NIHR Doctoral Fellow at University of Leeds
About Heather
Heather Rostron is an accomplished Clinical Academic Senior Research Nurse at Leeds Children’s Hospital and an NIHR Doctoral Fellow at the University of Leeds. Heather has a distinguished record of advancing paediatric rheumatology, digital health innovation, and patient-centered research across the NHS. Based clinically at Leeds Children’s Hospital and academically at the Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, she is deeply involved in clinical care, teaching, and research leadership.
Full Name: Heather Rostron
Current Role: NIHR Doctoral Fellow
Organisation: University of Leeds
Email: h.rostron@leeds.ac.uk
Research Topic: Use of digital health technologies to support the management of children and teenagers in paediatric rheumatology services
NHS R&D Programme: HEE Pre Doc Bridging
Year of Cohort: 2019
Achievements and Research Impact
- NIHR Doctoral Fellowship: Currently completing her doctoral project, “PaEdiatric Rheumatology FramEworK for Technology enabled care” (PERFEKT study), Heather is investigating how healthcare technologies support the management of children and young people in rheumatology services.
- Young Person’s Advisory Group: Founder and lead of the “Leeds Young Research Owls,” empowering young people to advise researchers and bring patient perspective to child health studies since 2019.
- International Research Presence: Heather has presented her work at high-profile conferences, such as the Paediatric Rheumatology European Society (PReS) and the “Successes and Failures in Telehealth” conference in Adelaide.
- NIHR 70@70 Nurse Leader: Recognised as a leader in nursing research engagement during her tenure as an NIHR 70@70 Senior Nurse Research Leader (2019–2022).
- Publications: Her first PhD paper, “Adoption of technology enabled care to support the management of children and teenagers in rheumatology services,” was published in BMJ Open, and she has contributed to international guidelines, peer-support research, and nursing workforce development.
Selected Publications
| Title & Details | Year | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Adoption of technology enabled care to support the management of children and teenagers in rheumatology services: a protocol for a mixed-methods systematic review (First PhD-related publication) | 2024 | View Article |
| A nationwide initiative to increase nursing and midwifery research leadership: overview of year one programme development, implementation and evaluation | 2023 | View Article |
| The benefits of a peer-support group for paediatric rheumatology nurses working in isolation | 2022 | View Article |
| Contributors to organ damage in childhood lupus: corticosteroid use and disease activity | 2024 | View Article |
| Validation of childhood lupus specific targets | 2025 | View Article |
Reflections on the NHS R&D NW Programme
Lynne credits the Internship Programme for building her confidence as a clinical academic. She values the programme’s holistic emphasis on personal development—“not just achieving a goal”—and highlights its role in fostering growth that extends beyond research outputs.
Professional Goals
Completing the PERFEKT study to shape future digital and hybrid models for paediatric rheumatology care.
Expanding the impact of the Leeds Young Research Owls, embedding more youth voices in research across the NHS.
Continuing to publish and present impactful work on digital transformation in paediatric healthcare.
Congratulations, Heather, on your achievements and your dedication to advancing digital care, patient involvement, and research leadership in children’s health!
Join the alumni network
Are you a former participant in NHS R&D North West programmes? Stay connected with our growing community of researchers, innovators, and healthcare professionals.
Reconnect with Peers – Find and collaborate with fellow alumni.
Showcase Your Work – Share your achievements and inspire future researchers.
Mentorship & Networking – Connect with emerging talent and experienced professionals.
How to Join?
Click the button below to fill out a sign-up form and become part of our alumni network!