Dr Joanne Coster

BA, MSc, PhD

School of Medicine and Population Health

Senior Research Fellow

Deputy Director of CURE

ScHARR Staff Profile - Joanne Coster
Profile picture of ScHARR Staff Profile - Joanne Coster
j.e.coster@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 0854
+44 114 222 0749 (Fax)
3013, Regent Court (ScHARR)

Full contact details

Dr Joanne Coster
School of Medicine and Population Health
3013
Regent Court (ScHARR)
30 Regent Street
Sheffield
S1 4DA
Profile

I am a Senior Research Fellow and Deputy Director of the Centre for Urgent and Emergency Care Research (CURE), specialising in the evaluation of health policies and services, with a focus on emergency, urgent and prehospital care. For over two decades I have led and contributed to large, complex, multi-centre studies that have directly shaped national policy and practice, including the introduction of new ambulance response standards across England. My expertise lies in complex mixed-methods research and uses methods such as routine data analysis, qualitative research, surveys, consensus methods and evidence synthesis to assess quality of care, patient safety, patient experience and system performance. My PhD examined critical issues around the safety, appropriateness and acceptability of telephone advice for low-urgency ambulance service users, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to understand patient journeys, outcomes and system impact.

I have been a co-investigator on several major studies, including the PhOEBE programme grant, the VAN study on ambulance non-conveyance, the evaluation of NHS 111 Online, and the national study of ambulance pre-alerts. I am currently leading an evaluation of patient experience of urgent care hubs through the Yorkshire and Humber ARC and serve as co-applicant and methodological advisor on NIHR-funded research in stroke and aphasia care. Working with Professor Allen Hutchinson, I co-developed the Structured Judgement Review (SJR) mortality review method, now adopted across most English hospitals, community trusts and ambulance services. I also co-led the national evaluation of the Medical Examiner role, examining its integration with existing mortality review processes.

In recent years I have taken on a leading role in patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE). I co-led the PPIE strategy for the national ambulance pre-alerts study, embedding lived experience throughout the research cycle, from study design and materials development to analysis and recommendations. As PPIE co-lead for the NIHR EnSygN Evidence Synthesis Centre, I have also shaped centre-wide PPIE strategy, supported co-production approaches, and worked with national groups to build sustained structures for engaging lived experience in evidence reviews.

My work has been published in over 40 peer-reviewed journal papers and has influenced national guidance, NHS service models and clinical practice.

Qualifications

BA (Hons) Social Science

MSc Health Services Research and Technolgy Assessment

PhD

Research interests

Quality of care; evaluation of new and existing health policies and services; patient experience; urgent, emergency and prehospital care; Patient and Public Involvement (PPI).

I specialise in complex mixed-methods research, including interviews, routine data linkage and analysis, surveys, consensus methods and systematic reviews.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Journal articles

  • Coster JE, Sampson FC, O'Hara R, Long J, Bell F & Goodacre S (2025) . Emergency Medicine Journal, 42(1), 14-20.
  • Jackson B, Mitchell C, Coster J, Lawy T, Burton C, Reynolds J, Essat M, Cantrell A, Clowes M & Ariss S (2024) . Public Health, 237, 307-315.
  • Sampson FC, Knowles EL, Long J, Turner J & Coster J (2024) . Emergency Medicine Journal, 41(1), 34-39.
  • Weyman A, O’Hara R, Nolan P, Glendinning R, Roy D & Coster J (2023) . BMJ Open, 13(8).
  • O'Cathain A, Connell J, Long J & Coster J (2020) . Health Expectations, 23(1), 19-40.
  • Turner J, Siriwardena AN, Coster J, Jacques R, Irving A, Crum A, Gorrod HB, Nicholl J, Phung V-H, Togher F , Wilson R et al (2019) . Programme Grants for Applied Research, 7(3).
  • Coster J, O'Cathain A, Jacques R, Crum A, Siriwardena N & Turner J (2019) . Prehospital Emergency Care, 23(4), 566-577.
  • Coster JE, Irving AD, Turner JK, Phung VH & Siriwardena AN (2018) . Health Expectations, 21, 249-260.
  • Irving AD, Turner J, Marsh M, Broadway-Parkinson A, Fall D, Coster J & Siriwardena AN (2018) . Health Expectations, 21(1), 230-238.
  • Coster JE, Turner JK, Bradbury D & Cantrell A (2017) . Academic Emergency Medicine, 24(9), 1137-1149.
  • Hutchinson A, Coster JE, Cooper KL, Pearson M, McIntosh A & Bath PA (2013) . BMJ Qual Saf, 22(12), 1032-1040.

