Alexis Foster

Dr. Alexis Foster is a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield. As a mixed-methods researcher, she specializes in voluntary sector (VCSEs) workforce support, social prescribing, systems mapping, and health inequalities. Her work emphasizes participatory action research and stakeholder engagement to improve health service delivery.

• Education: BA (Hons) in Social Science and Politics (1st Class), MPH (Distinction), PhD – all from the University of Sheffield.

Current research focuses on:

• Improving voluntary sector workforce retention through NIHR-funded action research
• Evaluating national social prescribing programs (e.g., British Red Cross loneliness initiative)
• Developing research capacity in local authorities and third sector organizations
• Systems mapping for child weight reduction interventions (Henry III study)
• Addressing health inequalities in diagnostic pathways for Painful Neuropathy and Molar Pregnancies

Articles demonstrate trends in social prescribing, third sector evaluation, and health systems research. Her mixed-methods approach bridges qualitative stakeholder analysis with quantitative process evaluations.

Leadership roles include:

• Principal Investigator for NIHR HSDR grant
• Co-Investigator in multi-center studies (Doncaster HDRC, Green Social Prescribing)
• Mentoring early-career researchers and reviewing for journals/funding panels

Dr. Foster actively collaborates with voluntary sector organizations, local authorities, and academic institutions to translate research into practice.