Dr Jessica Runacres

• Fellow of Higher Education Academy

• PhD, ‘Social Prescribing in Practice: A Critical Examination of Service Data and Stakeholder Perspectives’, Birmingham City University.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education (PGCHE), Birmingham City University.
• Postgraduate Certificate in Research Practice (PGCert), Birmingham City University.
• BSc Psychology, Lancaster University

• Research methods
• Scoping and systematic reviews
• Qualitative and quantitative data analysis
• Research ethics

• Informal / unpaid carers, student carers, dementia carers, or the family, and friends of people with mental or physical health conditions
• Interventions to improve and / or maintain physical health, mental health, or wellbeing
• Health inequalities and epistemic injustice
• Suicide postvention
• Inclusive approaches to research: patient and public involvement (PPI), user-led research, and working with students as researchers. 

Echo Healthcare £5,295 - Exploring the use of immersive simulation to teach research to student paramedics: A mixed-methods approach. Runacres, J., and Wheatley, S (2023). British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants £5,402 – How can universities better support student carers? An exploration of student carer priorities and support needs. Runacres, J, Herron, D, & Cust, F. (2022) Policy Impact Acceleration funding £1,877.50 – Using the nominal group technique to identify the support and research priorities of older carers of people living with dementia. Herron, D., & Runacres, J. (2022) 

I am the PGR (Postgraduate Research) Lead for the School of Health, Science, and Wellbeing, and the PhD Course Lead for Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Welfare, and Biology PhD students. I also lead for the Step-up to PhD course.

Please get in touch with me if you are interested in learning more about doctoral opportunities within the school. I lead multiple modules across both the undergraduate and postgraduate provision. These largely focus on medical education, research methods, and analysis. I supervise both masters and PhD research projects.

Publications:

Runacres, J., & Herron, D. (2023). Designing Inclusive Qualitative Research with Carers of People Living with Dementia: Methodological Insights. Healthcare, 1 1(15), 2125; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11152125

Adshead, C., Runacres, J., & Kevern, P. (2023). Exploring the Subjective Experiences of Peer-Led Social Support Groups for Individuals Bereaved by Suicide. Illness, Crisis & Loss, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/10541373231194174

Herron, D., & Runacres, J. (2023). The Support Priorities of Older Carers of People Living with Dementia: A Nominal Group Technique Study. Healthcare, 11(14), 1998. Doi:10.3390/healthcare11141998

Runacres, J., & Cust, F. (2023, April 28). Are we placing too much focus upon higher degrees for university lecturers?. Times Higher Education. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/are-we-placing-too-much-focus-upon-higher-degrees-university-lecturers

Gamgee, J., Runacres, J., Norman, A., & Pradhan, P. (2023). The Secondary Impact of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Experiences of Family Members. The Family Journal, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/10664807231164421

Hunt, J., Herron, D., & Runacres, J. (2023). Understanding healthcare stigma and marginalisation through a lens of epistemic injustice: The lived experiences of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Social Science and Medicine. (Under review)

Tolhurst, E., Weicht, B., & Runacres, J. (2023). Sustaining relational subjectivity: the experience of women with dementia. Sociology of Health & Illness, 45(3), 503-521. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.13594

Runacres, J., & Cust, F. (2023, January 23). Who cares about our student carers?. The Nursing Times. https://www.nursingtimes.net/opinion/who-cares-about-our-student-carers-23-01-2023/

Herron, D. L., Runacres, J., Danton, I., Beardmore, J. (2023). Carers’ experiences of caring for a friend or family member with dementia during the Covid-19 pandemic. Dementia. 0(0). doi:10.1177/14713012221150298

Cust, F., & Runacres, J. (2022, December 14). Peer mentoring to assist staff retention and wellbeing. AdvanceHE. Peer mentoring to assist staff retention and wellbeing | Advance HE (advance-he.ac.uk)

Cust, F., & Runacres, J. (2022, December 7). Peer mentoring to support staff well-being: lessons from a pilot. Times Higher Education. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/peer-mentoring-support-staff-wellbeing-lessons-pilot

Runacres, J., Crisp, C., Halck, A., Harvey, H., O’Brien, S., & Saunders, R. Paramedics as researchers: a systematic review of paramedic’s perspectives of research as researchers from training to practice. PROSPERO: International prospective register of systematic reviews. 2022. CRD42022310711. Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022310711.

Fynn, W., & Runacres, J. (2022). Dogs at school: A cross-sectional analysis of parental perceptions of canine-assisted therapy in schools mediated by child anxiety and therapy type. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy, 16 (4). Doi: 10.1186/s40723-022-00097-x

Adshead, C., & Runacres, J. (2022). Sharing is Caring: A Realist Evaluation of a Social Support Group for Individuals Who Have Been Bereaved by Suicide. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying. https://doi.org/10.1177/00302228211070152

Runacres, J., & Herron. (2022, April 19). Students with caring responsibilities face significant challenges – but universities are hindering rather than helping them. The Conversation. https://theconversation.com/students-with-caring-responsibilities-face-significant-challenges-but-universities-are-hindering-rather-than-helping-them-180373

Runacres, J., Herron, D., Beardmore, J., Runacres, J. B., & Sheffield, D. What role does perceived injustice play in the healthcare experiences of people with chronic physical health conditions in the UK?. PROSPERO: International prospective register of systematic reviews. 2021. CRD42021262834. Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=262834.

