Dr Victoria Riley

British Psychological Society (BPS)

• PhD, 2021
• MSc Health Psychology (Merit), University of Staffordshire, 2013
• BSc (Hons) Psychology and Counselling (1st Class Honours), University of Staffordshire, 2012

NHS Health Checks, CVD risk, practitioner training, health promotion and prevention, and qualitative methodologies.

My research background is in Health Psychology and I have a number of research interests including health promotion, health prevention, health checks, CVD risk, behaviour change and pregnancy/postpartum experience.

• Neurodivergent women in communities of Southeast Staffordshire – Community Needs Analysis: Support Staffordshire, 2025 (PI)
• Digital NHS Health Check Evaluation: Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, 2021 (PI)
• Heart Age test evaluation: Public Health England, 2021 (PI)
• Physical activity and alcohol measurement in NHSHC: Public Health England, 2020 (CoI)
• Covid-19: Experiences and impact for pregnant women and new mother: Institutional funding, 2020 (PI)

CVD risk communication training in partnership with Smart Health Solutions Ltd (www.smarthealthsolutions.co.uk)

• Support teaching in Undergraduate and Masters degrees in Psychology department
• PhD supervisor 

Publications

• Motta-Yanac, E., Riley, V., Ellis, N.J., Mankoo, A., Gidlow, C.J. (2024). The digital prescription: A systematic review and meta-analysis of smartphone apps for blood pressure control. International Journal of Medical Informatics, 195, 105755, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2024.105755
• Cowap, L., Riley, V., Grogan, S., Ellis, N., Crone, D., Cottrell, E., Chambers, R., Clark-Carter, D., Gidlow, C. (2024). “They are saying it's high, but I think it's quite low”: Exploring cardiovascular disease risk communication in NHS Health Checks through video-stimulated recall interviews with patients – A qualitative study. BMC Primary Care, 25, 126, DOI: 10.1186/s12875-024-02357-w
• Riley, V., Gidlow, C., Fedorowicz, S., Lagord, C., Thompson, K., Woolner, J., Taylor, R., Clark, J., Lloyd-Harris, A. (2023). The Impact and Perception of England’s Web-Based Heart Age Test of Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Mixed Methods Study. JMIR Cardio, 7:e39097, DOI: 10.2196/39097
• McCormack, F, Machin, R., Riley, V., Spyropoulos, K., Dunn, K., Gidlow, C.G. (2023). Building legal literacy in organisations that support people experiencing multiple disadvantage, Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 45:1, 11-26, DOI: 10.1080/09649069.2023.2175548
• Fedorowicz, S., Riley, V., Cowap, L., Ellis, N., et al. (2022) Using social media for Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement in health research: the process and impact of a closed Facebook group, Health Expectations. ISSN 1369-6513, 1- 10. doi:10.1111/hex.13515
• Riley, V., Gidlow., C. (2022). Alcohol and physical activity screening in the National Health Service Health Check programme: Comparison of medical records and actual practice. Public Health in Practice, 3:100252. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.puhip.2022.100252
• Riley, V., Ellis, N., Mackay, L., Taylor, J. (2021). The impact of COVID-19 restrictions on women’s pregnancy and postpartum experience in England: A qualitative exploration. Midwifery, 101, 103061.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2021.103061
• Gidlow, C., Ellis, N., Riley, V., Cowap, L., et al. (2021). Cardiovascular disease risk communication in NHS Health Checks: video-stimulated recall interviews with practitioners. BJGP Open; BJGPO.2021.0049. doi: https://doi.org/10.3399/BJGPO.2021.0049
• Forsyth, J.J., Mackay, L., Riley, V. (2021). Perceptions of physical activity changes due to COVID-19 restrictions among women in the United Kingdom. Women in Sport and Physical Activity Journal, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1123/wspaj.2020-0068
• Riley, V.A., Ellis, N.J., Cowap, L., Grogan, S., et al. (2020). A qualitative exploration of two risk calculators using video-recorded NHS health check consultations. BMC FamPr, 21:250. doi: 10.1186/s12875-020-01315-6
• Gidlow, C.J., Ellis, N.J., Cowap, L., Riley, V.A., et al. (2020). Quantitative examination of video-recorded NHS Health Checks: comparison of the use of QRISK2 versus JBS3 cardiovascular risk calculators. BMJ Open; 10:e037790. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-037790
• Gidlow, C.J., Ellis, N.J., Cowap, L.C., Riley, V., et al. (2019). A qualitative study of cardiovascular disease risk communication in NHS Health Check using different risk calculators: protocol for the RIsk COmmunication in NHS Health Check (RICO) study. BMC Family Practice, 20:11, doi: 10.1186/s12875-018-0897-0.
• Riley, V., Gidlow, C., Ellis, N., Povey, R. et al. (2019). Improving Cardiovascular Disease Risk Communication in the UK National Health Service Health Check Programme. Patient Education & Counselling, 102:11, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2019.05.014
• Gidlow, C.J., Ellis, N.J., Riley, V., Chadborn, T., et al. (2019). Randomised controlled trial comparing uptake of NHS Health Check in response to standard letters, risk-personalised letters and telephone invitations. BMC Public Health, 19:224, doi: 10.1186/s12889-019-6540-8
• Riley, V., Gidlow, C., Ellis, N.J. (2018) Understanding implementation and uptake in the National Health Service Health Check programme. Public Health, 159, 63-66.
• Riley, V., Gidlow, C., Ellis, N.J. (2018). Uptake of NHS Health Check: Issues in Monitoring. Primary Health Care Research and Development, 20:e64. Doi:10.1017/S1463423618000592
• Drinkwater, K., Dagnall, N., Grogan, S., Riley, V. (2017). Understanding the Unknown: A Thematic Analysis of Subjective Paranormal Experiences. Australian Journal of Parapsychology. 17(1), 23-46. https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/informit.910852610745784
• Fern, V. Grogan, S., Buckley, E.J. (2014). Women’s experiences of body image and baby feeding choices: Dealing with the Pressure to Be Slender. British Journal of Midwifery, 22(11), 788-794.
• Fern, V.A., Buckley, E., Grogan, S. (2012). Women's experiences of body image and weight loss after childbirth. British Journal of Midwifery, 20, 860-865.

