Amy O'Donnell

Amy O'Donnell is a Research Fellow at Newcastle University's Population Health Sciences Institute within the Faculty of Medical Sciences. She holds an NIHR Advanced Fellowship and has extensive experience in public health research, focusing on improving healthcare access for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders through digital technologies and integrated care models. Her work bridges academic research with policy implementation, collaborating internationally with organizations like the WHO and national health ministries.

Education: PhD in Public Health (2010–2017, ESRC-funded) examining electronic patient data applications in primary care. Postdoctoral training included an NIHR School for Primary Care Fellowship and a Visiting Implementation Fellowship at Linköping University (Sweden).

Research Interests: Developing scalable, technology-driven solutions for mental health and addiction care, with a focus on marginalized populations. Her SCALA project (Horizon 2020) has influenced national policies in Peru, Colombia, and Mexico, including clinical pathway integration into national budgets and training programs.

Awards: NIHR Advanced Fellowship (2017–present), NIHR Postdoctoral Fellowship (2017), Horizon 2020 SCALA Project leadership (2018–2022). Her work emphasizes real-world impact, such as Peru's national mental health budget reforms and Colombia's regulated care pathways for alcohol interventions.

Future Goals: Building a dedicated research team to advance integrated care models and pursue large-scale trials of innovative care pathways. Aims to achieve global scalability through partnerships with international health systems.