Lesley Davidson

University of Salford

PhD Title:

Access to prosthesis repairs and impacts on activity, psychological wellbeing and embodiment

Research Interests:

• Upper lib prosthetic design

• User experiences

• Occupational therapy

biography

The impact that prosthetic device failures may have on the wellbeing of the user is very poorly documented. For users for whom device breakdowns are a frequent occurrence, just giving up on the device altogether may be their long-term solution. This is relevant in the UK but also in low-income settings where difficulties accessing reliable devices and adequate repair services may exacerbate the issues above. The purpose of my work is to gather data to demonstrate the importance of repairs in relation to user experience and utilise this to inform service design.

I studied English and History at Sheffield University before studying an MSc in Occupational Therapy at the University of East Anglia. I've worked in quite a few different clinical areas since qualifying including hand therapy/plastics, wheelchairs and paediatrics.

Outside of work, I spend most of my time hiking, swimming outdoors, playing piano, learning how to sail, writing books and going running.