Professor Tracy Roberts PhD, MPhil(Econ), BSc(Econ)(Hons) RGN

• PhD in Health Economics, 2008
• MPhil(Oxon) in Economics, 1992
• BSc (Hons) Economics, 1990
• Registered General Nurse, 1987

Tracy joined the Health Economics Unit (HEU) in January 1998 as a Lecturer in Health Economics, having previously worked in health economics research at the University of Oxford. She studied Economics at University College London and subsequently Wolfson College, Oxford and completed her PhD as a member of staff in Birmingham. Prior to her career in health economics, her career path includes a year in a commodities consultancy and three years as energy economist, both in Oxford. She is also a qualified Nurse. Tracy’s main research interests are in the area of economic evaluation in sexual and women’s health. Tracy has published widely in these areas and has been a successful applicant to both the MRC and NCCHTA on a wide range of major research projects.

In February 2009 Tracy was appointed Professor of Health Economics.

Tracy has been active in teaching throughout her time in the Birmingham and in 2008 she assumed the role of Director of Teaching and Director of the MSc programme, only relinquishing the role to take on the role of Head of Unit in January 2012. 

Teaching Programmes

• MSc in Health Economics and Health Policy
• Health Economics and Econometrics MSc/Diploma
• Medicine and Surgery MBChB 
• Economics BSc

Tracy is interested in supervising doctoral research students in the following areas:

• Measurement and valuation of healthcare benefits/outcomes
• Economic issues related to sexual, perinatal and women’s health
• Disutilities and overdiagnosis in screening

 Current PhD Students:

• Raymond Oppong
• Chidubem Ogwulu
• Lavanya Diwakar
• Hannah Bromley
• Aish Junga 

If you are interested in studying any of these subject areas please contact Tracy directly, or 
for any general doctoral research enquiries, please email mds-gradschool@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Research themes 

• Health Economics
• Economic Evaluation
• Temporary health states and valuation of outcomes in areas where valuation is challenging: sexually transmitted disease; women’s reproductive and general health
• Disutilities and overdiagnosis in screening programmes
• Model based economic evaluation
• Systematic reviews 

Research activity 

Tracy’s current research activity research is concerned with exploring outcomes in clinical areas where valuation is challenging, such as sexually transmitted diseases where the outcomes may be considered temporary for example and also in areas of women’s reproductive health. She is also exploring the utilities and disutility imposed by overdiagnosis in screening programmes. She is interested developing the methodology of economic evaluation to ensure that the benefits of healthcare interventions are more fully captured. 

Tracy is involved in leading a wide range of applied economic evaluations many of which are in the areas of sexual health and women’s reproductive health and breast cancer. She has collaborated and is the lead health economist on a wide range of grant-funded projects in these areas.

• 2015 - present: Panel member of HEE/NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic (ICA) Programme Clinical Doctoral Research Fellowship Scheme Review Panel 
• 2014: Panel member and lead reviewer for the Evaluation Panel for the Welsh Economics Support Service (WHESS)  
• 2008 - present: NIHR Programme grant Core Methodologist Group as Health Economist (NIHR Programme Grants for Applied Research Programme)