Studentships

CPEC leads the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Adult Social Care (ASCRU2). ASCRU2 is a collaboration between the LSE, University of Kent and King’s College London, carrying out research in England to provide national and local policymakers with the evidence and information they need to make decisions about adult social care. ASCRU2 received funding for five years from January 2024 until December 2028. Its programme of work is decided with England’s Department of Health and Social Care.

CPEC is recruiting for a full-time MPhil/PhD studentship linked to ASCRU2, with a start date of October 2025.

The doctoral student will be required to examine topics related to the macro/micro simulation of future patterns of social care demand and expenditure in England. Within this field, the topics could include simulations relating to, for example, the balance between unpaid and formal care, the balance between community-based care and housing with care, equity issues relating to the adult social care funding system, and social care workforce and pay. Although the focus of the analyses should be the English system, the topic is of interest internationally and the PhD might examine international systems and evidence relevant to the English context.
The successful applicant will be expected to participate in activities organised by NIHR ASCRU and CPEC, and, as appropriate, other National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) and NIHR Academy activities.

Read more [PDF]

CPEC is a member of the NIHR School for Social Care Research (NIHR SSCR). NIHR SSCR is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research to develop the evidence base to inform and improve adult social care practice in England through research. NIHR SSCR started in 2009 and has commissioned over 280 research projects, as well as a number of scoping and methods reviews. NIHR SSCR’s fourth 5-year phase started in May 2024.

With funding through NIHR SSCR, CPEC is currently recruiting for one full-time MPhil/PhD studentship, with a start date of October 2025.

The doctoral student will be required to conduct research relevant to adult social care practice in England and in line with the NIHR SSCR’s research themes.

The successful applicant will be expected to participate in activities organised by NIHR SSCR, particularly activities that involve other PhD students funded under this programme at other universities, and, as appropriate, other National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) and NIHR Academy activities.

Read more  [PDF]

Please follow the application instructions set-out on the I-CARE DTC advert in the first instance: https://www.dementiaresearcher.nihr.ac.uk/phd-studentships-at-i-care-doctoral-training-centre/. 

Funded by the Alzheimer’s Society, the Doctoral Training Centre for Integrated Care (I-Care DTC) brings together five leading institutions in dementia care research: Queen Mary University of London (QMUL), University College London (UCL), London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), Leeds Beckett University (LBU) and University of Plymouth (UoP). I-Care DTC has funding for 29 PhD students over 8 years, with a new cohort each year for five years.

Threee possible LSE projects are available for doctoral students:

1. Choice and autonomy in persons with dementia and carer dyads: Research questions might include: How do people with dementia and their carers perceive ‘choice’ and ‘independence’ in the dyadic caring relationship, and how does this change over time? How are decisions made about support given and received? What are the restrictions on choice and the facilitators? In what ways do these negotiations impact on the support received by the dyad? How do and how can practitioners best work with people with dementia and their carers to maximise choice over social care receipt and provision, health care and housing? How do and how can practitioners best work with people with dementia and their carers to help promote and negotiate autonomy and choice for both parties in the dyad.

2. Autonomy, independence and technology acceptance and use decisions by people with dementia: How can carers make person-centred choices that recognise the autonomy of the person with dementia that they support when they look for technologies to help the person with dementia live independently? What supports and protections can health and social care organisations, the voluntary sector and government provide to these consumers? How does the sense of autonomy of an individual with dementia relate to the decision to adopt and use technology?

3. Addressing inequalities in social care: To explore how policy makers, service providers and others could reduce these variations to improve the independence and wellbeing of people with dementia and their carers.

Read more [External website]