School of Social and Political Science

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School of Social and Political Science (SPS) academics Dr Lukas Engelmann and Dr Catherine Montgomery will co-lead a new project investigating the impact of societal changes on medicine and how these will affect doctors’ future roles. 

Dr Engelmann and Dr Montgomery will co-lead the new six-year project – ‘Medicine Without Doctors: Reimagining Care and Voice Through Play’ - with colleagues in the University of Edinburgh’s Law School and Usher Institute. The researchers have received £4.7 million through a prestigious Wellcome Discovery Award for the project. 

This interdisciplinary research study looks at how doctors’ roles in the UK have changed due to new technologies, patient activism and economic upheaval. Combining expertise from history, sociology, philosophy, law, design and science and technology studies, the study will investigate the practice of medicine when power is shifted away from doctors. To do this, the research team will conduct four case studies – on abortion care; LGBQT+ health activism; autonomous systems; and physician associates. 

Dr Engelmann and Dr Montgomery, who both work in the Science, Technology and Innovation Studies subject area at SPS, will each be responsible for one of the study’s work packages.  

Dr Engelmann will engage with physician associates around the growing concern about the boundaries of the medical profession.  

Dr Montgomery will lead the cross-programme workstream of methodological innovation and support. This will develop theories and practices of play to create opportunities for people - across disciplines, case studies, and professional sectors - to interact in ways unencumbered by traditional constraints. 

The five co-investigators from the University of Edinburgh will collaborate with the not-for-profit community interest company The Love Tank and design studio Andthen. Dedicated to exploring the reshaping of voices, perspectives and experience, the team will investigate whose authority, needs and values are emerging when the doctor’s is decentred, and which are neglected and lost.  

Principal Investigator Dr Ingrid Young, who works at the University of Edinburgh’s Usher Institute, said: “We are excited to undertake this research, which will allow us to address pressing health issues, including abortion, LGBTQ+ health, autonomous systems and physician associates. Working closely with community and creative partners, our interdisciplinary approach and novel methods will allow us to work across and beyond these areas and to consider how medicine can deal with contemporary challenges while centring the voices of those most affected by these issues.

Learn more about the project on the Usher Institute website.