The Regional Trauma Network (RTN) has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting my PhD research, and our collaboration will continue throughout the duration of my studies. RTN colleagues have already played an integral role in reviewing and shaping my research proposal and will continue to provide regular supervision, specialist methodological training, support with participant recruitment, and assistance in disseminating findings. This partnership aligns closely with the RTN’s mission to inform policy, improve services, and advance evidence-based practice, helping to ensure that my research has both practical and theoretical relevance.
My research will provide timely and original insights into the relationship between conflict-related trauma and problematic substance use. The findings will directly inform the RTN’s work and contribute to the development of evidence-based policy and practice. Through this collaboration, there is significant potential for meaningful and tangible research impact. The RTN intends to use the findings to support workforce development initiatives and to inform its wider research and policy strategy. Furthermore, the research has the potential to influence local, national, and international policy and practice and to support the implementation of the Substance Use Strategy (2021) and Mental Health Strategy (2021).
This collaborative PhD builds upon well-established partnerships between my supervisory team and a range of organisations across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. My supervisors have successfully collaborated with several organisations within the RTN on previous research projects, providing a strong foundation for the proposed doctoral study and demonstrating the viability and value of this partnership.
In recognition of the in-kind support provided by the RTN, I will actively disseminate my research findings through a programme of knowledge exchange activities involving collaborators, academics, cross-sector stakeholders, service users, the Department of Health, the Department of Justice, and the Public Health Agency. These activities will include tailored policy briefing reports, policy roundtable events, presentations at academic and professional conferences, and invited guest speaker engagements. As a strategically influential and research-intensive organisation, the RTN will play a key role in helping me develop my research skills alongside the support of my supervisors at Ulster University. The organisation is also committed to using the findings of my research to inform and advance theory, policy, research, and practice at local, national, and international levels.
Beyond its practical impact, my PhD will make a significant theoretical contribution through the innovative application of Risk Environment Theory to explore how ecological factors shape the relationship between conflict-related trauma and problematic substance use. By drawing on the perspectives and experiences of both service providers and service users, the research will generate novel insights, identify examples of best practice, and inform future research and theoretical applications within other transitional and post-conflict settings.
