Dr Helen Atkin

Assistant Professor

Department: Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing

Prior to joining Northumbria University, I practiced as an Occupational Therapist (OT) in neurological rehabilitation in the NHS for 17 years and held the positions of Professional Lead OT and Service User Involvement Lead. I have a particular interest in inclusive practice and have considerable experience in working with service users/ family members and staff to co-produce research, evaluation and service improvement.

I have extended my interest in this area through my doctoral studies which focused on how service users and staff assumptions in neurological rehabilitation influence experiences of inclusion and subsequently outcomes of rehabilitation. Facilitating critical dialogue and co-production between service users and students/ health care staff is at the heart of my teaching and research.

Recovery Through Care Coordination Research Project

UK Network for Participatory Research Network

Campus Address

H008
Coach Lane Campus East

Email Helen

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Embedding research within occupational therapy pre-registration training: A concept mapping study engaging staff and student voices, Hackett, K., Atkin, H., Kamalakannan, S., Murray-Mendes, S., Lowe, J., Whitehead, P., Bradley, G. 18 Apr 2024, In: British Journal of Occupational Therapy
Experiences of community connectors supporting activities during COVID-19, Bradley, G., Atkin, H., Atkin, B., Luddington, S., Miller, A. 13 Feb 2024, In: Activities, Adaptation and Aging
Patient and public involvement in research published in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2015–2021: A scoping review, Williamson, R., Atkin, H., Thomson, L., Wood, O., Whitehead, P. 1 Jun 2023, In: British Journal of Occupational Therapy
Exploring potential for occupational therapy practice models within areas of social deprivation: a qualitative inquiry within a community-centred food cooperative, Adams, R., Atkin, H., Lee, R., Hackett, S., Hackett, K. 1 Oct 2022, In: British Journal of Occupational Therapy
Co-production in research: co-researcher perspectives on its value and challenges, Atkin, H., Wood, O., Thomson, L. Jul 2020, In: British Journal of Occupational Therapy
Co-production in research: coresearcher perspectives on its values and challenges, Atkin, H., Thomson, L., Wood, O. 2020, In: British Journal of Occupational Therapy
From conference conversation to research impact and practice development, Atkin, H., Otter, P. 17 Jun 2019, RCOT 2019: Inspiring, informing, involving, London, SAGE
The ducking stool - the benefit of disruption to practitioner thinking, Atkin, H., Cook, T. 1 Aug 2018, Royal College of Occupational Therapy Conference Book of Abstracts, SAGE
Participatory Research Into Inclusive Practice: Improving Services for People With Long Term Neurological Conditions, Cook, T., Atkin, H., Wilcockson, J. 29 Nov 2017, In: Forum: Qualitative Social Research
In-depth Analysis of Qualitative Interviews for the Deciding Together Consultation, Brandon, T., Atkin, H. 3 Apr 2016

Professional Activity

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Hosting an academic visitor: Patricia de Cunha Belchior 2022
Other: Service User and Carer Involvement in Occupational Therapy Education – Responding to Fast-Paced Delivery Changes During COVID-19. Occupational Therapy News. May. pp,43-44 2021
Other: How are people in social prescribing roles continuing to support engagement in activity for those identified as vulnerable during the COVID-19 outbreak? a Participatory Action Research Study 2020
Other: Patient and public involvement consultation group (Royal College of Occupational Therapy) 2020
Other: Peer reviewer British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2020
Oral presentation: Can Royal College of Occupational Therapy conference conversations lead to practice development and research impact? RCOT Annual Conference 2019
Other: Identifying the influence of involving service users in classroom based simulation activities prior to occupational therapy clinical practice placements: A mixed methods evaluation involving multiple perspectives 2019
Examination: PhD Personal Storytelling for Wellbeing: Form, Content and Process 2019
Membership of board: Royal College of Occupational Therapists (External organisation) 2019
Invited talk: So how do we do this together? Workshop for stroke services. 2019

PGR Supervision

Catherine Neville How can Universities Facilitate the Stimming Needs of their Autistic Students? Start Date: 18/01/2021

Qualifications

Academic Studies in Education CertHE July 22 2019
PhD October 23 2017
Occupational Therapy MSc September 02 1996
DipCOT July 26 1982
Diploma College of Occupational Therapists Dip COT) 1979
HCPC registered

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