Dr Nicola Boydell is a Lecturer in Social Science and Public Health at the Usher Institute and the Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, University of Edinburgh. A social scientist, her work sits at the intersection of medical sociology, critical public health and healthcare improvement research.
Nicola's research programme focuses on understanding what works, in which contexts, and why in the design and improvement of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, using qualitative and participatory approaches. Her work is grounded in partnerships with people with experience of healthcare, communities, healthcare professionals and other key SRH actors.
Her expertise includes qualitative methods and analysis, engaged and participatory research, health services and healthcare improvement research, and collaborative work with clinical and community partners and policy decision-makers.

Projects

• Nicola is co-leading the SCOPE+ project (May 2026 to April 2027), Improving Access to Post-Abortion Contraception Information in Scotland through a Co-Designed Digital Resource, alongside Prof Jeni Harden (Centre for Biomedicine, Self and Society, Usher Institute). The project team includes Dr Marie Larsson (CBSS, Usher Institute), Dr John Reynolds-Wright and Prof Sharon Cameron (NHS Lothian; Centre for Reproductive Health), with delivery partners The Young Women’s Movement and collaborators Back Off Scotland and The ALLIANCE.
• This project builds on the SCOPE study (Service Co-Design to Enhance Post-Abortion Contraception Access in Scotland, March 2024 to November 2025), which addressed the contraceptive needs of people across Scotland seeking abortion, with a particular emphasis on reducing inequalities in access to post-abortion contraception.
• Nicola was Principal Investigator on a collaborative project funded by the Healthcare Improvement Studies (THIS) Institute (2020 to 2024), which examined the application of participatory approaches in service improvement within sexual and reproductive health services. The project explored current practices in the design and improvement of SRH services and worked with service users and providers to co-design practical resources to support wider involvement in service improvement.
• Between 2021 and 2023, Nicola was a Co-Investigator (PI: Prof Sharon Cameron) on a Scotland-wide evaluation of early medical abortion. She led a workstream drawing on her THIS Fellowship qualitative research with abortion care providers across Scotland, examining changes implemented in response to COVID-19. The study contributed to Scottish Government decisions on the future provision of Early Medical Abortion at Home (EMAH).
• This evaluation built on Nicola’s earlier work as Co-Investigator (PI: Dr Jeni Harden) on an NHS Lothian-funded study exploring the perspectives of women and health professionals on a telemedicine Early Medical Abortion (EMA) service introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study examined experiences of EMA at home, assessed the acceptability of telemedicine provision, and identified opportunities for service improvement.
• Her earlier projects include a qualitative evaluation of the implementation of immediate postpartum intrauterine contraception (PPIUC) in a public maternity service, research on HIV prevention in Scotland, and school-based interventions addressing sexual and reproductive health.

Nicola’s research interests include: social aspects of health and illness, particularly sexual and reproductive health; the application of participatory research methods; engaging and involving communities in health research; and applied, policy relevant, healthcare improvement research.

• 2025 PgCert Academic Practice, University of Edinburgh
• 2015 PhD “Personal communities and safer sex: A qualitative study of young gay and bisexual men in Scotland”, University of Glasgow
• 2011 MSc Social Science Research, University of Glasgow
• 2010 PgCert Public Health Studies, Queen Margaret University
• 2008 BSc (Hons) Sociology and Psychology (First Class), Queen Margaret University

• As Lecturer in Social Science and Public Health Nicola leads courses on Qualitative Research Methods and the Sociology of Health and Illness on the Master of Public Health Programme (on-campus) at the University of Edinburgh.
• Dr Boydell contributes to coures on the MBChB undergraduate medical programme within the University of Edinburgh Medical School.
• Dr Boydell supervises undergraduate students (BMedSci, BMTO Honours programmes), Masters' level students on Master of Public Health Programmes (on-campus and online) and PhD students within CMVM at the University of Edinburgh.