Nicola has expertise in health services research focused on acute and crisis mental health. She has an interest in research focused on improving outcomes in community crisis care, development of interventions in crisis and intensive home treatment and imporving the experiences of people during a crisis and their family and friends. 

Nicola is experienced with involving people with lived experience in developing research ideas and in delivering high quality studies as research partners. 

Nicola works across Northumbria University and Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust to deliver high qaulity research and support the development of the nursing contribution to research. Nicola has engaged with a range of health, social care and voluntary sector partners to deliver research.

Nicola has expertise in realist methods, qualitative research, mixed method synthesis and evidence synthesis.