Mr Lee Knifton
Reader In Public Health & Health Policy
Social Work and Social Policy
Personal statement
Personal statement
I Joined Strathclyde in 2011 and my expertise is in public mental health. My contributions include:
- In 2014 I co-founded The Centre for Health Policy, with Prof Neil Quinn, and now lead with Prof Kat Smith. The Centre connects academics across the university to develop research and knowledge exchange initiatives.
- In 2016 I jointly established our International Centre for Doctoral Training, with Yale Medical School and New York University, funded with the NHS we have successfully supported a cohort of 7 PhD students
- Secured research grants from the NHS, Scottish Government, Police Scotland, European Union & several charities.
- Led research collaborations with our International Strategic Partner New York University.
- I maintain collaborations with a range of national and international organisations to enable knowledge exchange and policy impact.
- Joint Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Public Mental Health, - previously led special editions with partners including the WHO.
- Co-Edited 'Public Mental Health: Global Perspectives' (2014). “It should be read by businessmen, teachers and politicians as much as by clinicians" (Prof Lord Layard)
My academic role is part-time and my primary role is as Director of Research for the Mental Health Foundation, the UK's leading charity for mentla health research and policy and collaborate extensively with governments and national and international universities.
Back to staff profile
Publications
- Editorial 25.2
- Knifton Lee
- Journal of Public Mental Health Vol 25, pp. 113-114 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1108/jpmh-05-2026-206
- Towards a new model of population mental health research and policy translation in the UK : establishing a National Consortium
- Oswald Tassia Kate, Barker Joseph, Barrett Daniel, Blackburn Ruth, Breuer Erica, Chilman Natasha, Cutler Natasha, Daly Helen, Doherty Niamh, Doumany Abd, Downs Johnny, Dregan Alexandru, Dutta Rina, Dyer Jacqueline, Fischer Laura, Hatch Stephani L, Hernandez Sumaty, Hotopf Matthew, Jeffery Annie, John Ann, Kirkbride James B, Knifton Lee, Koksal Caglar, Leavey Gerard, Oparah Ngozi, Ouro-Gnao Isaac, Marzano Lisa, Patterson Paul, Rhead Rebecca, Schofield Peter, Sidhu Kalwant, Steeg Sarah, Stevelink Sharon, Sutton Matt, Webb Roger T, Woodman Jenny, Das-Munshi Jayati
- International Journal of Mental Health Systems (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s13033-026-00703-2
- Editorial 25.1
- Knifton Lee
- Journal of Public Mental Health Vol 25, pp. 1-2 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1108/jpmh-03-2026-203
- Editorial
- Knifton Lee
- Journal of Public Mental Health Vol 24, pp. 185-186 (2025)
- https://doi.org/10.1108/jpmh-10-2025-170
- Poverty of Ambition : Why we Need Bold Action to Tackle Poverty and Improve Mental Health - Mental Health Foundation & Joseph Rowntree Foundation, UK
- Hough Mike, Knifton Lee, Wenham Andrew
- (2025)
- Work, welfare and mental health
- Knifton Lee, Boardman Jed
- Public Mental Health Conference (joint conference between UK Royal College Psychiatrists and Faculty of Public Health). (2025)
Back to staff profile
Professional Activities
- Keynote and Panel Discussion: Mental Health
- Speaker
- 5/6/2025
- Special Edition Journal Public Mental Health on Health Inequalities in UK/USwith NYU (Journal)
- Guest editor
- 2025
- Health and Care Futures: thematic areas workshop
- Invited speaker
- 30/5/2024
- Scottish Government Mental Health Strategy Leadership Forum (External organisation)
- Advisor
- 2024
- Cabinet Secretary's NHS Reform Advisory Group (External organisation)
- Advisor
- 2024
- Mentally Health Schools Conference: Holyrood Insights
- Chair
- 13/9/2023
Projects
- The Impact of Racism on the Mental Health of Minority Ethnic Communities in the UK
- Knifton, Lee (Principal Investigator) Cameron, Julie (Principal Investigator) Solomon, Susan (Principal Investigator)
- An in depth qualitative study in cities across the UK to understand how racism affects mental health and how communities can counter this, undertaken through participatory methods.
- 01-Jan-2025
- Mental Health Futures Collaborative
- Cogan, Nicola (Principal Investigator) Parra Rodriguez, Mario (Principal Investigator) Fleming, Leanne (Principal Investigator) Quinn, Neil (Principal Investigator) Tse, Dwight (Principal Investigator) Knifton, Lee (Principal Investigator) McCann, Lisa (Principal Investigator) Maguire, Roma (Principal Investigator) Smith, Matthew (Principal Investigator) Graham, Christopher Darryl (Principal Investigator) Grealy, Madeleine (Principal Investigator) Stephen, Susan (Principal Investigator) Weir, Natalie Mcfadyen (Principal Investigator) Donnachie, Craig (Principal Investigator) Cameron, Julie (Principal Investigator) Kane, Tony (Co-investigator) Lakey, Trevor (Academic) Donovan, Kevin (Fellow)
- This Engage with Strathclyde event is aimed at all those with an interest in mental health including people with lived experience, NHS and social care personnel and staff, occupational health and human resource management staff, student support services, university student and staff, academics, private and public sector and other personnel interested in mental health research and knowledge exchange.
- 12-Jan-2023 - 12-Jan-2023
- International Strategic Partnership (ISP) Joint PhD cluster - NYU & CUNY
- Quinn, Neil (Principal Investigator) Knifton, Lee (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2022 - 30-Jan-2025
- Thriving Learners College Student Mental Health Study
- Knifton, Lee (Principal Investigator) Cameron, Julie (Principal Investigator)
- Scotland's largest study of college student and staff mental health (2,000) supported by The Robertson Trust, Colleges Scotland and The Scottish Government
- 01-Jan-2022 - 30-Jan-2022
- Thriving Learners University Student Mental Health Study
- Knifton, Lee (Principal Investigator) Cameron, Julie (Principal Investigator)
- One of the largest and most significant studies of university student mental health that has ever taken place in the UK. 15,000 students from across Scotland's Universities shared their experiences of mental health and wellbeing - good and bad - at a time when they have also had to deal with the stresses of COVID-19. Despite the unprecedented circumstances students engaged with us and we have a great response rate which gives us real confidence in the findings. We can clearly see that there are profound challenges across all of our universities for student mental health. Equally, the study also highlights inequalities in mental health and wellbeing within our student populations
- 01-Jan-2021 - 30-Jan-2021
- Impact of knife seizure imagery in Scotland
- Cogan, Nicola (Principal Investigator) Williams, Damien (Research Co-investigator) Chau, Chin-Van Yvonne (Researcher) Eckler, Petya (Co-investigator) Swinson, Nicola (Co-investigator) Hunter, Simon (Co-investigator) Knifton, Lee (Co-investigator) Lindon, Will (Co-investigator) Russell, Kirsten (Co-investigator)
- A mixed methods collaborative project exploring the impact of images of knives seized by Police Scotland on adults in Scotland.
- 14-Jan-2020 - 01-Jan-2022
Back to staff profile
Contact
Mr
Lee
Knifton
Reader In Public Health & Health Policy
Social Work and Social Policy
Email: lee.knifton@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 3615