I am an applied health services researcher, working in our Emergency Cardiovascular and Critical Care Research Group. I have worked at the Faculty of Health, Science, Social Care and Education for some years, collaborating on and leading research projects associated with the NHS, its workforce and service users.
I supervise master's and PhD students from a range of health professional backgrounds. This brings me into contact with a diversity of research topics to which I can apply my methodological experience. I am an active reviewer for journals and research funding bodies.
Associate Professor Emergency Cardiovascular and Critical Care Research
I teach research methods, and supervise students at post-graduate level on their research assignments
My research interests are broad, although much of my work has focused on the evaluation of new roles in the NHS workforce, in pre-hospital, emergency, primary and secondary care. I focused in my own thesis on the clinical decision making processes that underpin practice in such roles. I have a passion for mixed methods research, and for researching through direct observation, drawing on ethnographic principles. All my research is done in collaboration with lay representatives, clinicians and academics from a range of disciplines. I have collaborated on or led research grants from the Department of Health National Institute for Health Research, Health Foundation, British Red Cross and British Heart Foundation.
Drennan, Vari, Halter, Mary, Taylor, Francesca, Gabe, Jonathan and Jarman, Heather (2023) Non-medical practitioners in the staffing of emergency departments and urgent treatment centres in England : a mixed qualitative methods study of policy implementation. BMC Health Services Research, 23, p. 1221. ISSN (print) 1472-6963
Halter, Mary, Jarman, Heather, Moss, Phil, Kulnik, Stefan Tino, Baramova, Desislava, Gavalova, Lucia, Cole, Elaine, Crouch, Robert and Baxter, Mark (2023) Configurations and outcomes of acute hospital care for frail and older patients with moderate to major trauma : a systematic review. BMJ Open, 13(2), e066329. ISSN (online) 2044-6055
Taylor, Francesca, Drennan, Vari M., Halter, Mary, Allan, Helen T. and Collins, Linda (2022) Uptake of advanced clinical practice roles in the health service in England : perspectives at the micro level. SSM - Qualitative Research in Health, 2, p. 100141. ISSN (online) 2667-3215
Drennan, Vari M, Collins, Linda, Allan, Helen, Brimblecombe, Neil, Halter, Mary and Taylor, Francesca (2022) Are advanced clinical practice roles in England's National Health Service a remedy for workforce problems? A qualitative study of senior staff perspectives. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 27(2), pp. 96-105. ISSN (print) 1355-8196
Straughton, Kate, Roberts, Karen A, Watkins, Jeannie, Drennan, Vari M and Halter, Mary (2022) Physician associates in the UK : development, status, and future. JAAPA : official journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, 35(3), pp. 56-60. ISSN (print) 1547-1896
Renshaw, John, Halter, Mary and Quinn, Tom (2022) Protocol for a scoping review on the development of policy, guidelines and protocols within emergency medical services. British Paramedic Journal, 6(4), pp. 48-54. ISSN (online) 1478-4726
Drennan, Vari M. and Halter, Mary (2020) Building the evidence base : 10 years of physician assistant/associate research in England : a special article. Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, 33(10), pp. 1-4. ISSN (print) 1547-1896
Mancell, Sara, Meyer, Rosan, Hind, Jonathan and Halter, Mary (2020) Factors impacting on eating in pediatric intestinal-transplant recipients : a mixed methods study. Nutrition in Clinical Practice, 35(5), pp. 919-926. ISSN (print) 0884-5336
