Projects per year
Personal profile
Biography
I am Research Lead for Psychology and Mental Health at Norwich Clinical Trials Unit, within Norwich Medical School.
I studied at the University of East Anglia for an MChem in Chemistry with Analytical and Forensic Science (2006-2010), and a PhD on the synthesis of novel glycopeptide antibiotics (2010-2014). Following my PhD I joined the Royal Society of Chemistry as a publishing editor on the materials portfolio, before returning to UEA to pursue a career in clinical trials at Norwich CTU in 2017.
Key Research Interests
My research interests are in clinical trials methodology, in three key areas:
- Design and operational delivery of clinical trials of psychological interventions
- The impact of recruitment processes on trial population characteristics and retention
- The inclusion of under-served groups, including participants with physical and mental disabilities, in clinical trials
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Promoting Accessibility in Clinical Trials (PRACTICALs)
Ashford, P.-A. (Principal Investigator), Deane, K. (Co-Investigator), Hammond, M. (CTU Role) & Pond, M. (CTU Role)
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/04/25 → 29/10/26
Project: Research
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Understanding care pathways for people with common mental disorders including psychotic experiences (CMD-PE)
Ashford, P.-A. (Principal Investigator), Clark, A. (CTU Role) & Pond, M. (CTU Role)
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/10/24 → 31/01/27
Project: Research
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Wait Less: Co-designing and Evaluating An Online Self-Help Brief Psychosocial Intervention (eBPI) For Young People With Mood Related Mental Health Problems To Reduce Waiting Lists in Specialist CYPMHS
Cross, J. (Principal Investigator), Ashford, P.-A. (CTU Role) & Pond, M. (CTU Role)
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/04/24 → 28/02/27
Project: Research
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Co-design and evaluation of an intervention to increase UPTake if pUlmonary RehabilitatioN for people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the UPTURN study
Hammond, M. (Principal Investigator), Ashford, P.-A. (CTU Role), Grant, K. (CTU Role), Pond, M. (CTU Role) & Shepstone, L. (CTU Role)
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/06/23 → 31/05/28
Project: Research
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JOINT SUPPORT – A feasibility study to test a caregiving intervention for people with chronic pain.
Smith, T. (Principal Investigator), Hanson, S. (Co-Investigator), Ashford, P.-A. (CTU Role), Clark, A. (CTU Role), Hammond, M. (CTU Role), Pond, M. (CTU Role) & Stirling, S. (CTU Role)
National Institute for Health and Care Research
1/04/22 → 31/03/24
Project: Research
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A mixed-methods process evaluation of internet-delivered self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): Engagement, mechanisms, and contextual factors
Couchman, A., Katangwe-Chigamba, T., Howe, D., Flanagan, E., Farquhar, M., Gould, R. L., McCracken, L. M., Clegg, I., Anyiam-Osigwe, A., Ashford, P.-A. & Kishita, N., 30 Jun 2026, (Accepted/In press) In: Aging and Mental Health.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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At-risk registers integrated into primary care to stop asthma crises in the UK: cluster randomised controlled trial with economic evaluation
Wilson, A. M., Musgrave, S. D., Smith, J. R., Noble, M., Clark, A. B., Stirling, S., Ashford, P.-A., Barton, G., Griffiths, C., Pinnock, H., Price, D. B., Sheikh, A. & Walker, S., 15 Apr 2026, In: Thorax. thorax-2025-223973.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile -
Clinical effectiveness of internet-delivered self-help Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for family carers of people with dementia (iACT4CARERS): a multicentre, parallel, randomised controlled trial
Kishita, N., Gould, R. L., Khondoker, M., McCracken, L. M., Riggey, M., Trucco, A. P., Howe, D., Couchman, A., Flanagan, E., Vishwakarma, PhD, R., Guillard, C., Ashford, P.-A., Turner, D., Losada-Baltar, A., Cabrera-Lafuente, I., Gallego-Alberto, L., Richmond, E., Czyznikowska, B., Hammond, M. & Nautiyal, A. & 1 others, , 11 Jul 2026, (E-pub ahead of print) In: The Lancet Regional Health - Europe.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile4 Downloads (Pure) -
A pragmatic randomized controlled trial of cognitive therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents exposed to multiple traumatic stressors: The DECRYPT trial
Meiser-Stedman, R., Allen, L., Ashford, P.-A., Beeson, E., Byford, S., Danese, A., Farr, A., Finn, J., Goodall, B., Grainger, L., Hammond, M., Harmston, R., Humphrey, A., King, D., Lofthouse, K., Mahoney-Davies, G., Miles, S., Moore, J., Morant, N. & Robertson, S. & 10 others, , Oct 2025, In: World Psychiatry. 24, 3, p. 422-434 13 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Pain management training for people with persistent pain and their informal carers (JOINT SUPPORT): Multicentre randomised controlled feasibility trial with embedded qualitative study in English musculoskeletal services
Smith, T. O., Khoury, R., Welsh, A., Crowther, C., Hanson, S., Grant, K., Clark, A. B., Ashford, P.-A., Hammond, M., Pond, M., Dures, E. & Adams, J., 15 Apr 2025, In: BMJ Open. 15, 4, e095069.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile
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Trials (Journal)
Ashford, P.-A. (Peer reviewer)
2026 → …Activity: Editorial work › Publication editorial role
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Contemporary Clinical Trials (Journal)
Ashford, P.-A. (Peer reviewer)
2025 → …Activity: Editorial work › Publication peer-review
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Disability and Rehabilitation (Journal)
Ashford, P.-A. (Peer reviewer)
2025 → …Activity: Editorial work › Publication peer-review
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Grant reviewer for NIHR RfPB, Health and Care Research Wales
Ashford, P.-A. (Participant)
2024 → …Activity: Other activity types › Other