Dr Alexander Whitelaw
- Senior Lecturer (Social & Environmental Sustainability)
- Associate (School of Health & Wellbeing)
telephone:
01387702089
email:
Alexander.Whitelaw@glasgow.ac.uk
Biography
Sandy has a 25 year track record in teaching, research and publication in and around public health policy. He started his professional life as a school teacher and took a Masters programme in Public Health (Manchester University) in 1986. This led to four years of work as a Public Health Specialist - in a community drug service and a role as a primary care facilitator. He entered higher education in 1991 as a Lecturer in Health Care Studies at Manchester Metropolitan University and returned to the Public Health Department at Manchester University in 1992 to teach on their Public Health Masters. He took up a role of Research Manager within NHS Health Scotland in 1997 and returned to higher education in 2000 at St Martin's College (Lancaster). He has been in his current position - Lecturer in Health and Social Policy within the School of Social & Environmental Sustainability since 2002. He has taught extensively at UG and PG levels within SoIS degree programmes. In the past 7 years, he has been leader of the programme, MA (Hons.) Health and Social Policy. This time has also seen him undertake multiple field research projects with associated publications.
Research interests
- The conceptual nature of public health
- The implementation and sustainability of healthy public policy and practice
- 'Settings-based' approaches to public health
- Discourse-based approaches to policy research
Grants
Current grants
Arts Programme European Union/Scottish Government Social Innovation Fund (2017-2019) £131,000
Arts Programme Holywood Trust (2018-2020) £50,000
Sandy has previous experience in commissioning, managing and undertaking a range of research projects, including:
- Evaluation of MacMillan Cancer Information and Support Services (2013-2015) Glasgow Life/MacMillan
- Cancer Public Attitudes to Physical Activity in Glasgow (2010) Glasgow Centre for Population Health
- Engaging with people to use the environment for physical activity (2009-2010) National Physical Activity Research and Evaluation group (NPARE)
- Older People for Older People (2008-2011) EU Northern Periphery Project
- Cumbria Community Support Project for Older People with Cancer (2008-2010) Cumbria Health Authority
- Physical Activity and Mental Health: The role of physical activity in promoting mental wellbeing and preventing mental health problems (2008) NHS Health Scotland
- Production of evidence based briefing papers Physical Activity and Health Alliance (2006-2007) Scottish Physical Activity and Health Alliance
- Development of a Physical Activity Policy maze (2007) NHS Health Scotland
- An international benchmarking exercise to identify those countries that are considered to be examples of best Physical Activity training practice (2006-2007) NHS Health Scotland
- Evaluation of HEBS Health Promoting Health Service Project (2002-2005) HEBS
- Dumfries and Galloway Rapid Needs Appraisal Project (2003-2004) NHS D&G
- Establishing baseline Indicators for the Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit (2003) Scottish Executive/SHPSU
- A review of Exercise on Prescription Schemes for South Asian Muslim women (1997-2001) NHS Research and Development Programme;
- A trial of a health promotion resource aimed at increasing ‘active commuting’ (1997-2001) The Scottish Office
- Mental Health Research and Development Review (2000) North Cumbria Health Authority
- West Cumbria Rapid Needs Appraisal Project (2000) West Cumbria PCG
- Public health in acute hospitals: does best practice open doors? (2001) Health Development Agency
- Evaluation of Communication for the Future Drug Education project (2001-2002) Department of Health
- Survey of Mental Health R&D Capacity in North Cumbria (2001) North Cumbria Health Authority
- Evaluation of North Cumbria NHS Trust Health Promoting Organisations project (2001-2002) North Cumbria Health Action Zone
- Production of an action research resource for the Social Action Research Project (SHARP) [The Welsh Assembly with CCL Consult Research & Development; 2002)
- Survey of physical activity provision in West Cumbria (2002) West Cumbria CVS/Sports Action Zone
- Review of HEBS Special Projects (2002) HEBS
Supervision
PhD: Stephen Greenhalgh
- Batarfi, Sabreen Saleh A
The Feasibility of Implementing Asset-Based Approaches to Health in Saudi Rural Communities. - St Hilaire Glenn, Andrea Bevin
To explore children's perspectives at the end of life
Teaching
Convenor of Level 2 course: Health and Social Policy & Practice
Convenor of Level 3 course: Public Sector Systems Management
Convenor Level 4 course: Enquiry Project in Health & Social Policy
Contributor
Level 2 course: Human Nature and Wellbeing
M. Sc. Enhanced Practice in Education
MPH Public Health
Additional information
Programme leader, MA (Hons.) Health and Social Policy
Member SoiS Executive Group
Member Athena Swan Charter Planning Group
SoIS Quality Officer
Member of the Glasgow End of Life Studies Group
Contribute to the End of Life Studies blog
Member of the Crichton Institute
Member of Editorial Board, Critical Public Health