Overview
I am a Systematic Reviewer for the Specialist Unit for Review Evidence (SURE) and joined the department in 2018. I have experience in all aspects of the review process including protocol and search development, systematic literature searching, critical appraisal, data extraction, and evidence synthesis.
Currently, I provide systematic review expertise to CEDAR Health Technology Research Centre and contribute to evidence reviews of medical technologies for NICE Medical Technologies Evaluation Programme and Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee (WHSSC).
My previous work includes evidence reviews on school and community counselling for the Welsh Government, and reviews on children’s mental health and wellbeing for the What Works Centre for Children’s Social Care and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). I have also contributed to a review of case management practices for the Centre for Homelessness Impact.
Additionally, I am involved in teaching relating to evidence synthesis and contribute to the SURE Systematic Review course.
Biography
I am currently a PhD researcher at Cardiff Metropolitan University in the School of Sport and Health Sciences. My PhD research project, “Occupational stress and well-being of professional and conservatoire student musicians”, considers the impact of occupational demands on the stress process and well-being outcomes of professional and conservatoire classical musicians using a mixed-method research design.
Previously, I completed a BMus (Hons) at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama specialising in violin performance.
Publications
2024
- MacDonald, S. et al. 2024. Mental health and wellbeing interventions for care-experienced children and young people: Systematic review and synthesis of process evaluations. Children and Youth Services Review 156, article number: 107266. (10.1016/j.childyouth.2023.107266)
- Evans, R. et al. 2024. What mental health and wellbeing interventions work for which children and young people in care? Systematic review of potential outcome inequities. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal (10.1007/s10560-023-00956-7)
2023
- Copeland, L. et al. 2023. School and community-based counselling services for children and young people aged 7-18 in the UK: a rapid review of effectiveness, implementation and acceptability. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research (10.1002/capr.12688)
- Willis, S., Neil, R., Mellick, M. and Wasley, D. 2023. Exploring occupational demands, appraisal, resources, and well-being of professional classical musicians’ lived experiences: An IPA approach. Presented at: International Symposium on Performance Science, Warsaw, Poland, 17 - 20 August 2023.
- Evans, R. et al. 2023. Interventions targeting the mental health and wellbeing of care-experienced children and young people in higher-income countries: Evidence map and systematic review. Systematic Reviews 12(1), article number: 111. (10.1186/s13643-023-02260-y)
- O'Connell, S., Chong, H. Y., Willis, S., Kiseleva, M., Rahim, A., Dale, M. and Morris, R. 2023. Medical technologies guidance: MTG575 GaitSmart rehabilitation exercise programme for gait and mobility issues: External Assessment Group report. Documentation. NICE. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/gid-mt575/documents/supporting-documentation
- Kolovou, V., Bolton, N., Crone, D., Willis, S. and Walklett, J. 2023. Systematic review of the barriers and facilitators to cross-sector partnerships in promoting physical activity. Perspectives in Public Health (10.1177/17579139231170784)
- Weightman, A. L. et al. 2023. Exploring the effect of case management in homelessness per components: A systematic review of effectiveness and implementation, with meta‐analysis and thematic synthesis. Campbell Systematic Reviews 19(2), article number: e1329. (10.1002/cl2.1329)
- Chong, H. Y., Knight, L., Dale, M., Morris, R., Willis, S. and O'Connell, S. 2023. Early Value Assessment: MT589 Digitally enabled therapies for adults with anxiety disorder: External Assessment Group report. Documentation. NICE. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/hte9/documents/supporting-documentation-2
- Rahim, A., Willis, S. and O'Connell, S. 2023. Exploring incorporation of critical appraisal methods into rapid evidence reviews. Presented at: 27th Cochrane Colloquium, London, UK, 4-6 September 2023. London, UK: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (10.1002/14651858.CD202301)
