath. She deputises for the Director of Studies on the Professional Doctorate in Health programme as well as teaching on this programme, predominantly in relation to evidence based practice. This has been informed by her 12-year career working in Public Health and her previous posts at the University of Bristol in the Academic Unit of Primary Care, the University of West England and University of Wales. Nikki has extensive experience in working with Primary Care. She has over 25 years’ experience of teaching in higher education institutions.

Her research interest’s lie in evidence based practice and the utility and translation of this into the real world. Some of Nikki’s work has involved working closely with Commissioners of Primary Care Services, Public Health Departments, Public Health England, and Primary Care. Her work has included designing, implementing and conducting key pieces or research aimed at addressing inequalities in health and cardiovascular disease, as well as being invited to present key messages on alcohol at the House of Commons. Nikki also has an interest in the role of physical activity in preventing, reducing and treating poor health, as well as the maintenance of health and wellbeing, with a specific focus on cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Research interests

• Evidence Based Practice
• Primary Care
• Public Health
• Inequalities in Health
• Physical Activity and Health

Current projects

• A quantitative quasi-experimental approach to the evaluation of a telephone outreach service to enhance uptake of NHS Health Checks
• Multi method evaluation of a community outreach programme to increase uptake of NHS Health Checks
• Development of a clinical decision rule for referral of patients presenting to primary care with chest pain
• Fatigue and physical activity levels in patients with diagnosed hypothyroidism
• Inequalities in oder people: A plan for action
• Inequalities in oder people: A place for acttion
• Community - Based Cross-sector Network for the Management of Mental Health Problems and Disorders Associated With Forced Displacement Due to Armed Conflict in the municipality of Soacha (Pilot study)’ (http://investigacion.unal.edu.co/servicios/convocatorias/convocatorias-internas/convocatorias-2017-2018/sesquicentenario/)

Research funding

• NIHR School of Primary Care
• Public Health Bristol
• Public Health England
• Higher Education Research Development Association (south west)
• Avon Primary Care Research Collaborative
• Alcohol Concern
• Skin cancer foundation
• GW4
• UNAL, Colombia