Professor Sonia Dalkin

Professor

Department: Social Work, Education and Community Wellbeing

Sonia Dalkin is a Professor of Applied Health and Social Care Research in the Faculty of Health & Life Sciences, with expertise in complex intervention evaluation and theory driven approaches. In 2025, Sonia was funded by the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research (NIHR) to build and Co-Direct a National Evaluation Team (NET), named IDEAS. IDEAS-NET conducts interdisciplinary evaluation of complex innovations in health and social care, and is based at Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

Sonia has interests in diverse methods with an emphasis on mixed and novel approaches, specifically used to understand the delivery and organisaiton of health and social care services. She has significant experience in theory driven approaches, particularly realist evaluation, providing training in the approach throughout the UK and internationally.

Her recent research, co-led with Professor Angela Bate, aims to address the requirements outlined by the MRC Framework for the development and evaluation of complex interventions. This methodological development research aims to formulate Realist Economic Evaluation Methods (REEM) and associated guidance, to better understand and evaluate the costs and consequences of complex interventions. It will bring together realist and economic evaluation to enable evaluators to establish what works, for whom, in which circumstances, whist integrating better understanding of costs and consequences (including opportunity cost).

Campus Address

H005, Coach Lane Campus East

Email Sonia

Research Themes and Scholarly Interests

Complex interventions
Theory driven research
Evaluation of health and social care services
Realist evaluation and synthesis
Development and application of novel approaches to evaluation
Application of the NIHR/MRC Framework for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions.
Palliative care, long term conditions and multimorbidity.

Key Publications

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Mechanisms to support interventions involving the police when responding to persons experiencing a mental health crisis: A realist review, Redgate, S., Clibbens, N., Haighton, C., Dalkin, S., Bate, A., Girling, M., McCarthy, S., Eagles, T., Gray, J., McKinnon, I. 10 May 2025, In: Health & Social Care in the Community
Care models for coexisting serious mental health and alcohol/drug conditions: the RECO realist evidence synthesis and case study evaluation, Hughes, E., Harris, J., Ainscough, T., Bate, A., Copello, A., Dalkin, S., Gilchrist, G., Griffith, E., Jones, L., Maden, M., Mitcheson, L., Sumnall, H., Walker, C. 1 Oct 2024, In: Health technology assessment (Winchester, England)
‘For Want of a Nail’: developing a transparent approach to retroduction and early initial programme theory development in a realist evaluation of community end of life care services, McEwan, K., Girling, M., Bate, A., Atkinson, J., Clarke, A., Dalkin, S. 3 Jul 2024, In: International Journal of Social Research Methodology
IMplementation of the Preterm Birth Surveillance PAthway: a RealisT evaluation (The IMPART Study), Carlisle, N., Dalkin, S., Shennan, A., Sandall, J. 21 May 2024, In: Implementation Science Communications
Optimizing staff recruitment and retention in care homes: what works? the reach realist review, Devi, R., Haunch, K., Spilsbury, K., Dalkin, S., Bate, A., Jones, L., Goodman, C., King, N. Dec 2024, In: Innovation in Aging
Providing ‘professionalism with compassion’; how the time for caring communication can improve experiences at the end-of-life at home, findings from a realist evaluation, McEwan, K., Atkinson, J., Clarke, A., Bate, A., Jeffery, C., Dalkin, S. 21 Dec 2024, In: BMC Palliative Care
The impact and value of the Parkinson’s nurse specialist to people with Parkinson’s and their care partners: a grounded theory qualitative study, McEwan, K., Clarke, A., Dalkin, S., Hand, A. 28 Oct 2024, In: BMC Nursing
The Realist Topic Guide, Redgate, S., Dalkin, S. 29 Nov 2024, Realist Evaluation, Routledge
Achieving Integrated Treatment: A realist synthesis of service models and systems for co-existing serious mental health and substance use conditions, Harris, J., Dalkin, S., Jones, L., Ainscough, T., Maden, M., Bate, A., Copello, A., Gilchrist, G., Griffith, E., Mitcheson, L., Sumnall, H., Hughes, E. 1 Aug 2023, In: The Lancet Psychiatry
Applying and reporting relevance, richness, and rigour in realist evidence appraisals: Advancing key concepts in realist reviews, Dada, S., Dalkin, S., Gilmore, B., Hunter, R., Mukumbang, F. 1 May 2023, In: Research Synthesis Methods

Current and Recent Projects

Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
Developing an NIHR Health and Social care Delivery Research (HSDR) national evaluation team: InterDisciplinary Evaluation of complex innovations in heAlth and Social care (IDEAS) Centre, Bate, A. (Principal Investigator), Dalkin, S. (Co Investigator), National Institute for Health Research, 01/02/25 - 31/01/30, £3,028,752.00

PGR Supervision

Robin Hyde Exploring the impact of the Advanced Paediatric Nurse Practitioner role within the hospital setting: a realist evaluation Start Date: 06/07/2021