Drennan, Vari M, Calestani, Melania, Taylor, Francesca, Halter, Mary and Levenson, Ros (2020) Perceived impact on efficiency and safety of experienced American physician assistants / associates in acute hospital care in England : findings from a multi-site case organisational study. JRSM Open, 11(10), ISSN (online) 2054-2704
Halter, Mary, Drennan, Vari, Wang, Chao, Wheeler, Carly, Gage, Heather, Nice, Laura, de Lusignan, Simon, Gabe, Jonathan, Brearley, Sally, Ennis, James, Begg, Philip and Parle, Jim (2020) Comparing physician associates and foundation year two doctors in training undertaking emergency medicine consultations in England : a mixed methods study of processes and outcomes. BMJ Open, 10, e037557. ISSN (online) 2044-6055
Laws, Samantha, Wang, Chao and Halter, Mary (2020) Knowledge, attitudes and practices of UK paramedics regarding pharmacology and the legal, management and administration aspects of medicines : a cross-sectional online quantitative survey. British Paramedic Journal, 5(2), pp. 1-9. ISSN (online) 1478-4726
Taylor, Francesca, Drennan, Vari M, Halter, Mary and Calestani, Melania (2020) Integration and retention of American physician assistants/associates working in English hospitals : a qualitative study. Health Policy, 124(5), pp. 525-530. ISSN (print) 0168-8510
McCarroll, Clare, van't Riet, Catherine and Halter, Mary (2020) How is the emerging role of domiciliary physiotherapists who treat residents with dementia in nursing homes perceived by allied health professionals? A phenomenological interview study. Health & Social Care in the Community, 28(1), pp. 279-290. ISSN (print) 0966-0410
Kulnik, Stefan Tino, Halter, Mary, Hilton, Ann, Baron, Aidan, Garner, Stuart, Jarman, Heather, Klaassen, Barry and Oliver, Emily (2019) Confidence and willingness among laypersons in the UK to act in a head injury situation : a qualitative focus group study. BMJ Open, 9(11), e033531. ISSN (online) 2044-6055
Taylor, Francesca, Halter, Mary and Drennan, Vari M (2019) Understanding patients' satisfaction with physician assistant/associate encounters through communication experiences : a qualitative study in acute hospitals in England. BMC Health Services Research, 19, p. 603. ISSN (online) 1472-6963
Drennan MBE, Vari M, Halter, Mary, Wheeler, Carly, Nice, Laura, Brearley, Sally, Ennis, James, Gabe, Jon, Gage, Heather, Levenson, Ros, de Lusignan, Simon, Begg, Phil and Parle, Jim (2019) The role of physician associates in secondary care the PA-SCER mixed-methods study. Health Services and Delivery Research, 7(19), ISSN (print) 2050-4349
Rutkowski, Krzysztof, Rahman, Yusof and Halter, Mary (2019) Development and feasibility of the use of an assessment tool measuring treatment efficacy in patients with trimethylaminuria : a mixed methods study. Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease, 42(2), pp. 362-370. ISSN (print) 0141-8955
Drennan, Vari M, Halter, Mary, Wheeler, Carly, Nice, Laura, Brearley, Sally, Ennis, James, Gabe, Jonathan, Gage, Heather, Levenson, Ros, de Lusignan, Simon, Begg, Phil and Parle, James (2019) What is the contribution of physician associates in hospital care in England? A mixed methods, multiple case study. BMJ Open, 9(1), e027012. ISSN (online) 2044-6055
Clark, SJ, Halter, M, Porter, A, Smith, HC, Brand, M, Fothergill, R, Lindridge, SJ, McTigue, M and Snooks, H (2019) Using deterministic record linkage to link ambulance and emergency department data : is it possible without patient identifiers? International Journal of Population Data Science, 4(1), p. 20. ISSN (online) 2399-4908
