Mr Christopher Lovegrove

I have worked to improve the lives of people living with neurological conditions for over 15 years. With experience working across a range of acute and sub-acute rehabilitation services, I have endeavoured to bring my enthusiasm for occupational therapy to every role.

Since 2015, I have been working as a clinical academic occupational therapist in collaboration with the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Plymouth. My research aims to improve the lives of people living with Parkinson’s and to inspire the next generation of occupational therapy researchers. This has resulted in multiple grant and fellowship awards. Currently, I am an HEE/NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellow. My project has been to co-produce and feasibility-test a new occupation-based complex intervention for living well with anxiety and Parkinson's (ObtAIN-PD). The work has been fuelled by the urgent need for solutions to help people with Parkinson’s live well with anxiety, a commitment to contribute to the profession’s evidence base, and lots of coffee.

I am proud to be an honorary lecturer with the University of Plymouth, where I provide teaching on the BSc and MSc Occupational Therapy programs, as well as the MSc Advanced Professional Practice in Neurological Rehabilitation.

Qualifications

MClinRes Clinical Research, University of Plymouth, UK

BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy, University of Plymouth/ University of Exeter, UK

Professional membership

Health and Care Professions Council (OT55654, current)

British Association of Occupational Therapists (BT0234361, current)

Roles on external bodies

International Parkinson’s and Movement Disorder Society (current)

‘Participation in Everyday Life’ Research Group (University of Plymouth, current)

Applied Parkinson’s Research Group (University of Plymouth, current)

SYNERGY Research Group (Glasgow Caledonian University, current)

RCOT, Specialist Section- Neurological Practice (current)

RCOT, Specialist Section- Mental Health (current)

Teaching interests

Neurology, Parkinson's, Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), brain injury, anxiety, neurorehabilitation

Research interests

My research interests are focused on Parkinson's, specifically anxiety and the co-production of interventions to help people with Parkinson's to live well with this non-motor symptom. I am the chief investigator for the OBtAIN-PD feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial.

Other research

My further research interests include neurorehabilitation (including the management of long-term conditions), and brain injuries. I have been a research collaborator on a range of publications, including sexual health in people living with kidney disease and interventions to reduce hospital stay for older adults following elective surgery.

Grants & contracts

• 2021, NIHR Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship, £388,471
• 2018, NIHR Clinical Research Network AHP fellowship, £18,634
• 2017-2018, NIHR/ HEE Transitional Award, £6,381
• 2015-2017, NIHR funding for Masters in Clinical Research degree, £37,500
• 2017, Lindsay Bequest and Reid Trust, Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh, £2,500
• 2013, UCB Pharma- £500