Dr Michael Sykes

I am a nurse researcher with experience of care delivery, health service management and research.

There are multiple perspectives upon my work: From a patient perspective, I seek to improve care. From a research funder perspective, I generate knowledge about how to enhance NHS improvement capabilities at scale. From an implementation science perspective, I investigate implementation strategies, tailoring and mechanisms.

My work seeks to address these problems: large-scale improvement strategies are repeatedly delivered without knowing whether they are effective; there are important implementation science questions about how to change practice that lack research access, structures and funding; as a society, we are not taking advantage of routinely collected data.

I work collaboratively with partners and interest-holders. I use co-design methods to integrate stakeholder perspectives, evidence and theory. I use pragmatic, inclusive methods to investigate the effectiveness of implementation strategies using routine data. I explore implementation and the impact on cost and inequalities.

Much of my work seeks to improve the care and outcomes for people with diabetes.

I feel fortunate to do what I do.

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• A cluster randomised controlled trial, process and economic evaluation of two large-scale quality improvement interventions embedded with a national clinical audit to improve the care for young adults with type 2 diabetes (EQUIPD2): Study protocol, Sykes, M., Finch, T., Girling, M., O'Halloran, E., Medcalf-Bell, R., Foy, R. 3 Feb 2026, In: Implementation Science
• Audit and feedback: effects on professional practice, Ivers, N., Yogasingam, S., Lacroix, M., Brown, K., Antony, J., Soobiah, C., Simeoni, M., Willis, T., Crawshaw, J., Antonopoulou, V., Meyer, C., Solbak, N., Murray, B., Butler, E., Lepage, S., Giltenane, M., Carter, M., Fontaine, G., Sykes, M., Halasy, M., Bazazo, A., Seaton, S., Canavan, T., Alderson, S., Reis, C., Linklater, S., Lalor, A., Fletcher, A., Gearon, E., Jenkins, H., Wallis, J., Grobler, L., Beccaria, L., Cyril, S., Rozbroj, T., Han, J., Xu, A., Wu, K., Rouleau, G., Shah, M., Konnyu, K., Colquhoun, H., Presseau, J., O'Connor, D., Lorencatto, F., Grimshaw, J. 25 Mar 2025, In: The Cochrane database of systematic reviews
• Development and usability testing of a multifaceted intervention to reduce low-value injury care, Bérubé, M., Lapierre, A., Sykes, M., Grimshaw, J., Turgeon, A., Lauzier, F., Taljaard, M., Stelfox, H., Witteman, H., Berthelot, S., Mercier, É., Gonthier, C., Paquet, J., Fowler, R., Yanchar, N., Haas, B., Lessard-Bonaventure, P., Archambault, P., Gabbe, B., Guertin, J., Ouyang, Y., Moore, L. 7 Jan 2025, In: BMC Health Services Research
• Exploring the content and delivery of feedback facilitation co-interventions: a systematic review, Sykes, M., Rosenberg-Yunger, Z., Quigley, M., Gupta, L., Thomas, O., Robinson, L., Caulfield, K., Ivers, N., Alderson, S. 28 May 2024, In: Implementation Science
• A cluster randomised controlled trial, process and economic evaluation of quality improvement collaboratives aligned to a national audit to improve the care for people with diabetes (EQUIPD): Study protocol, Sykes, M., Copsey, B., Finch, T., Meads, D., Farrin, A., McSharry, J., Holman, N., Young, B., Berry, A., Ellis, K., Moreau, L., Willis, T., Alderson, S., Girling, M., O'Halloran, E., Foy, R. 31 Aug 2023, In: Implementation Science
• Adapting a Quality Improvement Collaborative to a new national context: A co-design and feasibility study to improve dementia care in Ireland, Sykes, M., O'Mahony, L., Wiggin, D., Timmons, S. 4 Oct 2023, In: BMC Health Services Research
• Evaluating the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention to reduce low-value care in adults hospitalized following trauma: a protocol for a pragmatic cluster randomized controlled trial, Moore, L., Bérubé, M., Belcaid, A., Turgeon, A., Taljaard, M., Fowler, R., Yanchar, N., Mercier, É., Paquet, J., Stelfox, H., Archambault, P., Berthelot, S., Guertin, J., Haas, B., Ivers, N., Grimshaw, J., Lapierre, A., Ouyang, Y., Sykes, M., Witteman, H., Lessard-Bonaventure, P., Gabbe, B., Lauzier, F. 7 Jul 2023, In: Implementation Science
• A commentary on the quality improvement practices in leading an organisational response to audit feedback, Sykes, M. 1 Sep 2022, In: JBI evidence implementation
• Disseminating implementation science: Describing the impact of animations shared via social media, Sykes, M., Cerda, L., Cerda, J., Finch, T. 7 Jul 2022, In: PLoS One

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• Membership of committee: Diabetes UK (External organisation) 2025
• Membership of network: Healthcare Quality Improvement Partnership (External organisation) 2024
• Membership of committee: Irish National Office of Clinical Audit (External organisation) 2023
• Membership of committee: Irish National Office of Clinical Audit (External organisation) 2023

• Catherine Tucker TBC Start Date: 01/03/2026
• Amy Hodgkinson Enhancing diabetes behaviour change interventions with stakeholders within the third sector: a case study Start Date: 01/10/2025

• PhD February 17 2021
• Research Methods MRes November 06 2015
• MBA August 31 2008
• Psychology BSc (Hons) August 31 1994
• Diploma (Adult nursing) DipNurs (Adult) 1996