Sara Bradley

Sara Bradley is a Research Fellow in the Faculty of Life Sciences and Education, contributing to the Health, Care and Wellbeing Research and Innovation Group. Her work is centered on improving health outcomes through community-centered, non-clinical approaches, particularly in rural contexts.

Her research interests include social prescribing, green health, mental health and wellbeing, health inequalities, rural service provision, and community engagement through co-production. These areas reflect a strong commitment to addressing systemic disparities in healthcare access and outcomes, especially in remote regions of Scotland.

The recent body of her work demonstrates a consistent focus on understanding and mitigating rural health inequalities through participatory and nature-based interventions. Publications span topics such as loneliness in rural Scotland, physical activity for diabetes management, and scaling social prescribing models like the Prescribe Heritage Highland project. Her research integrates public health, social science, and community development perspectives.

Notable scientific awards include:

• Best Poster Prize at the Innovative Solutions in Remote and Rural Communities Healthcare Conference (SRHP), 2018
• 3rd Prize for Best Non-Student Academic Poster at the Scottish Physical Activity Research Connections Conference (SPARC), 2022

Sara Bradley has been actively involved in knowledge dissemination through conference presentations, media engagement, and public talks, such as 'The Value of Social Prescribing' (2022) and 'Bespoked Cycling to Health in the Highlands' (2020). She has contributed to over 30 research outputs, including peer-reviewed articles, reports, and conference posters. While no formal advisees are listed, her collaborative work indicates strong interdisciplinary and community partnerships. She is not noted to be part-time, retired, or former staff, and remains an active researcher in her field.

Her work is supported by active involvement in research networks focused on rural health innovation and community wellbeing, with evidence of sustained external collaboration across Scotland. Projects such as Prescribe Heritage Highland highlight her leadership in designing and evaluating scalable, place-based health interventions.