Skip to main content

University of Exeter Medical School

Dr Bethan Treadgold

Dr Bethan Treadgold

Postdoctoral Research Fellow

 B.M.Treadgold@exeter.ac.uk

 Smeall building 

 

Smeall Building, University of Exeter, St Luke's Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU, UK


Overview

Bethan Treadgold is a Chartered Psychologist and Postdoctoral Research Fellow within the Primary Care Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, and qualitative advisor for the NIHR Research Design Service South West.

Bethan joined the University of Exeter in 2021, while finalising her PhD research at the Univeristy of Southampton. Bethan's research interests are interdisciplinary, with a focus on health services research, online health, patient experiences, and employing qualitative research methods.

Bethan began carrying out health services research while undertaking a MSc in Health Psychology at the University of Southampton (2016-2017), where she conducted a mixed-methods national service evaluation of rehabilitation services for children after treatment for a brain tumour (Treadgold et al. 2019). Alongside her studies, Bethan worked as a qualitative research assistant at the Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, in maternal health (Lawrence et al. 2020). Bethan went on to secure funding from the NIHR School for Primary Care Research, and later Research Capability Funding from Solent NHS Trust, to undertake a PhD studentship at the Primary Care Research Centre, University of Southampton (2017-2021). For her PhD, Bethan carried out a mixed-methods (though primarily qualitative) exploration of parents and carers’ views and experiences of eczema information and support in the online world. Bethan has since provided guidance for a charity to improve their online support services for families of children with eczema.

Since joining the Primary Care Research Group at the University of Exeter Medical School in 2021, Bethan has worked as a qualitative research fellow on three National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funded projects:

1. Digital Facilitation in Primary Care (DI-FACTO): a collaborative research project investigating the benefits and challenges associated with different models of digital facilitation currently in use in general practice across England. Bethan is working within the qualitative team to conduct a focused ethnography (case study) in general practices across the South West, and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders outside of general practice at national, regional, and local levels in England.

2. Investigating Clinical Excellence Awards (INCEA): a collaborative research project to develop a revised scoring scheme for the assessment of National Clinical Excellence Awards for doctors and dentists in England and Wales. Bethan is working on the qualitative​ component which involves interviews with current assessors and other stakeholders, and leading patient and public involvement.​ 

3. Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care (UMPH): a collaborative research project to explore how postural hypotension testing is currently organised in primary care in England and to explore the barriers to, and facilitators of, improved uptake of postural hypotension assessment. Bethan is working within the qualitative team to conduct qualitative interviews with primary care practitioners responsible for routine blood pressure measurement.

In 2023, Bethan secured funding from the NIHR School for Primary Care Research to undertake a postdoctoral fellowship, building on her PhD research, to explore provision for developing a quality approval system overseen by primary healthcare professionals, for information shared in online support groups. 

Qualifications

  • BSc Psychology, University of Southampton (2016)
  • MSc Health Psychology, University of Southampton (2017)
  • PhD Primary Care Research, Univeristy of Southampton (2022)
  • Chartered Psychologist, British Psychological Society (2022)

Back to top


Research

Research interests

Bethan's research interests are interdisciplinary, with a focus on:

  • Health services research
  • Online health
  • Online support communties/forums
  • Parents and carers' experiences
  • Qualitative research methods

Research projects

  • Investigating Clinical Excellence Awards (INCEA), a collaborative research project funded by the NIHR to develop a revised scoring scheme for the assessment of National Clinical Excellence Awards for doctors and dentists in England and Wales. 
  • Digital Facilitation in Primary Care (DI-FACTO), a collaborative research project funded by the NIHR to investigate the benefits and challenges associated with different models of digital facilitation currently in use in general practice in parts of Eastern England and North London, the South West, and the Midlands: http://sites.exeter.ac.uk/di-facto/
  • Understanding the measurement of postural hypotension in primary care (UMPH), a collaborative research project to explore how postural hypotension testing is currently organised in primary care in England and to explore the barriers to, and facilitators of, improved uptake of postural hypotension assessment.

Back to top


Publications

Journal articles

Treadgold BM, Campbell JL, Abel GA, Sussex J, Froud R, Hocking L, Pitchforth E (2023). Investigating Clinical Excellence and Impact Awards (INCEA): a qualitative study into how current assessors and other key stakeholders define and score excellence. BMJ Open, 13(6), e068602-e068602. Abstract.
Treadgold BM, Muller I, Teasdale E, Coulson N, Roberts A, Santer M (2023). Parental experiences of eczema advice in online parenting forums: a qualitative interview study. BJGP Open, 7(2), BJGPO.2022.0155-BJGPO.2022.0155. Abstract.
Lawrence W, Vogel C, Strommer S, Morris T, Treadgold B, Watson D, Hart K, McGill K, Hammond J, Harvey NC, et al (2020). How can we best use opportunities provided by routine maternity care to engage women in improving their diets and health?. MATERNAL AND CHILD NUTRITION, 16(1). Author URL.
Treadgold BM, Teasdale E, Muller I, Roberts A, Coulson N, Santer M (2020). Parents and carers' experiences of seeking health information and support online for long-term physical childhood conditions: a systematic review and thematic synthesis of qualitative research. BMJ OPEN, 10(12). Author URL.
Treadgold B, Kennedy C, Spoudeas H, Sugden E, Walker D, Bull K (2019). Paediatric neuro-oncology rehabilitation in the UK: carer and provider perspectives. BMJ Paediatr Open, 3(1). Abstract.  Author URL.

Back to top


External Engagement and Impact

External positions

Qualitative advisor for NIHR Research Design Service South West

Whilst working as a postdoctoral research fellow within the Primary Care Group at the University of Exeter, Bethan also works as a specialist qualitative advisor for the Exeter hub of the NIHR Research Design Service South West. This involves supporting researchers in developing qualitative research and funding applications of benefit to the general public and people who use NHS and social care services.

https://www.rds-sw.nihr.ac.uk/

Back to top


Teaching

Bethan has provided support on the following undergraduate and postgraduate programmes: 

  • BSc Psychology, Year 3, Psychology Applied to Health: Critical appraisal and behaviour change
  • BMBS Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Year 1, Making Sense of Evidence: Qualitative research critical appraisal
  • BSc Medical Sciences, Year 3, Final Year Research Project
  • MSc Clinical Education, Introduction to Literature Reviews: Appraisal of Qualitative Studies

Back to top


Edit Profile