Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Dr Laura Ashley
Professor
Laura is a Reader in Health Psychology in the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at Leeds Beckett University. Her research aims to improve cancer services, care, and outcomes, particularly for people living with other health conditions such as dementia, diabetes, or cystic fibrosis. She works with NHS and charity stakeholders to use the findings of her research for patient and public benefit.
Prior to joining Leeds Beckett in 2013 as a Senior Lecturer, Laura worked as a Research Fellow in the School of Medicine at the University of Leeds and at the Bradford Institute for Health Research. She was awarded her PhD in Health Psychology from the University of Leeds in 2009, and before this a BSc (Hons) Psychology degree from the University of Leeds in 2004.
Laura is currently an expert member of a 3-year Thinking Group coordinated by NHS England Cancer Experience of Care Improvement Collaborative, which aims to improve cancer care experiences for people with pre-existing long-term conditions (e.g., mental illnesses, dementia), autism, and learning disabilities. She is a past Chair of the British Psychosocial Oncology Society (BPOS) and has also been a member of committees within the International Psycho-Oncology Society (IPOS), National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) and British Psychological Society (BPS).
Laura is an editorial board member for the journal Psychology and Health, and previously the journal Psycho-Oncology.
Current Teaching
Laura is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and teaches on the BSc Psychology and MSc Psychology (Conversion award) courses. She has previously been Module Leader for the Final Year Project (research dissertation) on the BSc Psychology course, and Leader for the Psychological Research & Analysis, Psychological Research & Statistics, and Dissertation modules on the MSc Psychology (Conversion award) course.
Laura supervises postgraduate research students (PhD, MRes, D.Clin.Psychol) and is currently supervising:
- Rebecca Spencer: Understanding and addressing diabetes-related barriers to cancer screening participation in women with type 2 diabetes (Leeds Beckett University, lead supervisor)
- Rebecca Platt: Optimising acute oncology services for people with dementia (Leeds Beckett University, lead supervisor)
- Elizabeth Travis: Barriers and facilitators to colorectal cancer screening (University of Leeds, co-supervisor)
Research Interests
Laura’s research uses both quantitative and qualitative research methods, and focuses on:
- Understanding psychosocial and behavioural cancer risk factors and impacts
- Developing, implementing, and evaluating interventions to improve care and patient-centred outcomes across the cancer trajectory
- Targeting interventions to address multimorbidity-related disparities and inequalities in cancer incidence, care and outcomes
Laura currently leads several psychosocial and health services research projects which aim to optimise cancer care and outcomes in the context of multimorbidity, particularly for people living with dementia and their families, and for people with diabetes. Her work focuses across the cancer trajectory, including cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship, and palliative care.
Laura has been a Principal Investigator or co-investigator on research grants funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Macmillan Cancer Support, Alzheimer’s Society, Abbeyfield Research Foundation, North West Cancer Research, and Abbott (diabetes care).
Key interests:
- Cancer
- Multimorbidity
- Health services
- Interprofessional collaborative care
- Patient-centred care and outcomes
- Health behaviours
- Illness perceptions
- Family caregivers
- E-health
Selected Outputs
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Price M; Surr C; Gough B; Ashley L (In press) Understanding the experiences and psychosocial support needs of caregivers of people with comorbid dementia and cancer. Psychology and Health: an international journal, pp. 1-23.
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Travis E; Ashley L (2023) Effects of a modified invitation letter to follow-up colonoscopy for bowel cancer detection. British Journal of Health Psychology, pp. 1-16.
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Ashley L; Robb KA; O'Connor DB; Platt R; Price M; Robinson O; Travis E; Lipscombe L; Ajjan R; Birch R (2023) Increased breast and colorectal cancer risk in Type 2 diabetes: awareness among adults with and without diabetes and information provision on diabetes websites. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, pp. 1-13.
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Ashley L; Surr C; Kelley R; Price M; Griffiths A; Fowler N; Giza D; Neal R; Martin C; Hopkinson J (2022) Cancer care for people with dementia: literature overview and recommendations for practice and research. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, pp. 1-19.
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Travis E; Kerrison RS; O'Connor DB; Ashley L (2022) Barriers and facilitators to colonoscopy for cancer detection: patient and practitioner perspectives. Psychol Health
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Collinson M; Mason E; Kelley R; Griffiths AW; Ashley L; Henry A; Inman H; Cowdell F; Hennell J; Jones L (2022) Characteristics and general practice resource use of people with comorbid cancer and dementia in England: a retrospective cross-sectional study. BMC Primary Care, 23
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Ashley L; Kassim S; Kellar I; Kidd L; Mair F; Matthews M; Price M; Swinson D; Taylor J; Velikova G (2022) Identifying ways to improve diabetes management during cancer treatments (INDICATE): protocol for a qualitative interview study with patients and clinicians. BMJ Open, 12 (2),
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Goodman W; Bagnall A-M; Ashley L; Azizoddin D; Muehlensiepen F; Blum D; Bennett MI; Allsop M (2022) The extent of engagement with telehealth approaches by patients with advanced cancer: A systematic review. JMIR Cancer, 8 (1), pp. 1-24.
