John McQuaide, (PhD Researcher)

I was a Higher Education lecturer for 18 years, teaching Harm Reduction and Hidden Harm on a Foundation Degree in Substance Use. Prior to this, I worked as an Addiction Counsellor within a residential treatment facility where I did individual, family and groupwork. I am a qualified Social Worker, initially working in rehabilitative mental health in a community-based residential facility. I am a PhD researcher (year 2) at Ulster University. My research is entitled “Harm Reduction Interventions to improve the health-related quality of life of people with long-term alcohol dependence”. My work takes a harm reduction approach to understanding models of care in long-term alcohol dependence. It aims to influence policy and practice to support alcohol harm reduction as a central pillar of policy approaches and service provision. My PhD is supervised by Dr. Lynn Dunwoody, Dr. Julie Harris (UU), Dr. John Mallett (UU), Dr. Gillian Shorter (QUB), Dr. Hannah Carver (Stirling).