Wendy Bryant

Academic qualifications

PhD

Profile

Since being appointed as a lecturer at Brunel in 2003, I have focused on developing participatory research including local people and generating real-world research projects. I set up the Researching Psychosis Together group in 2007, which is a collaboration between mental health service user-researchers, NHS staff and Brunel. Our research has attracted external funding and financial support from the university Knowledge Transfer scheme. Since 2009 I have worked with Professor Peter Beresford, as deputy director of the Centre for Citizen Participation, setting up a user advisory group. Prior to becoming a lecturer I worked for 18 years in the NHS and social care as an occupational therapist. Initially my clinical work was primarily with older people in older people’s services and general medicine and surgery. Following a short spell working in rheumatology, I specialised in working with older people with mental health problems, developing creative and sensory approaches to people with advanced dementia. In 1990 I relocated to a new community mental health team, working with adults and setting up day services in community settings. Later I researched service user and staff perspectives on these services, while employed in acute admissions (mental health). In 1996 I sought a complete change and worked in social care, specialising in major housing adaptations for people with physical disabilities. While studying for my MSc I combined freelance and sessional work which included delivering training for Surrey County Council, managing staff development for occupational therapists, sessional lecturing and clinical work in a community eating disorders team. My PhD research built on my MSc, exploring mental health day services with participatory action research.

Committee responsibilities

• Deputy Director for Centre for Citizen Participation
• MSc Occupational Therapy Course Committees and Exam Boards (Pre and Post Registration)
• Professional Development in Academic Practice (PDAP) School Co-ordinator
• School Research Ethics Committee reviewer

Teaching responsibilities

• Module and programme teaching responsibilities
• Year 2 leader, MSc Occupational Therapy (Pre-Registration)
• Module leader, HH55029 Occupational Science
• Specific interests in occupational science, professional practice, social model of disability, mental health, social care, research methods and design, role-emerging practice placements, bringing theory into practice.

PhD supervision

Supervising Kevin Cordingley and Anna Pettican (participatory action research with the Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) Sports League.

Research interests

Participatory, emancipatory and creative approaches to research, involving people using and working in health and social care services; taking an occupational perspective on health, well-being and research; mental health; social care; social, leisure and arts activities; oral history; alienation and occupational alienation.

Research centres

• Centre for Citizen Participation (CCP)
• Centre for Professional Practice (CPPR)
• CCentre for Research in Rehabilitation (CRR)

Research projects and grants

Research projects with funding

• Ways of Seeing: evaluation of a community arts project at the Lightbox Museum, Woking
• Going out in Kingston: participatory action research with mental health service users
• Living with psychosis (Researching Psychosis Together group): mental health service user perspectives
• An exploration of the meaning of occupational engagement for forensic mental health in-patients: focus group study
• PhD studies: User involvement in mental health day services.
• An evaluation of day services and accommodation services for users with enduring mental illness: focus group study

Please click here to read and download reports.

Other research

• Occupational therapy in acute in-patient mental health services: service user perspectives
• Service user perspectives on experiences of in-patient mental health rehabilitation

Membership and affiliation

• British Association of Occupational Therapists
• Registered with the Health Professions Council
• Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Member of the College of Occupational Therapists specialist section for Mental Health
• Member of the World Federation of Occupational Therapy

Professional activities or recognition

• College of Occupational Therapists Senior Researchers Forum Member
• Recovery Research Network, Institute of Psychiatry, Member of Core Collective
• Research Centre for Occupation and Mental Health, York St John University, Steering group member
• World Federation of Occupational Therapists: International Advisory Group for Human Rights Convenor

Publications

Journal Papers

(Forthcoming) Bryant, W. and Walker, G., Peer support in adult mental health services: A metasynthesis of qualitative findings, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal Forthcoming

(2012) Bryant, W., Notley, J., Grove, M., Croucher, A., Pell, H., Cordingley, K. and Blank, A., 'I know how to look after myself a lot better now': Service user perspectives on mental health in-patient rehabilitation, International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation 19 (5) : 288- 298

(2012) Bryant, W., Parsonage, J., Tibbs, A., Andrews, C., Clark, J. and Franco, L., Meeting in the mist: Key considerations in a collaborative research partnership with people with mental health issues, WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, & Rehabilitation 43 (1) : 23- 31

(2011) Bryant, W., Mental health day services in the UK from 1946 to 1995: An “untidy set of services”, British Journal of Occupational Therapy 74 (12) : 554- 561

(2011) Bryant, W., Tibbs, A. and Clark, J., Visualising a safe space: The perspective of people using mental health day services, Disability and Society 26 (5) : 611- 628

(2010) Bryant, W., Global voices, local lives: human rights and occupational therapy, World Federation of Occupational Therapists Bulletin 62 5- 6

(2010) Bryant, W., Unbelievable. Practice, theory and the work of Jennifer Creek, British Journal of Occupational Therapy 73 (10) : 487- 489

(2010) Craik, C., Bryant, W., Ryan, A., Barclay, S., Brooke, N., Mason, A. and Russell, P., A qualitative study of service user experiences of occupation in forensic mental health, Australian Occupational Therapy Journal 57 (5) : 339- 344