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Hulbert-Williams NJ; Leslie M; Hulbert-Williams L; Koczwara B; Watson EK; Hall PS; Ashley L; Coulson NS; Jackson R; Millington S (2021) The Finding My Way UK Clinical Trial: Adaptation Report and Protocol for a Replication Randomized Controlled Efficacy Trial of a Web-Based Psychological Program to Support Cancer Survivors. JMIR Research Protocols, 10 (9), pp. e31976.
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Griffiths AW; Ashley L; Kelley R; Cowdell F; Collinson M; Mason E; Inman H; Henry A; Farrin A; Surr C (2021) Balancing the needs of individuals and services in cancer treatment for people with dementia: a focused ethnographic study. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 121 pp. 104006.
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Kelley R; Surr C; Griffiths A; Ashley L; Procter A (2021) Providing cancer treatment and care to people living with cancer and dementia: challenges and research-based recommendations. Cancer Nursing Practice
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Ashley L; Kelley R; Griffiths AW; Cowdell F; Henry A; Inman H; Hennell J; Ogden M; Walsh M; Jones L (2020) Understanding and identifying ways to improve hospital-based cancer care and treatment for people with dementia: an ethnographic study. Age and Ageing
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Surr C; Griffiths AW; Kelley R; Ashley L; Cowdell F; Henry A; Inman H; Collinson M; Mason E; Farrin AJ (2020) Navigating cancer treatment and care when living with comorbid dementia: an ethnographic study. Supportive care in cancer
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Travis E; Ashley L; Pownall M; O'Connor DB (2020) Barriers to flexible sigmoidoscopy colorectal cancer screening in low uptake socio-demographic groups: A systematic review. Psycho-Oncology, 29 (8), pp. 1237-1247.
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Griffiths A; Ashley L; Kelley R; Cowdell F; Collinson M; Mason E; Farrin A; Henry A; Inman H; Surr C (2020) Decision-making in cancer care for people living with dementia. Psycho-Oncology: journal of the psychological, social and behavioral dimensions of cancer
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Surr C; Kelley R; Griffiths A; Ashley L; Cowdell F; Henry A; Collinson M; Mason E; Farrin A (2020) Enabling people with dementia to access and receive cancer treatment and care : The crucial role of supportive networks. Journal of Geriatric Oncology
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Price M; Surr CA; Gough B; Ashley L (2020) Experiences and support needs of informal caregivers of people with multimorbidity: a scoping literature review. Psychology and Health, 35 (1), pp. 36-69.
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Wang X; Smith C; Ashley L; Hyland ME (2019) Tailoring self-help mindfulness and relaxation techniques for stroke survivors: examining preferences, feasibility and acceptability. Frontiers in Psychology
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Ashley L; Armitage G; Taylor J (2017) Recognising and referring children exposed to domestic abuse: a multi-professional, proactive systems-based evaluation using a modified Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA). Health and Social Care in the Community, 25 (2), pp. 690-699.
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Ashley L; Velikova G; Downing A; Morris E; Wright P (2017) Health-related quality of life in cancer survivorship: Predictive power of the Social Difficulties Inventory. Psychooncology
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Ashley LJ; Lawrie I (2016) Tackling inequalities in cancer care and outcomes: psychosocial mechanisms and targets for change. Psycho-Oncology: journal of the psychological, social and behavioral dimensions of cancer, 25 (10), pp. 1122-1126.
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Grassi L; Fujisawa D; Odyio P; Asuzu C; Ashley L; Bultz B; Travado L; Fielding R (2016) Disparities in psychosocial cancer care: a report from the International Federation of Psycho-oncology Societies. Psychooncology, 25 (10), pp. 1127-1136.
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Ashley L; Marti J; Jones H; Velikova G; Wright P (2015) Illness perceptions within 6 months of cancer diagnosis are an independent prospective predictor of health-related quality of life 15 months post-diagnosis. Psycho-Oncology, 24 (11), pp. 1463-1470.
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Marti J; Hall PS; Hamilton P; Hulme CT; Jones H; Velikova G; Ashley L; Wright P (2015) The economic burden of cancer in the UK: a study of survivors treated with curative intent. Psycho-oncology, 25 (1), pp. 77-83.