All publications

Journal articles

  • Blanchard IE, Coster JE & Pap R (2025) . Paramedicine, 22(3), 105-110.
  • Pilbery R, Sampson FC, Herbert E, Goodacre S, Bell F, Spaight R, Rosser A, Webster P, Millins M, Pountney A , Coster J et al (2025) . BMJ Open, 15(3).
  • Palmer R, Hilari K, Magdalani C, Coster J, Beeke S, Gibbs E, Witts H, Sudworth K, Jagoe C & Cruice M (2025) . International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, 60(2).
  • Sampson FC, O’Hara R, Long J & Coster J (2025) . BMJ Open, 15(1).
  • Coster JE, Sampson FC, O'Hara R, Long J, Bell F & Goodacre S (2025) . Emergency Medicine Journal, 42(1), 14-20.
  • Long J, Sampson FC, Coster J, O’Hara R, Bell F & Goodacre S (2025) . Emergency Medicine Journal, 42(1), 28-34.
  • O'Hara R, Sampson FC, Long J, Coster J & Pilbery R (2025) . Emergency Medicine Journal, 42(1).
  • Jackson B, Mitchell C, Coster J, Lawy T, Burton C, Reynolds J, Essat M, Cantrell A, Clowes M & Ariss S (2024) . Public Health, 237, 307-315.
  • Boyd A, Sampson FC, Bell F, Spaight R, Rosser A, Coster J, Millins M & Pilbery R (2024) . British Paramedic Journal, 8(4), 30-37.
  • Sampson FC, Knowles EL, Long J, Turner J & Coster J (2024) . Emergency Medicine Journal, 41(1), 34-39.
  • Weyman A, O’Hara R, Nolan P, Glendinning R, Roy D & Coster J (2023) . BMJ Open, 13(8).
  • Sampson FC, Bell F, Coster JE, Miller E & Easom N (2022) . British Paramedic Journal, 7(3), 15-25.
  • Coster J, Sampson FC, O’Cathain A & Nicholl J (2022) . Emergency Medicine Journal, 39(9), e5.12.
  • Turner J, Knowles E, Simpson R, Sampson F, Dixon S, Long J, Bell-Gorrod H, Jacques R, Coster J, Yang H , Nicholl J et al (2022) . Health Services and Delivery Research, 9(21), 148-149.
  • Turner J, Knowles E, Simpson R, Sampson F, Dixon S, Long J, Bell-Gorrod H, Jacques R, Coster J, Yang H , Nicholl J et al (2021) . Health Services and Delivery Research, 9(21).
  • O’Hara R, Coster J & Goodacre S (2021) . BMJ Open, 11(2).
  • O'Cathain A, Connell J, Long J & Coster J (2020) . Health Expectations, 23(1), 19-40.
  • Miles J, Coster J & Jacques R (2019) . British Paramedic Journal, 4(1), 6-13.
  • Turner J, Siriwardena AN, Coster J, Jacques R, Irving A, Crum A, Gorrod HB, Nicholl J, Phung V-H, Togher F , Wilson R et al (2019) . Programme Grants for Applied Research, 7(3).
  • Coster J, O'Cathain A, Jacques R, Crum A, Siriwardena N & Turner J (2019) . Prehospital Emergency Care, 23(4), 566-577.
  • Fletcher A, Coster J & Goodacre S (2018) . BMJ, 363.
  • O’Cathain A, Knowles E, Bishop-Edwards L, Coster J, Crum A, Jacques R, James C, Lawson R, Marsh M, O’Hara R , Siriwardena AN et al (2018) . Health Services and Delivery Research, 6(19), 1-192.
  • Coster JE, Irving AD, Turner JK, Phung VH & Siriwardena AN (2018) . Health Expectations, 21, 249-260.
  • Irving AD, Turner J, Marsh M, Broadway-Parkinson A, Fall D, Coster J & Siriwardena AN (2018) . Health Expectations, 21(1), 230-238.
