Dr Ana Manzano

Profile

I am an applied social scientist working  bringing methodological expertise in the research and evaluation of complex public policy issues. I am interested in the relationship between research methods, evidence and policy making.

I was part of the pioneering research group (RAMESES II) developing methodological standards in realist evaluation methods.

Responsibilities

• Associate Editor Journal Evaluation & Program Planning
• Chair of the Organ Trade & Trafficking WG- ELPAT

Research interests

I am an expert in public policy evaluation, with special interest in realist evaluation  and theory-driven evaluation methodology. I collaborate with health professionals, other social scientists and health service researchers to develop evaluations of complex interventions using qualitative and mixed-methods approaches.

My past research has covered treatment decision-making in multiple sclerosis; an evaluation of a programme to improve maternal health in Nigeria; an evaluation of hospital discharge policy in the UK, learning disabilities user led quality measures/matrix in the NHS; organ donation policy, emergency mental health hospital admissions and developing reporting and quality standards in healthcare evaluation (RAMESES II study).

I am Associate Editor in the journal Evaluation and Program Planning

I am the Chair of the Organ Trade and Trafficking WG at the European Platform on Ethical, Legan and Psychosocial Aspects of Transplantation (ELPAT) (European Society of Organ Transplantation- ESOT)

In 2023, I was an international visiting fellow at the Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Evaluation of Public Policies (LIEPP), Science Po (Paris, France) researching stakeholder and user involvement in realist evaluation.

Current projects include:

• UKRI Policy Fellowship Department for the Economy (Northern Ireland Executive) Evaluating Innovation Policy

•  Inclusive and Accessible Research: Making research possible for disabled participants funded by Research Culture at Leeds (2023-2024)

• RESPONSE Improving health systems responsiveness to neglected health needs of vulnerable groups in Ghana and Vietnam (Apr 2020 – Sept 2023) funded by MRC / DFID / Wellcome / ESRC.

Past projects include:

• RAMESES II: Developing quality and reporting standards and resources and training materials for realist evaluation. Check out our Quality Standards for Evaluators and Peer-reviewers, Quality Standards for Funders or Commissioners, Reporting Standards and Training Materials (1000 words definitions on key realist concepts and realist cartoons) 

• CRIMSON Considering Risks and Benefits in Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Selection. Designing a Discrete Choice Experiment and a Decision Aid funded by the UK MS Society. Check our Interactive Online Patient Decision Aid Tool: https://relapsingmsdecisions.com/

• REVAMP A realist evaluation of community health workers programme improving maternal and child health in Nigeria. Five year study funded by the Medical Research Council. Check this video for our summary of study findings: What makes a successful maternal and child health (MCH) programme 

• Evaluating the Impact of Global Digital Health Communities: The Case of Multiple Sclerosis. Study funded by the ESRC (Impact Acceleration) in collaboration with Shift.ms Co- investigators Dr Albert Varela and Dr Edward Webb (Academic Unit of Health Economics). Download our Mesuring Impact Toolkit for Digital Communities 

• Evaluating Innovation Policy: Department for the Economy (NI) (UKRI Policy Fellowship)
• RESPONSE - Realist evaluation to improve health systems responsiveness to neglected health needs of vulnerable groups in Ghana and Vietnam

Qualifications

• PhD in Sociology & Social Policy
• MA
• BA (Hons)

Professional memberships

• European Evaluation Society

Current postgraduate researchers

• Gerry
• Karen Hardcastle-Rad
• Jonathan Hume
• Rebecca Ann Simmons
• Mia Ford