Professor Madeline Cruice

Overview

Madeline is Professor of Aphasia Rehabilitation and Recovery, and a speech and language therapist specialising in quality of life in aphasia who joined City, University of London in 2002.

Biography

Madeline studied and worked at the University of Queensland, Australia, where her degree and PhD were in speech pathology. Her key interests at doctoral level were modelling the relationship between communication and quality in older adults with and without aphasia (an acquired communication disorder post-stroke); and investigating bias in participant-proxy respondent reporting on quality of life patient-reported outcome measures. She worked conjointly with the Royal Brisbane Hospital, and was involved in the foundation of the Australian Aphasia Association. In 2002, she moved to City, University of London. During her career, she has focused on the application of quality of life in aphasia rehabilitation research and practice, with particular interests in novel intervention development and evaluation to deliver meaningful life outcomes for people with post-stroke aphasia and families. She is currently Co-Chair of the international Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists (CATs-4). Within education, she has pioneered the development of new clinical placements within the voluntary sector, and developed the Classroom-to-Clinic skills programme and the Communication Skills Intensive (in the NHS), which accelerate students' learning of core clinical skills in paediatrics and adults. Whilst at City, she has worked in secondments with Connect – the communication disability network, the Homerton Regional NeuroRehabilitation Unit, and with communication support groups within The Stroke Association.

Current Grants

Wilson, S., Roper, A., Wood, J., Cruice, M., Botting, N., & Dykes, J. DARA: Inclusive Data Visualisation for Human-Centred Decision-Making. EPSRC Award. £609,000. August 2023 - July 2026.

Behn, N., Hilari, K., Cruice, M., Kellar, I, & Togher, L. Training communication partners of people with acquired brain injury: Intervention optimisation (TANGO). NIHR Advanced Fellowship Award. £410,000. September 2023 - February 2026.

Neate, T., & Cruice, M. Content Accessibility (CA11Y): Highly individualised design content for supporting diverse needs. EPSRC New Investigator Award. £280,000. October 2023 - September 2025.

Palmer, R., Cruice, M. (Joint Lead), Kellar, I., Jones, F., Gibbs, E., Power, E., Isaksen, J., Hilari, K., Coster, J., Ali, A., Scobbie, L., Watkins, C., Kontou, E., Beeke, S., & McKevitt, C. Communicating in Stroke Care and Rehabilitation (COM-STAR): Improving staff communication skills for better access to and inclusion in care and rehabilitation for stroke survivors with communication impairments. NIHR HSDR Award. £1,096,000. March 2024 - February 2027.

Wyatt, D., Wolfe, C., Marshall, I., Cruice, M., Neate, T., Rowland-Coomber, S., McKevitt, C. Equitable and inclusive patient and public involvement in stroke research and service delivery (EQUIPS). NIHR PDG Stream B Award. £149,000. March 2024 - February 2026.

Dipper, L., Cruice, M., & Devane, N. Machine learning Analysis and Reporting of Spoken personal stories for people with aphasia (MARS). Barts Charity. £477,809. October 2024 - September 2027.

Recent Grants

Palmer, R. (PI), Cruice, M. (Co-PI), Cooper, C., Beeke, S., Hilari, K., Kellar, I., Coster, J., Flight, L., Gibbs, E., Witts, H., Sudworth, K., & Jagoe, C.

Communication partner training for people with aphasia and their family members: Identification of intervention components, expected outcomes and associated outcome measures. National Institute of Health and Care Research Programme Development Grant. £149,000. September 2021 - August 2023.

Wray, F., Forster, A., Clarke, D. & Cruice, M. Feasibility study of supported self-management for stroke survivors with aphasia (StarStep study). The Stroke Association, £174,961. October 2019 - November 2024.

Dipper, L., Cruice, M., Pritchard, M., Botting, N., & Laybourne, A. Storytelling in Older Adults in Residential Settings (STARs). Dunhill Medical Trust, £90,996. September 2019 - March 2021.

Cruice, M. (PI), Dipper, L. (Joint PI), Marshall, J., Botting, N., Boyle, M., & Hersh, D. with Pritchard, M. Linguistic Underpinnings of Narrative in Aphasia (LUNA): A proof-of-concept study of a novel discourse treatment for aphasia using personal narratives. The Stroke Association, £205,257. May 2018 - January 2021.

Wilson, S., Marshall, J., Cruice, M., & Roper, A. INCA: Inclusive Digital Content for people with Aphasia. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, £496,294. July 2017 - June 2020.

Marshall, J., Wilson, S., Woolf, C., Cruice, M., & Patel, A. Delivering group support for people with aphasia through a virtual communication environment. The Stroke Association, £158,111. January 2017 - April 2019.

Marshall, J., Woolf, C., Cruice, M., Wilson, S., & Stokes, C. Enhancing communication in aphasia through technology (CommuniCATE). Barts Charity, £415,785. July 2014 - June 2017.