  • Coster JE, Turner JK, Bradbury D & Cantrell A (2017) . Academic Emergency Medicine, 24(9), 1137-1149.
  • Turner J, Coster J, Chambers D, Cantrell A, Phung V-H, Knowles E, Bradbury D & Goyder E (2015) . Health Services and Delivery Research, 3(43).
  • Hutchinson A, Coster JE, Cooper KL, Pearson M, McIntosh A & Bath PA (2013) . BMJ Qual Saf, 22(12), 1032-1040.
  • Weber EJ, Mason S, Freeman JV & Coster J (2012) . ANNALS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE, 60(6), 699-706.
  • Mason S, Coster J, Freeman J, Weber EJ & Locker T (2012) . ANNALS OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE, 60(1), 133-134.
  • Blank L, Coster J, O'Cathain A, Knowles E, Tosh J, Turner J & Nicholl J (2012) . Journal of Advanced Nursing, 68(12), 2610-2621.
  • Mason S, Weber EJ, Coster J, Freeman J & Locker T (2012) . Annals of Emergency Medicine, 59(5), 341-349.
  • O'Hara R, O'Keeffe C, Mason S, Coster JE & Hutchinson A (2012) . EMERGENCY MEDICINE JOURNAL, 29(4), 327-332.
  • Hutchinson A, Coster JE, Cooper KL, McIntosh A, Walters SJ, Bath PA, Pearson M, Rantell K, Campbell MJ, Nicholl J & Irwin P (2010) . QUAL SAF HEALTH CARE, 19(6).
  • Hutchinson A, Coster JE, Cooper KL, McIntosh A, Walters SJ, Bath PA, Pearson M, Young TA, Rantell K, Campbell MJ & Ratcliffe J (2010) . HEALTH TECHNOL ASSES, 14(10), 1-+.
  • Coster J, O'Cathain A, Nicholl J & Salisbury C (2009) User satisfaction with commuter walk-in centres.. British Journal of General Practice the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 59(569), e390-e393.
  • Coster J, O'Cathain A, Nicholl J & Salisbury C (2009) . BRIT J GEN PRACT, 59(569), 940-942.
  • O'Cathain A, Coster J, Salisbury C, Pearson T, Maheswaran R & Nicholl J (2009) . BRIT J GEN PRACT, 59(569), 934-939.
  • O'Cathain A, Coster J, Salisbury C, Pearson T, Maheswaran R & Nicholl J (2009) Do walk-in centres for commuters work? A mixed methods evaluation.. British Journal of General Practice the Journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners, 59(569), e383-e389.
  • Karnon J, McIntosh A, Dean J, Bath P, Hutchinson A, Oakley J, Thomas N, Pratt P, Freeman-Parry L, Karsh BT , Gandhi T et al (2008) . J HEALTH SERV RES PO, 13(2), 85-91.
  • Dean JE, Hutchinson A, Escoto KH & Lawson R (2007) . BMC HEALTH SERV RES, 7.
  • Karnon J, McIntosh A, Dean J, Bath P, Hutchinson A, Oakley J, Thomas N, Pratt P, Freeman-Parry L, Karsh BT , Gandhi T et al (2007) . SAFETY SCI, 45(4), 523-539.
  • Hutchinson A, Cooper KL, Dean JE, McIntosh A, Patterson M, Stride CB, Laurence BE & Smith CM (2006) . QUAL SAF HEALTH CARE, 15(5), 347-353.
  • Dean J, Edbrooke D & Corcoran M (2002) The critical care national cost block programme: Implementing a standard costing method on a national scale. Care of the Critically Ill, 18(3), 85-87.