Gavalova, Lucia, Halter, Mary, Snooks, Helen, Gale, Chris P., Weston, Clive, Watkins, Alan, Munro, Scott, Davies, Glenn, Hampton, Chelsey, Driscoll, Timothy, Rosser, Andy, Rees, Nigel, Black, Sarah and Quinn, Tom (2019) Use and impact of the prehospital 12-lead ECG in the primary PCI era (PHECG2) : protocol for a mixed-method study. Open Heart, 6(2), e001156. ISSN (online) 2053-3624
Halter, Mary, Joly, Louise, de Lusignan, Simon, Grant, Robert, Gage, Heather and Drennan, Vari (2018) Capturing complexity in clinician case-mix : classification system development using GP and Physician Associate data. BJGP Open, 2(1), ISSN (online) 2398-3795
Halter, Mary, Boiko, Olga, Pelone, Ferruccio, Beighton, Carole, Harris, Ruth, Gale, Julia, Gourlay, Stephen and Drennan, Vari (2017) The determinants and consequences of adult nursing staff turnover : a systematic review of systematic reviews. BMC Health Services Research, 17(824), ISSN (online) 1472-6963
Snooks, Helen A., Anthony, Rebecca, Chatters, Robin, Dale, Jeremy, Fothergill, Rachael T., Gaze, Sarah, Halter, Mary, Humphreys, Ioan, Koniotou, Marina, Logan, Phillipa, Lyons, Ronan A., Mason, Suzanne, Nicholl, Jon, Peconi, Julie, Phillips, Ceri, Porter, Alison, Siriwardena, Aloysius Niroshan, Wani, Mushtaq, Watkins, Alan, Wilson, Lynsey and Russell, Ian T. (2017) Paramedic assessment of older adults after falls, including community care referral pathway : cluster randomized trial. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 70(4), pp. 495-505. ISSN (print) 0196-0644
Halter, Mary, Drennan, Vari, Joly, Louise, Gabe, Jonathan, Gage, Heather and de Lusignan, Simon (2017) Patients' experiences of consultations with physician associates in primary care in England : a qualitative study. Health Expectations, 20(5), pp. 1011-1019. ISSN (print) 1369-6513
Halter, Mary, Pelone, Ferruccio, Boiko, Olga, Beighton, Carole, Harris, Ruth, Gale, Julia, Gourlay, Stephen and Drennan, Vari (2017) Interventions to reduce adult nursing turnover : a systematic review of systematic reviews. Open Nursing Journal, 11, pp. 108-123. ISSN (online) 1874-4346
Drennan, Vari M., Gabe, Jonathon, Halter, Mary, de Lusignan, Simon and Levenson, Ros (2017) Physician associates in primary health care in England : a challenge to professional boundaries? Social Science and Medicine, 181, pp. 9-16. ISSN (print) 0277-9536
Halter, Mary, Wheeler, Carly, Drennan, Vari M, de Lusignan, Simon, Grant, Robert, Gabe, Jonathan, Gage, Heather, Ennis, James and Parle, Jim (2017) Physician associates in England's hospitals : a survey of medical directors exploring current usage and factors affecting recruitment. Clinical Medicine, 17(2), pp. 126-131. ISSN (print) 1470-2118
Wheeler, Carly, Halter, Mary, Drennan, Vari M., de Lusignan, Simon, Grant, Robert, Gabe, Jonathan, Gage, Heather, Begg, Philip, Ennis, James and Parle, Jim (2017) Physician associates working in secondary care teams in England : interprofessional implications from a national survey. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 31(6), pp. 774-776. ISSN (print) 1356-1820
Drennan, Vari, Halter, Mary, Gale, Julia and Harris, Ruth (2016) Retaining nurses in metropolitan areas : insights from senior nurse and human resource managers. Journal Of Nursing Management, 24(8), pp. 1041-1048. ISSN (print) 0966-0429
de Lusignan, Simon, McGovern, Andrew P., Tahir, Mohammad Aumran, Hassan, Simon, Jones, Simon, Halter, Mary, Joly, Louise and Drennan, Vari M. (2016) Physician associate and general practitioner consultations : a comparative observational video study. PLoS One, 11(8), e0160902. ISSN (online) 1932-6203
Koniotou, Marina, Evans, Bridie Angela, Chatters, Robin, Fothergill, Rachael, Garnsworthy, Christopher, Gaze, Sarah, Halter, Mary, Mason, Suzanne, Peconi, Julie, Porter, Alison, Siriwardena, A Niroshan, Toghill, Alun and Snooks, Helen (2015) Involving older people in a multi-centre randomised trial of a complex intervention in pre-hospital emergency care: implementation of a collaborative model. Trials, 16, p. 298. ISSN (online) 1745-6215