Recent Administrative Roles

- Chairing Team Member for the National Institute of Health and Care Research Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship Scheme (2017-2023)

- Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists Representative on the UK Stroke Forum Organising and Scientific Committees (2021-2023)

- Aphasia Advisory Board Member for The Stroke Association

- Programme Director for the PhD programmes, School of Health and Psychological Sciences (2020-2023)

- Programme Director for the NIHR-funded MRes Clinical Research, School of Health Sciences (2014-2017)

Qualifications

• Doctor of Philosophy in Speech Pathology, University of Queensland, Australia, 1998 - 2001
• Bachelor in Speech Pathology (Hons I), University of Queensland, Australia, 1994 - 1997

Fellowships

• Fellow, Higher Education Academy, December 2011 - present

Memberships of professional organisations

• Chairing Team Member, National Institute of Health Research Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship Scheme, March 2015 - present
• Lead of the Societal Impact and Reintegration Research Working Group, Collaboration of Aphasia Trialists, May 2014 - present
• Registered Speech and Language Therapist, Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)
• Certified Member, Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT)

Awards

• City, University of London (2016). Vice Chancellor's Award for Outstanding Contribution to Local Community
• City, University of London (2016). Research Supervision Award
• City, University of London (2011). Student Voice Award
• School of Health Sciences (2011). Teaching Award
• The University of Queensland (1999). Walter and Eliza Hall Travelling Scholarship

Teaching

Teaching

Modules taught:

- Identity, Inclusion and Living with Disability and Deafness (HCM010)
- Acquired Language Impairment, within Language, Communication and Cognition Disabilities (SL3003, SLM009)
- Professional Studies (SL3008)
- Clinical Skills Programme (SL1006)
- Incidental lectures on communication in ageing (SLM005), disability in social context (SL1004), WHO ICF and communication disability (SL2005, SLM005), reading assessment and treatment (HCM001), and cognition and quality of life (HCM003).
- Research project modules (SL3007, SLM011, HCM018)

Research Overview

Madeline's core research interests lie in understanding the relationships between communication impairment, activity and participation (WHO ICF) with wellbeing and quality of life in individuals who live with aphasia, so that speech and language therapy intervention is best targeted for maximum effect. She has a particular interest in the impact of self-report questionnaires on subsequent goal setting and treatment planning; and the influence of aphasia on individuals' abilities to express thoughts, feelings, and opinions when reflecting on quality of life. Her current work explores the use of self-report measures of quality of life, wellbeing, and activities, in normal and aphasic individuals, in the community and clinical practice settings; and the impact of reading intervention on psychosocial and wellbeing outcomes in aphasia.

Research Areas

- Wellbeing
- Health-Related Quality of life
- Aphasiology

Collaborators

- Dr Lucy Dipper (internal)
- Professor Jane Marshall (internal)
- Dr Naomi Cocks (external)
- Professor Linda Worrall (external)
- Professor Louise Hickson (external)
- Dr Kate Swinburn (external)

Grants

- £2,300. Cruice, M., Cheasman, C., & Everard, R. Impact of counselling skills training on students speech and language therapists. Learning Development Project, City University London.

- £3,300. Cruice, M. Capturing student learning and progression: Clinical skills development and reflective practice. Learning Development Project, City University London.

- £4,999. Farrington-Douglas, C., Cruice, M., & Heron, C. Developing an OSCE to evaluate speech and language therapy students' clinical and communication skills. Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) Clinical and Communication Skills Seedcorn Grant.

- £97,292. Marshall, J., Pring, T., Cocks, N., Cruice, M., Hickin, J., & Best, W. Enhancing communication in aphasia through gesture. Stroke Association UK.

- £19,315. Cruice, M. Enhancing SLT students' clinical and communication skills in setting goals with patients and clients in adult neurological acute, rehabilitation and community settings. Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) Clinical and Communication Skills Spotlight Project Grant.

Research Overview

Madeline's core research interests lie in understanding the relationships between communication impairment, activity and participation (WHO ICF) with wellbeing and quality of life in individuals who live with aphasia, so that speech and language therapy intervention is best targeted for maximum effect. She has a particular interest in the impact of self-report questionnaires on subsequent goal setting and treatment planning; and the influence of aphasia on individuals' abilities to express thoughts, feelings, and opinions when reflecting on quality of life. Her current work explores the use of self-report measures of quality of life, wellbeing, and activities, in normal and aphasic individuals, in the community and clinical practice settings; and the impact of reading intervention on psychosocial and wellbeing outcomes in aphasia.

Recent Research Grants

Wray, F., Forster, A., Clarke, D. & Cruice, M. Feasibility study of supported self-management for stroke survivors with aphasia (StarStep study). The Stroke Association, £174,961. October 2019 - September 2021.

Dipper, L., Cruice, M., Pritchard, M., Botting, N., & Laybourne, A. Storytelling in Older Adults in Residential Settings (STARs). Dunhill Medical Trust, £90,996. September 2019 - March 2021.

Cruice, M. (PI), Dipper, L. (Joint PI), Marshall, J., Botting, N., Boyle, M., & Hersh, D. with Pritchard, M. Linguistic Underpinnings of Narrative in Aphasia (LUNA): A proof-of-concept study of a novel discourse treatment for aphasia using personal narratives. The Stroke Association, £205,257. May 2018 - January 2021.

Wilson, S., Marshall, J., Cruice, M., & Roper, A. INCA: Inclusive Digital Content for people with Aphasia. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, £496,294. July 2017 - June 2020.

Marshall, J., Wilson, S., Woolf, C., Cruice, M., & Patel, A. Delivering group support for people with aphasia through a virtual communication environment. The Stroke Association, £158,111. January 2017 - April 2019.

Marshall, J., Woolf, C., Cruice, M., Wilson, S., & Stokes, C. Enhancing communication in aphasia through technology (CommuniCATE). Barts Charity, £415,785. July 2014 - June 2017.

Research Areas

- Wellbeing
- Health-Related Quality of life
- Aphasiology

Research students

2^ndsupervisor

• Martina Curtin, Research Student

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