Conference proceedings

  • Sampson F, Pilbery R, Herbert E, Long J, Coster J, O’Hara R, Bell F, Goodacre S, Rosser A, Spaight R & Millins M (2023) . RCEM Annual Scientific Conference Glasgow 2023 Meeting Abstracts (pp 875-875)
  • Coster J, Sampson F, Long J & O’Hara R (2023) . 999 EMS Research Forum 2023 meeting abstracts (pp A5.2-A5)
  • Sampson F, Long J, O’Hara R, Coster J, Bell F & Webster P (2023) . 999 EMS Research Forum 2023 meeting abstracts (pp A14.3-A15)
  • Long J, O’Hara R, Sampson F, Coster J, Bell F & Webster P (2023) . 999 EMS Research Forum 2023 meeting abstracts (pp A13.1-A13)
  • Boyd A, Sampson F, Pilbery R, Bell F, Millins M, Coster J, Rosser A & Spaight R (2023) . 999 EMS Research Forum 2023 meeting abstracts (pp A14.2-A14)
  • Sampson FC, Coster J, Bell F, Miller E & Easom N (2022) . Emergency Medicine Journal, Vol. 39(9) (pp e5-e5). Sheffield, UK, 14 June 2022 - 14 June 2022.
  • Sampson FC, Turner J, Knowles E, Long J & Coster J (2022) . Emergency Medicine Journal, Vol. 39(9) (pp e5-e5). Sheffield, UK, 14 June 2022 - 14 June 2022.
  • Sampson FC, Bell F, Webster P, Coster J, O’Hara R, Goodacre S, Foster A, Miles J, Millins M, Pountney A , Rosser A et al (2022) . Emergency Medicine Journal, Vol. 39(9) (pp e5-e5). Sheffield, UK, 14 June 2022 - 14 June 2022.
  • Miles JC, Coster J & Jacques R (2018) . BMJ Open, Vol. 8(8) (pp A23-A24). Copenhagen, Denmark, 16 April 2018 - 16 April 2018.
  • Turner J, Jacques R, Coster J, Nicholl J, Crum A & Siriwardena N (2018) . BMJ Open, Vol. 8(Suppl 1) (pp A30-A30). Copenhagen, Denmark, 16 April 2018 - 16 April 2018.
  • Siriwardena AN, Akanuwe J, Crum A, Coster J, Jacques R & Turner J (2018) . BMJ Open, Vol. 8(Suppl 1) (pp A7-A8). Copenhagen, Denmark, 16 April 2018 - 16 April 2018.
  • Coster J, Siriwardena AN, Turner J, Jacques R, Crum A & Nicholl J (2017) . Emergency Medicine Journal, Vol. 34(10) (pp e2.1-e2)
  • Crum A, Coster J, Turner J & Siriwardena N (2017) . Emergency Medicine Journal, Vol. 34(10) (pp e6.1-e6)
  • Coster J, Jacques R, Turner J, Crum A, Nicholl J & Niroshan Siriwardena A (2017) . Emergency Medicine Journal, Vol. 34(10) (pp e4.1-e4)
  • Coster J, O’Cathain A, Crum A, Jacques R, Nicholl J & Turner J (2017) . Emergency Medicine Journal, Vol. 34(10) (pp e9.2-e9)
  • Phung V-H, Booth A, Coster J, Turner J, Wilson R & Niroshan Siriwardena A (2015) . Emergency Medicine Journal, Vol. 32(5) (pp e10.2-e10)
  • Coster JE, Turner JE, Sirwardena N, Wilson R & Phung V-H (2013) . Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Vol. 67(Suppl 1) (pp A33.2-A34)

Reports

  • Turner J, Jacques R, Crum A, Coster J, Stone A & Nicholl J (2017) Ambulance Response Programme Evaluation of Phase 1 and Phase 2 Final Report

Posters

  • Coster J, O’Hara R, Glendinning R, Nolan P, Roy D & Weyman A (2022) PP38 Impact of working through COVID-19 on ambulance staff resilience and intention to leave the NHS: a mixed methods study.
  • Coster J, O’Cathain A & Nicoll J (2020) PP36  Using linked health data to explore compliance with and appropriateness of ambulance telephone advice.

