معرفی
Debra Westlake is an Honorary University Fellow at Peninsula Medical School and a Research Fellow at the NIHR SW Peninsula Applied Research Collaboration (PenARC). Her academic role focuses on primary medical care, particularly the integration of social prescribing link workers into healthcare systems. She contributes to research on new models of care, patient-centered approaches, and the dynamics of healthcare personnel within primary care settings.
Debra's research spans primary care, social prescribing, and health services implementation. She investigates link worker integration, workforce retention, and patient engagement through realist evaluations and qualitative studies. Her work addresses the challenges of implementing social prescribing in primary care, including organizational change and sustainability. Key areas include the role of link workers in addressing loneliness and mental health among ethnic minority older adults, and the development of person-centered care models.
Her recent publications (2024-2025) consistently examine social prescribing link workers in primary care. Themes include factors influencing link worker retention, implementation strategies, and patient perspectives. Using cross-sectional surveys, realist evaluations, and scoping reviews, her research identifies barriers and facilitators to successful integration. The work highlights the importance of supportive organizational structures and the impact of link workers on patient outcomes and healthcare delivery.