(2010) Bryant, W., Vacher, G., Beresford, P. and McKay, E., The modernisation of mental health day services: participatory action research exploring social networking, Mental Health Review Journal 15 (3) : 11- 21

(2009) Farrell, C. and Bryant, W., Voluntary work for adults with mental health problems: A route to inclusion? A review of the literature, British Journal of Occupational Therapy 72 (4) : 163- 173

(2009) Farrell, C. and Bryant, W., Voluntary work for adults with mental illness: An exploration of the perspectives of recruiters, British Journal of Occupational Therapy 72 (5) : 188- 196

(2007) Pettican, A. and Bryant, W., Sustaining a focus on occupation in community mental health practice, British Journal of Occupational Therapy 70 (4) : 140- 146 Download publication

(2005) Bryant, W. and McKay, E., What's cooking? Theory and practice in the kitchen, British Journal of Occupational Therapy 68 (2) : 67- 74 Download publication

(2005) Bryant, W., Craik, C. and McKay, EA., Perspectives of day and accommodation services for people with enduring mental illness, Journal of Mental Health 14 (2) : 109- 120 Download publication

(2004) Bryant, W., Craik, C. and McKay, EA., Living in a glasshouse: Exploring occupational alienation, Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy 71 (5) : 282- 289 Download publication

(2004) Bryant, W., Numbers in evidence [Letter], British Journal of Occupational Therapy 67 (2) : 99- 100

(1995) Bryant, W., The social contact group: an example of long term group work in community mental health, British Journal of Occupational Therapy 58 (5) : 214- 218

Conference Papers

(2011) Bryant, W., Sims, K. and Pritesh, J., Qualitative research on service user experiences of acute mental health occupational therapy, The College of Occupational Therapists 35th Annual Conference and Exhibition

(2011) Morris, J., Bryant, W., Harper, S. and Norcup, C., The road to recovery: participatory action research involving mental health service users, The College of Occupational Therapists 35th Annual Conference and Exhibition

(2011) Bryant, W., McKay, E. and Craik, C., Engaging mental health consumers in participatory action research on social inclusion: an exploration of two UK studies, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) 91st Annual Conference

(2011) Bryant, W. and Walker, G., Perspectives of mental health consumers on occupational therapy for an acute in-patient unit in West London, United Kingdom, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) 91st Annual Conference

(2010) Bryant, W., Andrews, C., Franco, L., Makdisi, L. and Parsonage, J., Living with psychosis: collaborative research designed by mental health service users, INVOLVE 7th National Conference - Public Involvement in Research: Innovation and Impact

(2010) Bryant, W., Harper, S. and Norcup, C., Going out in Kingston, Refocus on Recovery Conference

(2010) Bryant, W., Parsonage, J. and Craik, C., Knowledge transfer in action: from service user, academic and practitioner perspectives, The College of Occupational Therapists 34th Annual Conference and Exhibition

(2010) Townsend, E., Hocking, C., Kronenberg, F., Rushford, N., Sinclair, K., Thomas, K. and Bryant, W., Implementing the WFOT Position Statement on human rights, 15th Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT)

(2010) Bryant, W., Harper, S., Norcup, C., Morris, J. and Craik, C., Going out in Kingston, COTSS-Mental Health 13th Annual Conference: Specialist Section – Mental Health

(2010) Bryant, W., Andrews, C., Parsonage, J., Clark, J., Franco, L. and Makdisi, L., Meeting in the mist, COTSS-Mental Health 13th Annual Conference: Specialist Section – Mental Health

(2009) Bryant, W., Pell, H., Notley, J., Croucher, A., Grove, M., Blank, A. and Cordingley, K., The perspectives of mental health service users on in-patient rehabilitation: a collaborative qualitative research project, The College of Occupational Therapists 33rd Annual Conference and Exhibition

(2009) Bryant, W. and Farrell, C., Voluntary work for adults with mental illness: the recruiters' perspective, The College of Occupational Therapists 33rd Annual Conference and Exhibition

(2008) Bryant, W., McKay, E., Vacher, G. and Beresford, P., Ethical issues encountered in participatory action research with mental health service users, 7th Qualitative Research Conference

(2008) Bryant, W., McKay, E., Beresford, P. and Vacher, G., Informing service development through participatory action research with mental health day service users, 8th European Congress of Occupational Therapy

(2008) Bryant, W. and Lim, KH., Involving mental health service users in research and education, 8th European Congress of Occupational Therapy

(2008) Bryant, W., Craik, C. and Bragg, A., Occupational engagement for in-patients in forensic mental health services, 8th European Congress of Occupational Therapy

Book Chapters

(2011) Bryant, W., McKay, E., Beresford, P. and Vacher, G., An occupational perspective on partcipatory research. In: Kronenberg, K., Pollard, N. and Sakellariou, D. eds. Occupational Therapies without Borders: towards an ecology of occupation-based practices.. Edinburgh : Elsevier Churchill Livingstone 367- 374

(2009) Bryant, W., Creating opportunities for participation within and beyond mental health day services. In: Söderback, I. ed. International Handbook of Occupational Therapy Interventions. New York : Springer 413- 421

(2008) Bryant, W., Occupational, social and intrapersonal alienation explored in the community. In: McKay, EA., Craik, C., Lim, KH. and Richards, G. eds. Advancing Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Practice. Oxford : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 89- 102