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Hall PS; Hamilton P; Hulme CT; Meads DM; Jones H; Newsham A; Marti J; Smith AF; Mason H; Velikova G (2015) Costs of cancer care for use in economic evaluation: a UK analysis of patient-level routine health system data. British journal of cancer, 112 (5), pp. 948-956.
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Ashley L; Smith AB; Jones H; Velikova G; Wright P (2014) Traditional and Rasch psychometric analyses of the Quality of Life in Adult Cancer Survivors (QLACS) questionnaire in shorter-term cancer survivors 15 months post-diagnosis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 77 (4), pp. 322-329.
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Wright P; Fenlon D; Jones H; Foster C; Ashley L; Chivers Seymour K; Velikova G; Okamoto I; Brown J (2014) Using the Clinical Research Network for psychosocial cancer research: lessons learned from two observational studies. BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care, 4 (2), pp. 202-211.
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O'Connor DB; Ashley L; Jones F; Ferguson E (2014) Maladaptive rumination moderates the effects of written emotional disclosure on ambulatory blood pressure levels in females. Health psychology and behavioral medicine, 2 (1), pp. 1067-1077.
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Ashley L; Smith AB; Keding A; Jones H; Velikova G; Wright P (2013) Psychometric evaluation of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) in cancer patients: Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 75 (6), pp. 556-562.
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Ashley L; Jones H; Thomas J; Newsham A; Downing A; Morris E; Brown J; Velikova G; Forman D; Wright P (2013) Integrating patient reported outcomes with clinical cancer registry data: a feasibility study of the electronic Patient-reported Outcomes from Cancer Survivors (ePOCS) system. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 15 (10),
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Ashley L; Keding A; Brown J; Velikova G; Wright P (2013) Score equivalence of electronic and paper versions of the Social Difficulties Inventory (SDI-21): a randomised crossover trial in cancer patients. Quality of Life Research, 22 (6), pp. 1435-1440.
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Ashley L; O'Connor DB; Jones F (2013) A randomized trial of written emotional disclosure interventions in school teachers: controlling for positive expectancies and effects on health and job satisfaction. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 18 (5), pp. 588-600.
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Ashley L; Jones H; Velikova G; Wright P (2012) Cancer patients' and clinicians' opinions on the best time in secondary care to approach patients for recruitment to longitudinal questionnaire-based research. Supportive Care in Cancer, 20 (12), pp. 3365-3372.
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Lawton R; Ashley L; Dawson S; Waiblinger D; Conner M (2012) Employing an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour to predict breastfeeding intention, initiation, and maintenance in White British and South-Asian mothers living in Bradford. British Journal of Health Psychology, 17 (4), pp. 854-871.
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Armitage G; Taylor J; Ashley L (2012) Systematic assessment in child protection: improving outcomes. Nursing Children and Young People, 24 (2), pp. 20-22.
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Ashley L; O'Connor DB; Jones F (2011) Effects of Emotional Disclosure in Caregivers: Moderating Role of Alexithymia. Stress and Health, 27 (5), pp. 376-387.
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Ashley L; Jones H; Thomas J; Forman D; Newsham A; Morris E; Johnson O; Velikova G; Wright P (2011) Integrating cancer survivors' experiences into UK cancer registries: design and development of the ePOCS system (electronic Patient-reported Outcomes from Cancer Survivors). British journal of cancer, 105 Su pp. S74-S81.
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Ashley L; Dexter R; Marshall F; McKenzie B; Ryan M; Armitage G (2011) Improving the safety of chemotherapy administration: an oncology nurse-led failure mode and effects analysis. Oncology Nursing Forum, 38 (6), pp. E436-E444.
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Ashley L; Jones H; Forman D; Newsham A; Brown J; Downing A; Velikova G; Wright P (2011) Feasibility test of a UK-scalable electronic system for regular collection of patient-reported outcome measures and linkage with clinical cancer registry data: the electronic Patient-reported Outcomes from Cancer Survivors (ePOCS) system. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 11 pp. 66-?.
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Ashley L; Armitage G (2010) Failure mode and effects analysis: an empirical comparison of failure mode scoring procedures. Journal of Patient Safety, 6 (4), pp. 210-215.
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Ashley L; Armitage G; Neary M; Hollingsworth G (2010) A practical guide to failure mode and effects analysis in health care: making the most of the team and its meetings. The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, 36 (8), pp. 351-358.
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O'Connor DB; Ashley L (2008) Are alexithymia and emotional characteristics of disclosure associated with blood pressure reactivity and psychological distress following written emotional disclosure?. British Journal of Health Psychology, 13 (3), pp. 495-512.
