Deterioration, Safety, and Equity: Addressing racialised disparities in the assessment and management of deterioration in English maternity settings

Our fully funded PhD studentship in the School of Psychology for 2026/27 offers an exciting opportunity to use an equity lens to explore how deterioration is recognised, assessed, and managed in English maternity settings. The award is open to full-time candidates (UK only) who meet the eligibility for a place on a PhD degree at the School of Psychology.

<p>Reducing maternal deaths by 50% by 2025 remains a national goal (Adensina et al., 2025). However, this target is challenged by entrenched inequities in maternity care. Despite national goals to reduce maternal deaths, racially minoritised women continue to experience disproportionate harm. Black women are 2.3 times, and Asian women 1.3 times, more likely to die during or after pregnancy than white women (MBRRACE, 2025). Evidence suggests that racially minoritised women are more likely to experience failures in the detection and management of clinical deterioration, reflected in delayed escalation of care and dismissive responses to symptoms (CQC, 2023; Corp et al., 2024; Peter et al., 2025).</p> <p>Three interrelated gaps remain underexplored, (1) how obstetric racism, bias, and stereotyping influence the recognition of deterioration and escalation decisions in maternity care, (2) whether current deterioration assessment tools and escalation pathways operate equitably across racially diverse populations and (3) how women from racially minoritised backgrounds experience early signs of deterioration and how these are interpreted by clinicians.</p> <p>Addressing these gaps will require the exploration of both systemic and interpersonal drivers of inequity, including how ‘race’ and racialisation shape how physiological and patient reported symptoms are measured and interpreted and then managed.</p> <p>This project will investigate how deterioration assessment tools, escalation pathways, and clinical decision-making may be influenced by bias, structural racism, and systemic inequities. It will explore lived experiences of deterioration and safety-critical interactions and identify opportunities to co-design solutions embedding equity into clinical protocols and training.</p> <p>Key research activities may include:</p> <ul> <li>Equity-focused document analysis of deterioration triggers and escalation guidelines.</li> <li>Qualitative case studies using interviews, diaries, and ethnographic observation.</li> <li>Stakeholder engagement and codesign with racially minoritised women, birthing people, and maternity staff to develop and evaluate equity-focused improvements.</li> </ul> <p>This research will inform national maternity safety initiatives by uncovering inequities in deterioration assessments and escalation and contribute to reducing preventable harm for racially minoritised populations.</p> <p>Working with Rebecca Lawton, Ana Manzano, Olivia Joseph and Benash Nazmeen at the University of Leeds and University of Bradford and colleagues at Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, holders of our prestigious PhD studentships will work within an inclusive, supportive and collaborative research team at the NIHR <a href="https://psrc-yh.nihr.ac.uk/">Yorkshire and Humber Patient Safety Research Collaboration (YH PSRC)</a>, which is at the forefront of patient safety research providing nationally and internationally important patient safety research.</p> <p>NIHR YH PSRC is a collaboration between the Bradford Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust and the University of Leeds. Our mission is to deliver research to make care safer. We are one of six NIHR Patient Safety Research Collaborations in England. Our work draws on the knowledge and expertise of well-established networks of researchers, patients/carers, clinicians and industry partners to develop ideas that address patient safety problems. To find out more about our current PhD students and the <a href="https://yqsr.org/our-team/">wider research team</a>, please visit <a href="http://www.yqsr.org">www.yqsr.org</a>.</p>

<p>To apply for this scholarship opportunity applicants should complete an <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">online application form</a> and attach the following documentation to support their application.</p> <ul> <li>a full academic CV</li> <li>a short research proposal (300–500 words)</li> <li>degree certificate and transcripts of marks</li> <li>Evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (if applicable)</li> </ul> <p>To help us identify that you are applying for this scholarship project please ensure you provide the following information on your application form;</p> <ul> <li>Select PhD in Psychology as your programme of study</li> <li>Give the full project title and name the supervisors listed in this advert</li> <li>For source of funding please state you are applying for an <strong>NIHR</strong> <strong>Yorkshire and Humber PSRC Scholarship</strong></li> </ul> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p>

Applicants to this scholarship in the School of Psychology should normally have an Undergraduate degree of 2:1 or above (or international equivalent) in a relevant subject area. A Master’s degree is desirable, but not essential. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the School or Admissions Team prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for postgraduate research study in the Faculty of Medicine and Health is an IELTS of 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid.

<p>NIHR Yorkshire and Humber Patient Safety Research Collaboration and the University of Leeds are offering 1 full-time PhD scholarship in the School of Psychology for one UK candidate, covering a maintenance grant each year matching the UKRI rate (£20,780 for 2025/26) and UK tuition fees for three years. The award will be made for one year in the first instance and renewable for a further period of up to two years, subject to satisfactory academic progress.</p> <h5>Other conditions</h5> <ul> <li>Applicants must not have already been awarded or be currently studying for a doctoral degree.</li> <li>Preference will be given to candidates who are able to take up the award by 1^st April 2026, but we will consider candidates who can start any time before October 2026.</li> <li>Applicants must live within a reasonable distance of the University of Leeds whilst in receipt of this scholarship.</li> </ul>

<p>For further information about the admissions process, please contact the FMH PGR Admissions Team:<br /> e: <a href="http://fmhpgradmissions@leeds.ac.uk">fmhpgradmissions@leeds.ac.uk</a></p> <p>If you would like to know more about this studentship or the work of the YH PSRC, please contact: Professor Rebecca Lawton(<a href="http://r.j.lawton@leeds.ac.uk">r.j.lawton@leeds.ac.uk</a>) or Dr Olivia Joseph (<a href="http://Olivia.joseph2@bthft.nhs.uk">Olivia.joseph2@bthft.nhs.uk</a>).  There will be an opportunity for an informal chat with current PhD students, researchers or Lay Leaders (our patient research partners), at the interview itself.</p>