Sarah Northcott

Sarah Northcott is a Senior Lecturer and Clinical Academic at the Division of Language and Communication Science within the School of Health Sciences at City St George's, University of London. She is also a Research Affiliate at the Centre for Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation, La Trobe University, Australia, and was a part-time Senior Lecturer at the University of East Anglia from 2019 to 2021.

Her educational background includes a PhD in 'Social support after a stroke' and an MSc in Speech and Language Therapy, both from City, University of London. She also holds a BA Hons in Music from the University of Cambridge and a PGDiploma in Piano Accompaniment from the Royal Academy of Music.

Sarah’s research centers on enhancing the psychosocial well-being of individuals living with stroke and aphasia. She has two major research strands: (1) adapting Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) for people with aphasia, notably through the SOFIA trial, and (2) exploring the lived experience of stroke and aphasia, including developing accessible outcome measures such as the Stroke Social Network Scale. Her recent projects include THEA, ELA, and the WISA project, all funded by major organizations including the Stroke Association and Sir Halley Stewart Trust.

The 15 most recent articles reflect a consistent focus on psychosocial interventions, peer support, telehealth, and co-designed research methods. Key themes include emotional well-being, patient-centered care, intervention feasibility, and the role of healthcare staff in supporting recovery. The studies employ mixed methods, with strong emphasis on qualitative insights from people with aphasia and their families.

• 2016 Editor's Award, Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research
• School of Health Sciences Postdoctoral Fellowship (2015)
• Stroke Association Jack and Averil (Mansfield) Bradley Fellowship (2016)

Sarah has supervised multiple research projects and collaborated extensively with Dr. Katerina Hilari and other experts in aphasia rehabilitation. She has led funded grants totaling over £190,000 and is actively involved in public and patient engagement. She has contributed to editorial boards of journals such as Aphasiology and Clinical Rehabilitation, and serves on advisory committees including Aphasia United. Her work emphasizes co-production, ensuring that people with lived experience shape research priorities and outputs.

She leads the WISA project (Wellbeing In Stroke and Aphasia), which began in 2023 and aims to develop an innovative, accessible psychological support service for people with aphasia. Her lab and research team operate within a participatory framework, integrating clinical practice, academic research, and community engagement to drive meaningful change in stroke rehabilitation services.