A/PROF Alison Pighills ~ Adjunct Associate Professor

 

 

I am currently the Principal Research Fellow for Research Capacity Development in the Mackay Hospital and Health Service (HHS). I am also an adjunct Associate Professor with James Cook University (JCU).

In 2005 I was awarded a National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) fellowship to undertake a PhD at the University of York, United Kingdom (UK), which I completed in 2008. For my PhD, I conducted a randomised controlled trial (RCT) involving 238 participants, to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of environmental assessment and modification to prevent falls in older people. In 2008 I was awarded the University of York K M Stott prize for the best PhD thesis. I am currently a co-investigator on a multi-centre RCT in the UK, which aims to recruit 1300 participants and replicates my PhD research on a larger scale. This research was awarded $1.6m in funding by the UK NIHR in 2016.

My recent research history includes a RCT and patient and staff qualitative studies to examine the clinical effectiveness and staff/patient perceptions of professional skill sharing. I have been using a professional skill sharing and delegation model of care (the Calderdale Framework) for over 10 years and became the first ever Calderdale Framework practitioner in 2012. As such, this allows me to train clinicians to facilitate professional skill sharing in their organisations. This involves competency-based training of clinicians to enable them to deliver care, involving tasks, which cross traditional professional boundaries. In 2014-5 I set up the first Allied Health Rural Generalist service in Queensland in the Hinterland of Mackay Hospital and Health Service.

Interests

Research

• Randomised controlled trials Falls prevention Rural and remote models of care, including expanded scope practice and delegation models Telehealth

Experience

• 2010 to present - Principal Research Fellow, Queensland Health (Mackay)
• 2005 to 2008 - Research Fellow, University of York (UK)
• 2001 to 2004 - Senior Manager National NHS fellowship scheme, National Institute of Health Research (UK)

Research Disciplines

• Public health (4206)
• Allied health and rehabilitation science (4201)

Socio-Economic Objectives

• Specific population health (2005)

Other

• 2005 to 2008 - K M Stott prize for best PhD thesis, University of York

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles

• Clemson L, Stark S, Pighills A, Fairhall N, Lamb S, Ali J and Sherrington C (2023) Environmental interventions for preventing falls in older people living in the community. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2023 (3).
• Rawle M, Pighills A, Mendez D and Dobeli K (2023) Radiographic technique modification and evidence-based practice: A qualitative study. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 70 (1). pp. 56-63
• Tynan A, Pighills A, White W, Eden A and Mickan S (2023) Implementing best practice occupational therapist-led environmental assessment and modification to prevent falls: A qualitative study of two regional and rural public health services in Australia. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 70 (2). pp. 202-217
• Cockayne S, Pighills A, Adamson J, Fairhurst C, Crossland S, Drummond A, Hewitt C, Rodgers S, Ronaldson S, McCaffery J, Whiteside K, Scantlebury A, Robinson-Smith L, Cochrane A, Lamb S, Boyes S, Gilbody S, Relton C and Torgerson D (2021) Home environmental assessments and modification delivered by occupational therapists to reduce falls in people aged 65 years and over: The OTIS RCT. Health Technology Assessment, 25 (46).
• Kanczuk M, Lightfoot N, Pighills A, Ji A, Steele C and Bartlett D (2021) The time to perform spinal or general anaesthesia in COVID-19 positive parturients requiring emergency caesarean delivery: a prospective crossover simulation study. Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics and Gynecology, 48 (5). pp. 1099-1106
• Pighills A, Tynan A, Furness L and Rawle M (2019) Occupational therapist led environmental assessment and modification to prevent falls: review of current practice in an Australian rural health service. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 66 (3). pp. 347-361
• Cockayne S, Pighills A, Adamson J, Fairhurst C, Drummond A, Hewitt C, Rodgers S, Ronaldson S, Lamb S, Crossland S, Boyes S, Gilbody S, Relton C and Torgerson D (2018) Can occupational therapist-led home environmental assessment prevent falls in older people? A modified cohort randomised controlled trial protocol. BMJ Open, 8 (9). pp. 1-11
• Furness L, Tynan A and Pighills A (2018) Exploring clinical educator and student perspectives on the implementation of the Calderdale Framework as a model of occupational therapy clinical education in Australia: a pilot study. Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice, 16 (3).
• Rawle M and Pighills A (2018) Prevalence of unjustified emergency department x-ray examination referrals performed in a regional Queensland hospital: a pilot study. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 65 (3). pp. 184-191
• Furness L, Pighills A, Ducat W and Tynan A (2017) Implementation of a new model of clinical education for regional occupational therapy student clinical placements. Australian Health Review, 41 (5). pp. 546-552
• Kaltner M, Murtagh D, Bennetts M, Pighills A, James J and Scott A (2017) Randomised controlled trial of a transprofessional healthcare role intervention in an acute medical setting. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 31 (2). pp. 190-198
• Rawle M, Oliver T, Pighills A and Lindsay D (2017) Improving education and supervision of Queensland X-ray Operators through video conference technology: a teleradiography pilot project. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences, 64 (4). pp. 244-250

More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 24+ research outputs authored by A/PROF Alison Pighills from 2003 onwards.

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.