Preprints

  • Sampson. FC, O’Hara. R, Long. J & Coster. J (2024) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Sampson FC, Pilbery R, Herbert E, Goodacre SW, Bell FB, Spaight R, Rosser A, Webster P, Millins M, Pountney A , Coster JE et al (2024) , Springer Science and Business Media LLC.
  • Long J, Sampson FC, Coster J, O’Hara R, Bell FB & Goodacre S (2023) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • O’Hara R, Sampson F, Long J, Coster J & Pilbery R (2023) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Coster J, Sampson F, O’Hara R, Long J, Bell F & Goodacre S (2023) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Sampson F, Pilbery R, Herbert E, Goodacre S, Bell F, Spaight R, Rosser A, Webster P, Millins M, Pountney A , Coster J et al (2023) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
  • Sampson FC, Knowles EL, Long J, Turner J & Coster JE (2022) , Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
Research group

CURE

Grants
  • Aphasia Partnership Training: A programme of work to co-design and evaluate the effectiveness of training a person with aphasia and their communication partner to communicate better together. Programme Grants for Applied Research £3,807,706.00. Award ID: NIHR208121. Led by Rebecca Palmer (JC role - CI and methods advisor)
  • Mixed methods study to understand the scale, impact and care trajectory for patients who have a long lie after a fall. HSDR. £731,908.62 Award ID: NIHR158676 – status: Led by Fiona Sampson (JC role - CI, PPI lead, Workpackage lead)
  • COMmunicating in STroke cAre and Rehabilitation (COM-STAR): Improving staff communication skills for better access to and inclusion in care and rehabilitation for stroke survivors with communication impairments. HSDR. ££1,096,293.85. Award ID: NIHR155921. Led by Rebecca Palmer (JC role - CI and methods advisor)
  • Exploring the use of pre-hospital pre-alerts and their impact on patients, Ambulance Service and Emergency Department staff. HSDR. £555,740.24. Award ID: NIHR131293 Led by Fiona Sampson (JC role CI, PPI lead, Researcher and analyst)
  • Should I stay or should I go? NHS staff retention in a post COVID 19 world, challenges and prospects. ESRC. Led by Andy Weyman (University of Bath) 30/11/20- 1/03/22
  • Framework development for action on health inequities in primary care. Health Education England (June 2021-23) Led by Ben Jackson (JC role, evidence reviewer, consensus work lead)
  • Communication Partner Training for people with aphasia and their family members: identification of intervention components, expected outcomes and associated outcome measures. NIHR Programme Development Grants, £149,994, 01/04/2021 – 31/03/2023. Led by Dr Rebecca Palmer. (JC role: Specialist methods advisor, consensus methods)
  • An evaluation of the impact of online NHS111 on the NHS111 telephone service and urgent care system. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Â£355,557.00. March 2019 - Sept 2020. Led by Janette Turner (JC role: CI, evidence review). 
  • Safety for Patients through Quality Review. Policy Research Programme. Â£680,441.00. Led by Steve Goodacre. (JC role, project co-lead, CI)
  • Drivers of Demand for Emergency and Urgent Care DEUCE. National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Â£693,743.00. Led by Alicia O’Cathain. (JC role CI, workpackage lead)
  • Improving the response of ambulance services in England. NHS England. Â£229,557.00. Led by Janette Turner
  • Understanding variation in rates of ambulance service "non-conveyance of patients to an emergency department" (VAN). National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). £357,273.00. Led by Alicia O’Cathain. (JC role; CI; Workpackage lead)
  • Developing outcome measures for pre-hospital care (PhOEBE). PGfAR. £1,278,495.00. Led by Janette Turner. (JC role: CI, workpackage lead)
Teaching interests

Research methods 

Supervision of MSc dissertation projects, particularly for students wishing to undertake a primary research-based dissertation.

PhD supervision

Teaching activities

MSc Dissertation supervision

PhD examinations and supervision 

Module lead for Innovative Designs for Research Impact 

Professional activities and memberships

Board Member for the  

CORE member of the

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