Developing a unified conceptual and measurement framework of maternity inequalities to inform policy using routinely collected national data(code D1.2_LSHTM)

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Inequalities Challenge: Maternity Disparities Consortium (MDC) is proud to announce its PhD Studentship competition. We are seeking the next generation of researchers to help us tackle persistent inequalities in maternity. 

The MDC brings together a UK wide collaboration of universities, NHS trusts, councils, charities, and industry partners. You can find information about our consortium members here. Our goal is to improve outcomes for women and babies before, during, and after pregnancy through inclusive, evidence-based research. 

Capacity Development

The MDC capacity development programme aims to build the next generation of maternity disparities research leaders, strengthen the workforce to deliver and sustain impact across the UK and deliver on the government priorities including the Women’s Health Strategy for England and 10 Year Health Plan for England.  

The Consortium focuses on growing long-term research capacity and expertise, especially within underrepresented disciplines, professions and underserved communities; inspiring and supporting the next generation of researchers with the right skills mix to work across clinical, practice and research sectors.  

The Opportunity

We are offering up to 12 funded PhD studentships (2 co-funded with the NIHR School for Public Health Research) across a range of potential projects at universities across our Consortium. We are specifically looking to grow research capacity in methodological areas, including but not limited to, health economics, statistics, trial design, digital research, data science, implementation science and co-production methods where expertise is currently limited. 

Start: January 2027 

Duration: Up to 3 years (Full-Time) or 4 years at 0.8WTE (Part-Time) may be discussed.

Funding:  

• Full home tuition fees covered (at 2026/27 UK rates). 
• Tax-free annual stipend at UKRI rates (£21,805/£23,805 outside London/ inside London from 1^st October 2026). 
• £5,000 (per award) contribution towards research, travel, training and consumables. 
• International students are welcome to apply but must secure alternative funding for the difference between UK and Overseas tuition fees.

The Project

Rationale: Addressing maternity inequalities requires actionable evidence on what works, for whom, and under what circumstances – and acknowledgement of the complexity of their underlying determinants and causal mechanisms. UK evidence at scale primarily focuses on ethnicity and area-based deprivation; research on other determinants and their interactions (including with ethnicity and deprivation) remains limited; in part due to the absence of standardised measurement approaches in routinely collected national data. Better measurement of these determinants is essential for translating national policy commitments on maternity safety and health inequalities into targeted, evidence-based action.

Aim and methods: The project aims to develop a conceptual and measurement framework for maternity inequalities, providing a better understanding of individual, household-level and place-based determinants of disadvantage, their relationships and the mechanisms through which they influence access and outcomes.

Research objectives are:

• To conduct a realist review and framework synthesis to specify determinants and plausible pathways underlying inequalities.
• To develop standardised and validated coding frameworks to measure these determinants in routinely collected national datasets using data science methods, prioritising under-researched factors including disability and neurodivergent conditions, language and interpreter need, migration status, mental health conditions, gender-based violence, and food and housing insecurity.
• To apply the developed frameworks in up to three studies examining how determinants accumulate and interact to influence select maternity and family outcomes and/or modelling the effect of interventions for different populations using advanced statistical methods.

Expected impact: This project will combine theory- and data-driven approaches with exemplar studies to demonstrate the strengths and limitations of routinely collected data for equity-focused analyses. Results will inform the design of national studies capable of testing and scaling interventions and policies targeted at those facing the greatest disadvantage. By enabling better measurement of intersecting disadvantage in routine data, the project will support more precise identification of at-risk groups and strengthen the evidence base for targeting interventions where most needed, with a clear pathway from measurement and mechanism to real-world impact. Outputs are intended to be transferable beyond maternity care and to other countries.

Contact Supervisor- Ipek Gurol-Urganci: [email protected]

Who is a MDC PhD studentship for? 

We welcome applications from individuals passionate about maternity health equity with particular methodology knowledge and experience. We are committed to building a supportive, inclusive, and caring research community. We particularly encourage applications from: 

• People from underrepresented ethnic backgrounds. 
• People with disabilities, neurodivergent conditions, and long-term health requirements 
• Candidates of all genders, ages, and beliefs. 
• We encourage applicants with experience of a wide range of methodologies to apply if they believe they can bring valuable skills to research on maternity inequalities. If it is not immediately obvious, please use your cover letter to explain how your disciplinary background will allow you to carry out your research. 

Eligibility Criteria

Essential

• First/Upper Second-Class Honours degree (2:1 or above) or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in a relevant subject (e.g. statistics, applied mathematics, data science, computer science or similar).
• A Master’s degree or equivalent in a relevant field (recommended).
• Understanding of and commitment to tackling maternity inequalities. 
• Relevant previous research experience – this experience may be relevant to either the research or methodological area. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Highly motivated. 
• Able to work both independently and as part of a team. 
• Able to plan and manage own work. 
• Strong quantitative research skills and experience analysing complex datasets, ideally including routinely collected data.
• International applicants are welcome to apply for studentships, but applicants who are selected for interview must be able to provide proof of funding for international fees and immigration costs prior to their interview.   
• English language requirement (LSHTM Band B) which can be found here.
• If shortlisted you will be required to complete the RD application process at LSHTM by 1st October.

*All students will be expected to be based at their host university and meet the individual university PhD studentship regulations. Please check individual university postgraduate admissions.

Accessibility and Support

We want you to perform at your best. You may contact individual supervisors when asking for more details about the projects and your suitability for the project. General enquiries about the recruitment process and MDC, including if you require any reasonable adjustments for the application process or the interview (such as alternative formats, extra time, or specific technological needs), please contact:  [email protected].  

NIHR and DHSC have a duty as a public body to promote equality of opportunity.  We will contact all applicants throughout the application period with an Equality Monitoring Form. Monitoring ensures that all applications to NIHR MDC Programmes are treated equally in terms of gender, ethnicity and/or disability. Information will be anonymised and stored separately from your application, only be used for the purpose of monitoring equal opportunities and be kept securely and in confidence.