Reports:

• Gidlow, C., McCormack, F., Riley, V., Spyropoulos, K. (2021). Welfare benefits: Leading and Learning (WBLL) model in Stoke-on-Trent – Evaluation report. Centre for Health and Development, September 2021. https://www.chadresearch.co.uk/reports/
• Riley, V., Fedorowicz, S., Gidlow, C. (2021). Evaluation of the heart age test:
• Findings from test user data, an online survey and follow-up interviews. Centre for Health and Development, July 2021. https://www.chadresearch.co.uk/evaluation-of-the-heart-age-test/
• Gidlow, C., Riley, V. (2021). Physical activity and alcohol measurement in NHS Health Check. Public Health England, January 2021. https://www.healthcheck.nhs.uk/commissioners-and-providers/evidence/
• Gidlow, C., Ellis., Cowap. L., Riley, V., et al. (2021). Cardiovascular disease risk communication in NHS Health Checks using QRISK2 and JBS3 risk calculators: the RICO qualitative and quantitative study. Health Technology Assessment, 25, (50). https://doi.org/10.3310/hta25500
• Riley, V., Fedorowicz, S., Ellis, N., Hine, R., Gidlow., C. (2020). Covid-19 and Homelessness: National policy at the local level. Centre for Health and Development, December 2020. https://www.chadresearch.co.uk/reports/
• Gidlow, C., Povey, R., Ellis, N., Begum, S., Riley, V., et al. (2018). Uptake and retention in group-based weight-management services: Literature review and behavioural analysis. Public Health England, July 2018.