Runacres, J., Wardach, I., & Sheffield, D. (2021). A mindful playground: Exploring the perceived benefits of climbing for psychological wellbeing. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health. (Under review)

Fynn, W., & Runacres, J. (2021). Dogs at school: A cross-sectional analysis of parental perceptions of canine-assisted therapy in schools mediated by child anxiety and therapy type. International Journal of Child Care and Education Policy. (Under review)

Hunt, J., Herron, D., & Runacres, J. (2021). Understanding healthcare stigma and marginalisation through a lens of epistemic injustice: The lived experiences of people with myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Social Science and Medicine. (Under review)

Runacres, J., Herron, D., Beardmore, J., & Sheffield, D. What role does perceived injustice play in the healthcare experiences of people with chronic physical health conditions in the UK?. PROSPERO: International prospective register of systematic reviews. 2021. CRD42021262834. Available from: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=262834.

Runacres, J., Herron, D., Buckless, K., & Worrall, K. (2021). Student carer experiences of higher education and support: A scoping review. International Journal of Inclusive education. Doi: 10.1080/13603116.2021.1983880

Herron, D., & Runacres, J. (2020). Carers' experiences of caring for a friend or family member with dementia during the Covid-19 pandemic. Health Psychology Update, Special Issue: Covid-19.

Morris, D., Shortland, S., Buffin, J., Runacres, J., Shorrock, S. (2020). Integrated Social Prescribing in Birmingham and Solihull. Report of a study for Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group, undertaken by the University of Central Lancashire and Birmingham City University, 2019/20.

Phillips, E., Jones, S., Runacres, J., Lintern, M., & Radford, M. (2017). Understanding the distribution of A&E attendances and hospital admissions for the case managed population: A single case cross sectional study. Applied Nursing Research, 33, 24-29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnr.2016.10.005

Wigelsworth, M., Humphrey, N., Black, L., Symes, W., Frearson, K., Ashworth, E., Peterson, K., McCaldin, Runacres, J., Demkowicz, O., Pert, K., Tronsco, P., & Anders, L. (2017). Social, psychological, emotional, concepts of self and resilience outcomes: Understanding and Measurment (SPECTRUM). A brief guide to the selection, use and interpretation of SPECTRUM measures.

Conference presentations:

Gamgee, J., Runacres, J., Norman, A., & Pradhan, P. (2023). The Secondary Impact of mTBI. Ahead Together presents: Families after Brain Injury – the Untold Stories. Oxford. 11.05.2023

Runacres, J., & O’Brien. (2022). Challenges and Opportunities for Teaching Research to Paramedic Students in Higher Education​. Winter Learning and Teaching Festival. Staffordshire. 08/12/2022

Herron, D., Runacres, J., & Tolhurst, E. (2022). Care at home behind closed doors: structural and relational issues for older carers. Symposium session title: Dementia Care Planning during Covid-19. British Society of Gerontology 51st Annual Conference. 07/07/2022

Runacres, J., & Herron, D. (2022) Carers’ experiences of caring for a friend or family member living with dementia during the COVID-19 pandemic. British Society of Gerontology 51st Annual Conference. 07/07/2022

Runacres, J. (2022). The problem with the definition of ‘social prescribing’: Exploring the language used, and key roles within the concept. 4^th International Social Prescribing Network Conference: Online. 10/03/2022

Black, L., Herron, D., & Runacres, J. (2020). Students as Research Partners. Festival of Learning 2020: Derby. 14/07/2020

Runacres, J. The necessary factors for effectives social prescribing. Public Health Canada 2018: Montreal. 30/06 – 1/07/2018

Runacres, J. Understanding social prescribing & Social prescribing: Why is it not reaching it’s potential? C-SCHaRR Health conference 2018. 24/01/2018

Runacres, J. The perceived barriers to social prescribing in general practise. RCGP Annual Primary Care Conference. 11-13/10/2017

Runacres, J. Understanding social prescribing. RCGP 2017 Midland Faculty Symposium. 18/05/2017

Jones, S., Phillips, E., & Runacres, J. Using routinely collected data to inform service design and delivery: Trials, tribulations and successes. West Midlands Health Informatics Network (WIN) Conference. 24/01/2017

Runacres, J. A concept analysis to understand social prescribing. Annual health research conference: Connecting communities. 30/11/2016

Runacres. J. Understanding social prescribing. Turning practice-based evidence into evidence-based practice. West Midlands Health Informatics Network (WIN) Conference 20/01/2016