- Rahim, A., Dale, M., Willis, S., O'Connell, S., Chong, H. Y. and Morris, R. 2023. Medical technologies guidance: MT582 Kurin Lock for blood culture collection: External Assessment Group report. Project Report. [Online]. NICE. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/gid-mt582/documents/supporting-documentation
2022
- Weightman, A. L. et al. 2022. PROTOCOL: Exploring the effect of case management in homelessness per components: A systematic review of effectiveness and implementation, with meta-analysis and thematic synthesis. Campbell Systematic Reviews 18(1), article number: e1220. (10.1002/cl2.1220)
- Hewitt, G. et al. 2022. Review of statutory school and community-based counselling services: Optimisation of services for children and young people aged 11 to 18 years and extension to younger primary school aged children. Project Report. [Online]. Welsh Government. Available at: https://gov.wales/review-school-and-community-based-counselling-services
- O'Connell, S., Dale, M., Bird, S., Rahim, A., Willis, S. and Morris, R. 2022. MTG570 AposHealth for osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee: External Assessment Group report. Project Report. [Online]. NICE. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/mtg76/documents/supporting-documentation
2021
- Stabler, L. et al. 2021. A scoping review of system-level mechanisms to prevent children being in out-of-home care. British Journal of Social Work 52(5), pp. 2515-2536., article number: bcab213. (10.1093/bjsw/bcab213)
- Willis, S., Neil, R., Mellick, M. and Wasley, D. 2021. Occupational stress and well-being of professional and conservatoire musicians: Preliminary study. Presented at: 16th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition; 11th European Society for the Cognitive Sciences of Music, Sheffield, UK, 28 - 31 July 2021.
- Evans, R. et al. 2021. Care-experienced cHildren and young people's Interventions to improve Mental health and wEll-being outcomes: Systematic review (CHIMES) protocol. BMJ Open 11(1), article number: e042815. (10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042815)
- Willis, S., Morgan, H., Morgan, F. and Scourfield, J. 2021. Use of systematic review terminology and methodological quality in children’s social care. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work 18(6), pp. 667-688. (10.1080/26408066.2021.1938827)
2020
- Turley, R. et al. 2020. Promoting the retention, mental health and wellbeing of child and family social workers: a systematic review of Workforce interventions. Project Report. [Online]. London: What Works Centre for Children's Social Care. Available at: https://whatworks-csc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/WWCSC_Systematic-Review-of-Workforce-Interventions_July-2020.pdf
2019
- Willis, S., Neil, R., Mellick, M. C. and Wasley, D. 2019. The relationship between occupational demands and well-being of performing artists: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology 10(MAR), article number: 393. (10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00393)
- Brand, S. et al. 2019. Mapping the evidence about what works to safely reduce the entry of children and young people into statutory care: a systematic scoping review protocol. BMJ Open 9(8), article number: e026967. (10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026967)
- Stabler, L., O'Donnell, C., Forrester, D., Diaz, C., Willis, S. and Brand, S. 2019. Shared decision-making: What is good practice in delivering meetings? Involving families meaningfully in decision-making to keep children safely at home: A rapid realist review. Technical Report.
- Willis, S., Neil, R., Mellick, M. and Wasley, D. 2019. The relationship between occupational demands and well-being of performing artists: A systematic review. Presented at: International Symposium on Performance Science, Melbourne Conservatory of Music, Melbourne, Australia, 16-20 July 2019.
2018
- Brand, S. et al. 2018. Mapping the evidence about what works to safely reduce the number of children and young people in statutory care: A systematic scoping review. Technical Report.
- Willis, S., Woolridge, B. and Mellick, M. 2018. How musicians and athletes could learn from each other when it comes to coping with stress. The Conversation 2018(1 Mar)
- Willis, S., Neil, R., Mellick, M. and Wasley, D. 2018. Stress and well-being of performing artists: A systematic review. Presented at: Royal Musical Association: Music, Wellbeing and Mental Health, York, UK, 12 - 13 May 2018.