Projects per year
Personal profile
Areas of Expertise
Public Mental Health, Workplace Wellbeing, Sleep and Fatigue in Workforces, Emergency Responder and Serving Personnel Health and Wellbeing, Mindfulness, Psychiatric Epidemiology
Biography
I am interested in public health approaches to mental health, especially how to promote mentally healthy workplaces. I am a psychiatric epidemiologist and have been a registered psychologist earlier in my career.
My work programme is addressing a national priority area on how to attract and retain the health and social care workforce through improving the way we support staff and learners in the health and social care systems. Current and recent projects have included: exploring strategies to improve sleep quality and reduce fatigue in health staff; improving mental resilience in Royal Navy submariners; how to promote mental health and reduce suicide risk in ambulance staff; supporting the wellbeing of learners including PhD students and psychological trainees; and identifying ways to support family carers in their interactions with the health and social care system. I am Theme Lead for NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) East of England Mental Health Over the Life Course (2022-2026), where I also lead the Workforce Wellbeing work stream. I am a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health and a member of the Society for Occupational Health, and regularly review for journals and grant bodies in my field including NIHR. I have served on NIHR funding committees for research in the Work and Health initiative.
I have collaborated and supervised across the health and social sciences including medical specialties, public health, nursing, psychology, business, economics, and sociology. I am an experienced PhD supervisor, having worked with 18 PhD students to date.
For full publication list see https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3132-2745
Prior to relocating to the UK in 2017 I was a Chief Investigator on competitive grants totalling AU$9.8 million, including a highly competitive Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellowship plus project support from both the Australian National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and the Australian Research Council. I had been continuously funded by NHMRC for 17 years (2003-2019). I have served on 13 national grant review panels (selection panels) in health and medical research and chaired a state-wide scientific review ethics committee.
Key Research Interests
Mental health and wellbeing of health and social care workforce
Sleep and fatigue in high-risk workforces
Health of shift-workers
Public mental health
Mental health epidemiology
Workplace health promotion
Mindfulness and positive psychology interventions
Teaching Interests
Doctoral training
Research methods
Quality improvement
Professionalism, self-care, leadership and creating healthy workplaces
Sleep health and fatigue management for health professionals
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
Education/Academic qualification
Doctor of Philosophy, Ph.D., Psychiatric Epidemiology, University of New South Wales
… → 2001
Bachelor of Science in Psychology, B.Sc., Psychology (Hons), University of New South Wales
… → 1993
External positions
Theme Lead, Mental Health Over the Life Course, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration East of England
1 Oct 2022 → 30 Mar 2026
Media Expertise
- Mental Health
- Wellbeing at work
Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Extension
Crozier, K., Crozier, K., Farquhar, M., Hornberger, M., Mioshi, E., Sanderson, K., Wagner, A., Burrows, S., Franks, L., Gardener, C., Gillings, R., Grotz, J., Miners, L., Beresford, P., Cameron, R., Peryer, G. & Risebro, H.
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/10/24 → 31/03/26
Project: Research
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Changing the trajectories of mental health difficulties in Norfolk and Suffolk: a research-priority-setting project with patients, the public, clinicians, policymakers, and stakeholders
Oduola, S., Broomfield, N., Holmes, J., Khadjesari, Z., Notley, C., Parretti, H., Sanderson, K. & Zile, A.
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/06/24 → 31/05/25
Project: Research
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Changing the trajectories of mental health difficulties in Norfolk and Suffolk: a research-priority-setting project with patients, the public, clinicians, policymakers and other stakeholders—study protocol
Oduola, S., Morgan, C., Das-Munshi, J., Broomfield, N., Parretti, H., Sanderson, K., Notley, C., Zile, A., Morrissey, S., Khadjesari, Z. & Holmes, J., Jan 2025, In: BMJ Open. 15, 1, e093980.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile24 Downloads (Pure) -
What works for psychological interventions designed to increase wellbeing in psychological therapy trainees? A systematic review
Owen, J., Biggart, L., Fisher, P., Figueredo, A., Al-Rousi, S., Colvin-Jarvis, J., Williamson, E. & Sanderson, K., 8 Jan 2025, In: Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice. 20, 1, p. 45-60 16 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Open AccessFile5 Downloads (Pure) -
Care-home Nurses' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic: Managing ethical conundrums at personal cost: A qualitative study
Birt, L., Lane, K., Corner, J., Sanderson, K. & Bunn, D., Jan 2023, In: Journal of Nursing Scholarship. 55, 1, p. 226-238 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile6 Citations (Scopus)40 Downloads (Pure) -
Developing the occupational communion scale: Belonging-based social connections are vital for work engagement, self-efficacy, and positive affect in aged care workforces
Elliott, K. E. J., Quinn, M. G., Stirling, C. M., Sanderson, K., Robinson, A. L., Martin, A. J. & Scott, J. L., Aug 2023, In: The Gerontologist. 63, 6, p. 1028–1038 11 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile3 Citations (Scopus)8 Downloads (Pure) -
Protocol: A qualitative linguistic framework for analysing empathic and empowering communications in classical person-centered therapeutic interactions
Dawe, J., Elder, C-H. & Sanderson, K., 2023, In: Person-Centered and Experiential Psychotherapies. 22, 1, p. 77-95 19 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile18 Downloads (Pure)
Activities
- 3 Network, Working Group or Professional Association
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NIHR ARC East of England, Mental Health Over the Life Course (External organisation)
Kristy Sanderson (Theme Lead)
1 Oct 2022 → 30 Sept 2024Activity: Membership › Network, Working Group or Professional Association
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NIHR ARCs Mental Health and Wellbeing Collaboration (External organisation)
Kristy Sanderson (Chair)
1 Oct 2022 → 30 Sept 2024Activity: Membership › Network, Working Group or Professional Association
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Royal Society for Public Health (External organisation)
Kristy Sanderson (Fellow)
31 May 2019 → …Activity: Membership › Network, Working Group or Professional Association
Press/Media
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Event will look at mental wellbeing of health and social care staff
6/09/18
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Media Coverage or Contribution