Professor Pauline Heslop
B.Sc., Ph.D.(Bristol), RGN, RSCN
Expertise
Current positions
Professor of Intellectual Disabilities Studies
School for Policy Studies
Contact
Media contact
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Research interests
Current research projects
Pauline is currently the Programme Manager for the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) Programme for England.
Recent projects
Pauline was the lead researcher for the Confidential Inquiry into Premature Deaths in People with Learning Disabilities, commissioned by the Department of Health from 2010 – 2013, which reported its findings in March 2013. The Inquiry was undertaken in partnership with colleagues from Community-based Medicine at the University of Bristol, Bristol PCT and the Royal College of General Practitioners.
Pauline was the Principal Investigator on the 'Hidden pain?' research project, which was about the perspectives of people with learning disabilities who self-injure. The research was undertaken in partnership with Bristol Crisis Service for Women from 2006-2009.
Pauline was also a co-investigator on a project funded by the Department of Health and managed by Mind, the national mental health charity. ‘Putting us First’ aimed to increase the number of people with mental health support needs receiving a personalised approach to their support. The project ran from 2008-2010.
Since working at Norah Fry, Pauline has also completed research projects about befriending and short-break services, transition from children’s to adults services, and understandings of psychotropic medications by people with learning difficulties prescribed this treatment.
Positions
University of Bristol positions
Professor of Intellectual Disabilities Studies
School for Policy Studies
Projects and supervisions
Research projects
National LD Mortality Review Programme
Principal Investigator
Description
The Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) Programme is delivered by the University of Bristol. It is commissioned by the Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (HQIP) on behalf of NHS England.
Work on…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
01/06/2015 to 31/05/2020
NI mortality work
Principal Investigator
Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
02/10/2017 to 31/10/2019
Learning disability and Northern Ireland: Achieving proportionate universalism through administrative data research
Role
Other
Description
This project will use data-linkage techniques to develop the most comprehensive population-based estimates of the prevalence of learning disability (as recorded in the 2011 Census), and the variation of these…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
01/10/2017 to 30/04/2019
Tackling disabling practices: co-production and change
Role
Researcher
Description
It is based at Norah Fry Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Bristol, and led by Val Williams. Our work also involves key partners including Disability Rights UK…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
01/04/2015 to 31/05/2018
ESRC seminar series: International comparisons of mortality data about people with intellectual disabilities
Principal Investigator
Description
This three-year seminar series brings together practitioners, policy-makers and academics interested in better understanding patterns and trends in the mortality of people with intellectual disabilities.
The aim of the seminars is…Managing organisational unit
School for Policy StudiesDates
01/10/2014 to 30/09/2017
Thesis supervisions
Using grounded theory to establish the views of looked after children, specifically around their experiences in the education system
Supervisors
The increasing use of permanent exclusion by primary schools
Supervisors
Beyond accommodations
Supervisors
‘I don’t know what I’d change. I think I’m quite fine
Supervisors
Class repetition
Supervisors
Publications
Selected publications
01/01/2014Caring for a woman with intellectual disabilities who refuses clinical diagnostic investigations
BMJ
The Confidential Inquiry into premature deaths of people with learning disabilities
Lancet
Recent publications
28/01/2021Prevalence estimation of intellectual disability using national administrative and household survey data
Establishing a national mortality review programme for people with intellectual disabilities
Mellow Futures – an adapted parenting programme for mothers with learning difficulties in England and Scotland. Professionals’ views on the outcomes
Health and Social Care in the Community
Gender and the premature deaths of people with intellectual disabilities
Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities
Being Happy and Healthy
Promoting the Health and Well-Being of People with Learning Disabilities
Related people
Professor Peter Fleming
Professor of Infant Health & Developmental Physiology
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Professor Pete Blair
Professor of Epidemiology and Statistics
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
Professor Val Williams
Emeritus Professor
School for Policy Studies
Mrs Beth Tarleton
Senior Research Fellow
School for Policy Studies
Dr Marcus Jepson
Senior Lecturer in Qualitative Health Science
Bristol Medical School (PHS)
