Professor Sonia Dalkin

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).