Professor Alison Metcalfe

Alison Metcalfe leads a programme of research activity focusing on genetic risk communication and management of genetic conditions within families and between health professionals and families. Her work spans different life stages from antenatal to end of life care. The research examines the impact the genetic risk information has on people’s lives and Alison collaborates with families and health professionals to co-design new interventions to facilitate improved family communication and functioning in living with a long-term or inherited genetic condition.

With an eclectic background, clinically Alison is a registered nurse working systemically with families to facilitate their coping and adaptation to living with an inherited genetic condition and its risks for children and young people. Academically she has a joint honours degree in psychology and biology, a PhD in biomolecular science and a postgraduate certificate in family therapy.Having significant research management experience in both university and the UK's National Health Service (NHS) settings, Alison is now the Pro Vice Chancellor for Health & Well-being at the Sheffield Hallam University and was previously the Vice Dean for Research at the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery 2011-2017.

Alison has undertaken a number of leadership roles across universities in developing research activity from the entrepreneurial to translation and implementation of research into practice and has particular interests on improving development opportunities for staff and students.

From her work, Alison has published widely in the leading relevant peer-reviewed journals, regularly gives international plenary talks, lectures and invited workshops for health professionals and patient groups. She currently and has previously served on committees nationally and internationally that have focused on topics within Alison's areas of experience and knowledge including; integrating genomics into practice, care and support of families, development of health professionals research skills and translation of research into practice.

Journal articles

Machirori, M., Patch, C., & Metcalfe, A. (2018). Study of the relationship between Black men, culture and prostate cancer beliefs. Cogent Medicine, 5, 1442636. http://doi.org/10.1080/2331205X.2018.1442636

Metcalfe, A. (2018). Sharing Genetic Risk Information: Implications for family nurses across the life span. Journal of Family Nursing, 24 (1), 86-105. http://doi.org/10.1177/1074840718755401

Eisler, I., Flinter, F., Grey, J., Hutchison, S., Jackson, C., Longworth, L., ... Ulph, F. (2017). Training Genetic Counsellors to Deliver an Innovative Therapeutic Intervention: their views and experience of facilitating multi-family discussion groups. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 26 (2), 199-214. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10897-016-0008-0

Rowland, E., Plumridge, G., Considine, A.-.M., & Metcalfe, A. (2016). Preparing young people for future decision-making about cancer risk in families affected or at risk from hereditary breast cancer: A qualitative interview study. European Journal of Oncology Nursing, 25, 9-15. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2016.08.006

Newington, L., & Metcalfe, A. (2014). Factors influencing recruitment to research: qualitative study of the experiences and perceptions of research teams. BMC Medical Research Methodology, 14, 10. http://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-14-10

Dheensa, S., Williams, B., & Metcalfe, A. (2013). Shattered Schemata and Fragmented Identities: Men's experiences of antenatal genetic screening in Great Britain. Journal of Family Issues, 34 (8), 1081-1103. http://doi.org/10.1177/0192513X13484274

Mathers, J., Greenfield, S., Metcalfe, A., Cole, T., Flanangan, S., & Wilson, S. (2010). Family history in primary care: understanding GPs' resistance to clinical genetics - qualitative study. British Journal of General Practice (BJGP), 60 (574), 221-230. http://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp10X501868

Plumridge, G., Metcalfe, A., Coad, J., & Gill, P. (2010). Family communication about genetic risk information: Particular issues for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part A, 152A (5), 1225-1232. http://doi.org/10.1002/ajmg.a.33364

Coad, J., Plumridge, G., & Metcalfe, A. (2009). Involving children and young people in the development of art-based research tools. Nurse Researcher, 16 (4), 56-64. http://doi.org/10.7748/nr2009.07.16.4.56.c7161

Metcalfe, A., Wilson, S., McCahon, D., Sleightholme, H., Gill, P., & Cole, T. (2009). Integrating genetic risk assessment for multi-factorial conditions into primary care. Primary Health Care Research and Development, 10 (03), 200-209. http://doi.org/10.1017/S1463423609001200

Metcalfe, A., Werrett, J., Burgess, L., Chapman, C., & Clifford, C. (2009). Cancer genetic predisposition: information needs of patients irrespective of risk level. Familial Cancer, 8 (4), 403-412. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10689-009-9256-6