Laura Di Bona ACP, MSc, PgCE, PgDip, BSc
Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy
Summary
I am an occupational therapy lecturer, advanced clinical practitioner, and healthcare researcher. Prior to taking up this role I worked in a variety of clinical settings, specialising in mental health occupational therapy, with a particular interest in working with underserved groups. My research focusses on the development and evaluation of complex psychosocial interventions and their implementation within diverse settings. My teaching is centred around mental health and evidence-based occupational therapy.
About
I joined Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) in 2023 as a senior lecturer in occupational therapy. This role builds on thirty years’ experience working in a variety of roles in health and social care.
Before joining SHU I worked clinically as a mental health occupational therapist in primary care. Within this role I established and led a multidisciplinary personalised care team, comprising allied health professionals and people working in roles new to the NHS: social prescribers, wellbeing coaches and a care co-ordinator. Alongside this I was an honorary research fellow at the University of Sheffield.
Teaching
School of Health and Social Care
College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences
Occupational Therapy
BSc Occupational Therapy
BSc Occupational Therapy Degree Apprenticeship
MSc Occupational Therapy
Allied Health Professional Degree Apprenticeships
Evidence and Enquiry for Practice
The Advancing Professional
Group Work in Occupational Therapy
Research in Practice
Research
- Health Research Institute
I am an applied health researcher and have used research to improve outcomes for people who use mental health, dementia, and occupational therapy services, as well as developing the workforce.
My expertise is predominantly qualitative, contributing across all aspects of the research process to the generation of knowledge. My experience includes designing research, grant applications, gaining approvals, patient and public involvement, research management, quantitative and qualitative data collection, analysis, and dissemination.
I am currently developing research into peer support within mental health services, and occupational therapy in primary care, including its interface with, and leadership of, people in new NHS roles, such as social prescribing.
Publications
Wenborn,J et al., (2023) Community Occupational Therapy in Dementia intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia and their family carers in the UK: the VALID research programme including RCT. National Institute for Health and Care Research Programme Grants for Applied Research
Jones, N., Clifford, J., Bloomfield, H., & Di Bona, L. (2022). From tiny acorns mighty oaks grow; Natalie Jones talks about primary care, new ways of working and lessons learnt from developing occupational therapy roles. OTnews (October), 36–38
Burgess,J; Wenborn,J; Di Bona,L; Orrell,M; Poland, F (2020) Taking part in the community occupational therapy in dementia UK intervention from the perspective of people with dementia, family carers and occupational therapists: A qualitative study. Dementia
Field,B; Mountain,G; Burgess,J; Di Bona, L; Kelleher,D; Mundy,J; Wenborn,J (2019) Recruiting hard to reach populations to studies: breaking the silence. An example from a study that recruited people with dementia. BMJ Open. DOI:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030829
Di Bona, L et al., (2018) Learning to weave a clinical academic career. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. Doi.org/10.1177/0308022618784258
Di Bona, L et al., (2017) Enablers and challenges to occupational therapists’ research engagement: a qualitative study. British Journal of Occupational Therapy. DOI: 10.1177/0308022617719218
Di Bona, L; Kennedy,S & Mountain,G (2017) Adopt a Care Home: an intergenerational initiative bringing children into care homes. Dementia: the international journal of social research and practice
Parkinson,S; Di Bona,L; Fletcher,N; Vecsey,T & Wheeler K (2015) Profession-specific working in mental health: impacts for occupational therapists and service users. New Zealand Journal of Occupational Therapy. 62,2 p55-66
Hynes,S; Field,B; Ledgerd,R; Swinson,T; Wenborn,J; Di Bona,L; Moniz-Cook,E; Poland,F & Orrell,M (2015): Exploring the need for a new UK occupational therapy intervention for people with dementia and family carers: Community Occupational Therapy in Dementia (COTiD). A focus group study. Aging & Mental Health, DOI: 10.1080/13607863.2015.1037243.
