Elizabeth Ford

Elizabeth Ford is an Associate Professor in Health Data Science at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, with expertise in analyzing primary care data and linked routinely collected health data to identify areas for healthcare improvement. She serves as Lead for Data Science in the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex (ARC KSS), where she works to enhance health data science capacity across the region. Her research focuses on developing early detection models for mental health conditions and dementia, and understanding groups at risk of delayed diagnosis of long-term conditions.

Professor Ford's academic journey began with a BA in Psychology from Oxford University, followed by an MRC-funded DPhil in clinical health psychology at the University of Sussex. She has held progressive academic positions at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, advancing from Research Fellow to her current role as Associate Professor. Her career demonstrates a clear trajectory in health data science, epidemiology, and public engagement with health data.

Her research spans health data science methodology, ethical considerations in data use, and practical applications for healthcare improvement. Professor Ford specializes in risk prediction modeling, data quality assessment using free text, Bayesian methods for handling missing data, and public engagement approaches to build social license for data sharing. Her work addresses critical challenges in using routinely collected health data for research while maintaining public trust.

Professor Ford's recent publications reflect her leadership in navigating the technical, ethical, and governance dimensions of health data science. Her work addresses data privacy concerns, quality assessment of electronic health records, development of risk prediction models, and public perspectives on data sharing - all critical areas for advancing responsible health data research.

• Future Leader in Health Data Science by the Farr Institute of Health Informatics Research (2016)

As an educator, Professor Ford oversees undergraduate research methods curriculum and teaches epidemiology and health data science to Masters students. She runs a specialized course on AI in healthcare for medical undergraduates and regularly supervises research projects at all levels. Her teaching reflects her commitment to developing the next generation of health data scientists who can navigate both technical and ethical challenges in the field.

Professor Ford actively collaborates with NHS, public health, and public stakeholders across Sussex, Kent, and Surrey to support responsible use of routinely collected data in research. Her leadership in developing secure regional data environments and understanding public perspectives on data sharing positions her at the forefront of health data science infrastructure development in the UK.