Current Projects
| Committee Work
1. evaluating the psychological and social impact of cleft surgery in the developing world
In 2002, I travelled with a team of surgeons and anaesthetists to Uganda. They were carrying out surgery to repair cleft lip and palates in babies, children and adults. I was asked to find ways of assessing the impact of the unrepaired cleft and of subsequent surgery. The results were collated into pre- and post-operative questionnaires. I have presented my findings to professional meetings of surgeons and other interested groups, for example in Durban at the international Craniofacial meeting in 2005. I am currently working on a chapter about this issue for a forthcoming text-book.
Anyone interested in using the questionnaires and/or collaborating on future work in this area can contact me via my email address.
2. psychological support for people with hemifacial palsy
Having carried out a research project looking at the psychological and social impact of hemi-facial palsy, I presented the results to scientific meetings of surgeons and published in the British Journal of Plastic Surgery (ref). Since then I have been approached to carry out further collaborative research, and contribute to a web-site for those with this condition.
3. psychology training for surgeons and cosmetic practitioners
As a consequence of my clinical and research experience, and arising out of my work with the Inter-Surgical Speciality Committee (ref), I have been working with other experts in this field to develop this training. My most recent project has been to develop the psychology modules for the Post-Graduate Diploma in Aesthetic Surgery, run by the University of London as a distance learning qualification. Other training modules are being developed and available to cosmetic practitioners, on an individual, small group or large group basis. For further information please contact me via my email address.
4. other research projects
I am also currently involved in other research projects including a longitudinal study assessing the ante-natal and post-natal course for women who have had an abnormality (in this case a cleft) identified on a scan. I am also involved in the supervision of research looking at outcome in orthognathic surgery.