Drennan, V. M., Halter, M., Joly, L., Gage, H., Grant, R. L., Gabe, J., Brearley, S., Carneiro, W. and de Lusignan, S. (2015) Physician associates and GPs in primary care : a comparison. British Journal of General Practice, 65(634), e344-e350. ISSN (print) 0960-1643
Drennan, Vari M., Halter, Mary, Brearley, Sally, Carneiro, Wilfrid, Gabe, Jonathan, Gage, Heather, Grant, Robert, Joly, Louise and de Lusignan, Simon (2014) Investigating the contribution of physician assistants to primary care in England: a mixed-methods study. Health Services and Delivery Research, 2(16), ISSN (print) 2050-4349
Halter, Mary, Drennan, Vari, Chattopadhyay, Kaushik, Carneiro, Wilfred, Yiallouros, Jennifer, de Lusignan, Simon, Gage, Heather, Gabe, Jonathan and Grant, Robert (2013) The contribution of physician assistants in primary care: a systematic review. BMC Health Services Research, 13, p. 223. ISSN (online) 1472-6963
Snooks, Helen, Anthony, Rebecca, Chatters, Robin, Cheung, Wai-Yee, Dale, Jeremy, Donohoe, Rachael, Gaze, Sarah, Halter, Mary, Koniotou, Marina, Logan, Phillippa, Lyons, Ronan, Mason, Suzanne, Nicholl, Jon, Phillips, Ceri, Phillips, Judith, Russell, Ian, Siriwardena, A. Niroshan, Wani, Mushtaq, Watkins, Alan, Whitfield, Richard and Wilson, Lynsey (2012) Support and assessment for fall emergency referrals (SAFER 2) research protocol: cluster randomised trial of the clinical and cost effectiveness of new protocols for emergency ambulance paramedics to assess and refer to appropriate community-based care. BMJ Open, 2(6), e002169. ISSN (print) 2044-6055
Drennan, Vari, Levenson, Ros, Halter, Mary and Tye, Chris (2011) Physician assistants in English general practice: a qualitative study of employers' viewpoints. Journal of Health Services Research & Policy, 16(2), pp. 75-80. ISSN (print) 1355-8196
Halter, Mary, Vernon, Susan, Snooks, Helen, Porter, Alison, Close, Jacqueline, Moore, Fionna and Porsz, Simon (2011) Complexity of the decision-making process of ambulance staff for assessment and referral of older people who have fallen: a qualitative study. Emergency Medicine Journal, 28(1), pp. 44-50. ISSN (print) 1472-0205
Snooks, Helen A, Cheung, Wai-Yee, Gaze, Sarah A, Halter, Mary, Lyons, Ronan A, Phillips, Ceri J, Russell, Ian T and Siriwardena, Niro (2010) Falls prevention trial in 999 callers: paving the way for a definitive trial of referral by the ambulance service. [Response to: Logan Philippa A, Coupland C A C, Gladman J R F, Sahota O, Stoner-Hobbs V, Robertson K, Tomlinson V, Ward, M, Sach T and Avery A J, Community falls prevention for people who call an emergency ambulance after a fall: randomised controlled trial BMJ 2010; 340:c2102]. BMJ, 340, c2102. ISSN (print) 0959-8138
Halter, Mary, Marlow, Tom, Mohammed, Daryl and Ellison, George T.H. (2007) A patient survey of out-of-hours care provided by Emergency Care Practitioners. BMC Emergency Medicine, 7(4), ISSN (online) 1471-227X
Halter, Mary, Marlow, T, Tye, C and Ellison, G T H (2006) Patients' experiences of care provided by emergency care practitioners and traditional ambulance practitioners: a survey from the London Ambulance Service. Emergency Medicine Journal, 23(11), pp. 865-866. ISSN (print) 1472-0205
Halter, Mary, Marlow, T, Jackson, D, Moore, F and Postance, B (2006) Should emergency medical technicians be considered for the role of the emergency care practitioner? Emergency Medical Journal, 23(11), p. 888. ISSN (print) 1472-0205
