About

I work within NHS mental health services, and my study explores how professionals of different disciplines, such as Psychiatry, Psychology, Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Social Work, reach decisions about the allocation of work.

The data comprises 26 hours of audio-recorded multi-disciplinary meetings during which requests for assistance - known as ‘referrals’ and predominantly from GPs, but also from other parts of the health service - are discussed. Discussion results either in the referral being assigned to one or more disciplines for assessment or provision of ongoing input or in it being returned to the referrer as unsuitable. Data is analysed using Discursive Psychology and Conversation Analysis and the focus is on how resistance and persuasion are displayed in the talk en route to a decision being made.

Thesis title 

Persuasion and Resistance in Mental Health, Meetings: a Discursive Study (working title)

Supervisor 

• Dr Carrie Childs

Qualifications

• BSc (Hons) Psychology, 2014, University of Derby
• Master of Research, 2017, University of Derby