Expertise
Dr Ruth Abrams is an Associate Professor in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Surrey and an organisational psychologist with an internationally recognised programme of research focused on creating healthy, sustainable and equitable healthcare workplaces.
Her research examines how workforce, organisational and system factors shape staff wellbeing, retention and service delivery across health and care settings. She has particular expertise in primary care workforce development, women in healthcare, and workplace interventions that support women's reproductive health across pregnancy, postnatal return to work and menopause. She is also recognised for methodological expertise in realist review and realist evaluation, which she applies to understanding what works, for whom, in what circumstances and why.
Ruth leads and collaborates on major NIHR-funded research exploring workforce sustainability, multidisciplinary models of primary care, women's experiences of work and healthcare careers. Her work aims to generate actionable evidence that informs policy, service redesign and workforce practice.
Beyond her research, Ruth provides leadership internationally in the development and application of realist methods. She founded (in 2022) and co-leads the Realist Health and Social Care Workforce Special Interest Group, supporting researchers and practitioners interested in workforce-focused realist inquiry. She also founded the Primary Care Organisational Culture Exchange (in 2026). Nationally, she sits on the Editorial Board of the British Journal of General Practice and serves as a member of the NIHR Public Health Research Funding Committee.
At the University of Surrey, Ruth serves as Academic Co-Lead for Research Culture: People and Environment. She previously served as Interim Director of Research and Impact Champion for the School of Health Sciences.