Snooks, H, Halter, Mary, Palmer, Y, Booth, H and Moore, F (2005) Hearing half the message? a re-audit of the care of patients with acute asthma by emergency ambulance crews in London. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 14(6), pp. 455-458. ISSN (print) 1475-3898
Snooks, H A, Kearsley, N, Dale, J, Halter, Mary, Redhead, J and Foster, J (2005) Gaps between policy, protocols and practice: a qualitative study of the views and practice of emergency ambulance staff concerning the care of patients with non-urgent needs. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 14(4), pp. 251-257. ISSN (print) 1475-3898
Snooks, H., Kearsley, N., Dale, J., Halter, M., Redhead, J. and Cheung, W. Y. (2004) Towards primary care for non-serious 999 callers: results of a controlled study of "treat and refer" protocols for ambulance crews. Quality and Safety in Health Care, 13(6), pp. 435-443. ISSN (print) 1475-3898
Snooks, H. A., Dale, J., Hartley-Sharpe, C. and Halter, M. (2004) On-scene alternatives for emergency ambulance crews attending patients who do not need to travel to the accident and emergency department: a review of the literature. Emergency Medicine Journal, 21(2), pp. 212-215. ISSN (print) 1472-0205
Close, Jacqueline C.T., Halter, Mary, Elrick, Alan, Brain, Geoffrey and Swift, Cameron G. (2002) Falls in the older population: a pilot study to assess those attended by London Ambulance Service but not taken to A&E. Age and Ageing, 31(6), pp. 488-489. ISSN (print) 0002-0729
Laws, Samantha, Wang, Chao and Halter, Mary (2021) Knowledge, attitudes and practices of UK paramedics regarding pharmacology and the legal, management and administration aspects of medicines. In: College of Paramedics' National Conference 2021; 12 - 13 May 2021, Held Online. (Unpublished)
Drennan, Vari, Taylor, Francesca and Halter, Mary (2020) Advanced Clinical Practice Roles in the NHS : panacea or challenge for workforce problems? In: HSR UK 2020; 01-04 July 2020, Online. (Unpublished)
Drennan, Vari, Gabe, Jonathan and Halter, Mary (2016) Physician Associates in General Practice in England : a challenge to professional boundaries. In: 16th Biennial Congress of the ESHMS : Healthy Lives : Technologies, Policies and Experiences; 27-29 Jun 2016, Geneva, Switzerland. (Unpublished)
Halter, M., Snooks, H., Close, J., Cheung, W. Y. and Moore, F. (2006) Older fallers : the risk and opportunity of ambulance non conveyance. In: Ambex 2005; 30 Jun - 02 Jul 2005, Harrogate, England.
Halter, Mary, Snooks, H, Close, J, Cheung, WY, Moore, F and Roberts, SE (2005) Emergency care of older people who fall: a missed opportunity. In: Ambex 2005; 30 Jun - 02 Jul 2005, Harrogate, England.
Halter, Mary, Marlow, T and Jackson, D (2005) Emergency care practitioners: impact of the new role. In: Ambex 2005; 30 Jun - 02 Jul 2005, Harrogate, U.K..
Drennan, Vari, Halter, Mary and Taylor, Francesca (2019) The development of advanced clinical practitioners in NHS organisations providing acute, community and emergency services in London : an evaluative interview study. (Project Report) Joint Faculty Kingston University & St. George’s University of London. 9 p. (Unpublished)
Drennan, Vari M, Halter, Mary, Grant, Robert, Gale, Julia, Harris, Ruth and Gourlay, Stephen (2015) Adult nurse turnover and retention : South London project report. (Project Report) Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Kingston University and St George's, University of London. (Unpublished)
Halter, Mary and Ellison, George (2008) Evaluation of the emergency care practitioner role in London: a study of the processes and outcomes of clinical decision making. (Project Report) London, UK : Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences, Kingston University and St George's, University of London. 198 p. ISBN 9780955832901
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