Di Bona,L ; Saxon,D ; Barkham,M; Dent-Brown,K & Parry,G (2014) Predictors of patient non-attendance at Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services demonstration sites. Journal of Affective Disorders, 169, p157-164. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.08.005
Di Bona,L (2004) What Do They Think of Us? A Satisfaction Survey of Users of Occupational Therapy Services in an Acute Adult Inpatient Unit. Mental Health Occupational Therapy, Vol9, 3, 2004 p77-81.
Di Bona,L and Boyle,K (2001) An exploration of the therapeutic benefits of computing. Mental Health Occupational Therapy, Vol6, 3, November 2001.
Di Bona, L (2000) What are the Benefits of Leisure? An exploration using the Leisure Satisfaction Scale. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63,2,p50-58.
Publications
Journal articles
Wenborn, J., Mountain, G., Moniz-Cook, E., Poland, F., King, M., Omar, R., ... Orrell, M. (2023). Community Occupational Therapy in Dementia intervention for people with mild to moderate dementia and their family carers in the UK: the VALID research programme including RCT. Programme Grants for Applied Research, 11 (5), 1-76. http://doi.org/10.3310/rgtj7429
Burgess, J., Wenborn, J., Di Bona, L., Orrell, M., & Poland, F. (2021). Taking part in the community occupational therapy in dementia UK intervention from the perspective of people with dementia, family carers and occupational therapists: A qualitative study. Dementia (London, England), 20 (6), 2057-2076. http://doi.org/10.1177/1471301220981240
Field, B., Mountain, G., Burgess, J., Di Bona, L., Kelleher, D., Mundy, J., & Wenborn, J. (2019). Recruiting hard to reach populations to studies: breaking the silence: an example from a study that recruited people with dementia. BMJ open, 9 (11), e030829. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030829
Di Bona, L., Kennedy, S., & Mountain, G. (2019). Adopt a Care Home: An intergenerational initiative bringing children into care homes. Dementia (London, England), 18 (5), 1679-1694. http://doi.org/10.1177/1471301217725420
Di Bona, L., Field, B., Read, J., Jones, N., Fowler-Davis, S., Cudd, P., & Evans, L. (2019). Weaving a clinical academic career: illuminating the method and pattern to follow. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 82 (1), 60-64. http://doi.org/10.1177/0308022618784258
Di Bona, L., Wenborn, J., Field, B., Hynes, S.M., Ledgerd, R., Mountain, G., & Swinson, T. (2017). Enablers and challenges to occupational therapists’ research engagement: A qualitative study. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 80 (11), 642-650. http://doi.org/10.1177/0308022617719218
Hynes, S.M., Field, B., Ledgerd, R., Swinson, T., Wenborn, J., di Bona, L., ... Orrell, M. (2016). Exploring the need for a new UK occupational therapy intervention for people with dementia and family carers: Community Occupational Therapy in Dementia (COTiD). A focus group study. Aging & mental health, 20 (7), 762-769. http://doi.org/10.1080/13607863.2015.1037243
Di Bona, L., Saxon, D., Barkham, M., Dent-Brown, K., & Parry, G. (2014). Predictors of patient non-attendance at Improving Access to Psychological Therapy services demonstration sites. Journal of affective disorders, 169, 157-164. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2014.08.005
Di Bona, L. (2000). What are the Benefits of Leisure? An Exploration Using the Leisure Satisfaction Scale. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 63 (2), 50-58. http://doi.org/10.1177/030802260006300202
Other activities
I created Sheffield Occupational Therapists Clinical Academic Network (CATCH - Sheffield Occupational Therapy Clinical Academics (SOTCA)) to form cross-organisational collaborations for sharing and advancing knowledge and developing research confidence. Impact examples include partnering with the James Lind Alliance and Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) to develop professional research priorities, and supporting local staff and students to get presentations accepted at conferences.
I am an article reviewer for numerous journals.