Professor Vari M Drennan MBE

About

I am a professor of health care and policy research. My academic background is in sociology and social policy. My professional background is as a nurse ,health visitor , senior NHS manager of community services.  I was Associate Dean for Research (2010-2016) and Director of the Centre for Health & Social Care Research (in the joint Faculty of Kingston University & St. George's University of London).  I was previously the Director of the Primary Care Nursing Research Unit at the Department of Primary Care & Population Sciences, University College London 2005-7.

 I undertake research in four main areas:  1) health & social care workforce, particularly regarding new roles (such as advanced clinical practitioners, physician associates, nurse consultants ), new ways of working and issues of retention of staff; 2) health & social care services for older people with a focus on health promotion in primary care and living with dementia and incontinence ;3)  interfaces between the health service and criminal justice system and 4) health service provision for women, particularly those on the margins. All my research involve the public and service users. I am particularly interested in the interface between policy and practice in arenas where public service delivery involves multiple agencies.  I enjoy supervising doctoral and masters students, supporting them in their research careers.  

I am a faculty member of the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) and a member of the NIHR Programme for Applied Research sub panel .  I am a Fellow of the Queen's Nursing Institute and adjunct professor at Western Sydney University, Australia.  I was awarded an MBE in 2016 for services to health service research, development and nursing.

Academic responsibilities

Professor of Health Care & Policy Research

Qualifications

  • BSc.(Hons)
  • MSc.
  • PhD
  • RN
  • RHV

Teaching and learning

Research