From post-doc to present day. Presentation for the NIHR CLAHRC National Conference Careers Day: for postdoc research careers in the allied health professions

1. Post Doc Research in Music Therapy
Lessons from the Launchpad
Julian O’Kelly PhD
Julian.okelly@elft.nhs.uk

2. A quick resume
• HPCP Music Therapist: Palliative Care & Neuro-rehab
• Manager
• MSc Palliative Care (Kings) / PhD Mobility Fellowship
(Aalborg)
• P.I. for 4 studies
• Conference organiser (SRR, Royal Hospital Neuro-
disability, Princess Alice Hospice)

4. Post Doc Research in Arts Therapies
Challenges:
• Small professional & evidence base
• Prevailing research methods at odds with RCT methods
• Widely dispersed in different sectors = poor fit with larger funders
• Competition: Arts in Health, Participatory Arts, Music Medicine
Developing Opportunities:
• Novel, patient centred & valued, inclusive
• Emerging cross disciplinary collaborations
• Cochrane collaborations, International multi-site (TIME A), NIHR support

5. Unit for Social & Community Psychiatry
• Developing Music Therapy In-patient and community mental Health ‘FiGMT’ &
‘SYNCHRONY’: 5 staff (PI:Dr Catherine Carr- NIHR Clinical Lectureship & RfPB)
• WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health Service Development, Dir. Prof
Stefan Priebe
• Overall 30 researchers inc. Arts Therapists

6. NIHR Post Doctoral Fellowship (PDF)
• demonstrate potential as researchers but do not, as yet, have
sufficient experience to be fully independent.
• success in the form of outputs from doctoral and post-
doctoral research (≤ 3yrs)
• Similar to Clinical Lectureship, but can be 100% research , &
more competitive

7. Music Therapy for Refugees with Long Term Depression and
Anxiety Disorders: Development and Feasibility Trial

8. Idea

9. Idea
To provide music therapy for refugees with mental
disorders to reduce symptom levels and foster long-
term integration
BUT…….
- How to deliver it in practice?
- Outcomes: PTSD? Anxiety? Depression? Social
integration?
- Feasible with very different and heterogeneous
groups?
- Is it effective?

10. Consultation
• Consensus: music therapy ‘makes sense’, happy to support research
• Research should be: easy to understand, minimal paperwork &
include reimbursment
• Lived Experience Advisory Panel

11. Research Design
• Informed by MRC (2011) Guidelines for piloting and
feasibility testing complex interventions
• WP1:Narrative Synthesis of 43 papers identified in
preliminary search
• WP2: Qualitative study of 3 leading organisations involved in
Music Based work supporting Refugees
• WP3:Wait-list control feasibility study using intervention
manual (WP1&2)

12. Review 1 : Important area, novel concept/approach -
though quite an intensive intervention for a small number of
participants. PPI seems relevant but more management
than people/pts. Training element needs clarification
• Overall grade B (Meets all the assessment criteria with
minor weaknesses, interview)
Review 2: Range of questions on methods, statistical
testing, gereralisability etc
• Overall grade C (Reasonable quality applicant however
does not adequately meet the criteria, reject)

14. Lessons
• Importance of consultation, collaboration & peer support
• Be informed by strengths / weaknesses of your discipline
• Attention to detail in methodological and statistical
components
• Research wider funder field – MQ, Welcome, ESRC, Stroke,
Parkinson's, MND, MS Charities……………

15. Post Doc Research in Music Therapy
Lessons from the Launchpad
Julian O’Kelly PhD
Julian.okelly@elft.nhs.uk