Paul graduated from the University of Lancashire in 1989 with a First Class Honours degree in Applied Social Science and worked in social care, and as a psychiatric and medical social worker, including statutory work and assessment of deliberate self harm of patients attending Accident & Emergency departments. He has held research appointments previously at the Institute of Psychiatry, London and St James’s Hospital, Leeds and holds an MSc in Psychiatric Social Work and a PhD in Community Medicine (Psychiatry)
Currently: Specialist senior social care research advisor for the NIHR Research Support Service and Specialist Centre for Social Care. Social Care Specialty Lead for the NIHR Northwest Regional Research Delivery Network (RDN)