
Dr Kritika Samsi
Senior Research Fellow
Biography
Kritika Samsi is Senior Research Fellow at the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Health and Social Care Workforce. She has worked in dementia care research for over 10 years using qualitative methodology to investigate a wide range of topics: (1) if there is an optimal time for people with dementia to move into a care home; (2) service needs of older homeless people with cognitive impairment; (3) views of home care staff providing end of life care to people with dementia at home; (4) implementation of the Mental Capacity Act and its relevance for people with dementia; (5) transitions in identity from experiencing 'memory problems' to 'having dementia', (6) respite services for carers of people living with dementia, among others.
She has also conducted studies related to the social care workforce, including conducting an early process evaluation of the implementation of the social care Workforce Race Equality Standards, investigating the views and contributions of ancillary staff in care homes, the role of social care Personal Assistants in supporting people living at home, and the home care workforce.
She is also Senior Fellow of the NIHR School for Social Care Research; Lead of the Social Care Theme of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration in South London; a member of the Executive of the British Society of Gerontology; a member of the Medical and Scientific Advisory Panel for Alzheimer's Disease International.
Kritika jointly leads the Qualitative Research Methods module which attracts a number of students from different MSc courses at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience; and supervises MSc students' dissertations. She also co-chairs the Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum, a group of stakeholders interested in dementia care home research which meets quarterly.
Dr Samsi is Co-I on the major Adult Social Care Workforce Research Partnership: the Care Work project.
Kritika Samsi: ORCID iD | Research Profile at King's | Posts by Kritika on the Unit blog
Research
Developing the role of Dementia Champions in the homecare sector
Defining, refining and evolving the role.
Project status: Completed
Employing Personal Assistants during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons for social care practice
What happened to people employing their own care workers or Personal Assistants (PAs) during the Coronavirus pandemic?
Project status: Completed
Evaluation of the implementation of the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard
We were commissioned by the DHSC to conduct an early process evaluation of the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard implementation.
Project status: Completed
Examining the introduction of the Nursing Associate role in health and social care
Research into the introduction of the Nursing Associate role and the extent to which the role has achieved policy aims.
Project status: Completed
Helping day centres to 'unlock lockdown'
This July 2020 project aimed to support manager or voluntary co-ordinators and staff generally in care homes into the ‘new normal’ after the lockdown.
Project status: Completed
International educational partnerships to develop the healthcare workforce
Building on the Unit's earlier review of ethical international recruitment
Project status: Completed
Mapping And Community Engagement (MACE)
Focusing on day services in south London.
Project status: Completed
NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London: Social Care Theme
Researchers at HSCWRU are working on the Social Care theme as part of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London.
The Optimal Time Study: Multiple perspectives on the timing of moving into care homes by people with dementia
Deciding when to move to a care home may be difficult for some people with dementia and their carers. This study explored the factors involved.
Project status: Completed
The other keyworkers in care homes: Implications of including domestic staff in social care workforce strategies and practices relating to COVID-19 recovery
Housekeeping staff in care homes – cleaners, those working in kitchens, laundries, maintenance – are often forgotten but are the backbone of many care homes.
Project status: Completed
News
Staff experience in the NHS: Navigating challenges and change together
Unit researchers attended the NHS Employers Conference

Unit overseas nurse recruitment work presented to high level inquiry
The APPG inquiry is examining global health workforce migration

The Unit Away Day and a look back at 2025
Staff gathered to discuss Unit strategy

Care Work launches new Community of Practice
The project is welcoming participants. First online meeting: 18 November

At the Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum
Fifty-three people attended the latest Forum meeting
Dementia Community Research Network Engagement Event
The event included presentations by King's researchers

Recognizing the contribution of older people's day centres to prevention agendas
New article by Kritika Samsi and Katharine Orellana

Roundtable on widening participation and apprenticeships
Report and call for research participants

King's co-leads £5m investment into social care workforce research
New research partnership: ‘Care Work’ project

AI in Social Care Summit
Olivia Luijnenburg and Kritika Samsi were in Oxford

Events
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum October 2025
Dementia Training for the Social Care Workforce. Thriving in Residential Care
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum June 2025
The CHAPPI project. About ENRICH.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum February 2025
‘Better Care Moves’. Making mealtimes better for people living with dementia.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum March 2024
Flu vaccination rates amongst care home staff. The work families undertake during care journeys. Falls prevention.
Please note: this event has passed.

Supporting unpaid carers in the NHS and social care
A half-day conference at King's College London & online
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum September 2023
Pharmacists in care homes. The public health response to COVID-19 in care homes.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum June 2023
Mealtimes. Virtual International Care Homes Trials Archive.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum March 2023
Transfers from care homes.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum September 2022
Two Covid studies: Social distancing and isolation. Supporting ancillary workers.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum June 2022
Personal Interventions in Care Homes.
Please note: this event has passed.
Research
Developing the role of Dementia Champions in the homecare sector
Defining, refining and evolving the role.
Project status: Completed
Employing Personal Assistants during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons for social care practice
What happened to people employing their own care workers or Personal Assistants (PAs) during the Coronavirus pandemic?
Project status: Completed
Evaluation of the implementation of the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard
We were commissioned by the DHSC to conduct an early process evaluation of the Social Care Workforce Race Equality Standard implementation.
Project status: Completed
Examining the introduction of the Nursing Associate role in health and social care
Research into the introduction of the Nursing Associate role and the extent to which the role has achieved policy aims.
Project status: Completed
Helping day centres to 'unlock lockdown'
This July 2020 project aimed to support manager or voluntary co-ordinators and staff generally in care homes into the ‘new normal’ after the lockdown.
Project status: Completed
International educational partnerships to develop the healthcare workforce
Building on the Unit's earlier review of ethical international recruitment
Project status: Completed
Mapping And Community Engagement (MACE)
Focusing on day services in south London.
Project status: Completed
NIHR Applied Research Collaboration South London: Social Care Theme
Researchers at HSCWRU are working on the Social Care theme as part of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) South London.
The Optimal Time Study: Multiple perspectives on the timing of moving into care homes by people with dementia
Deciding when to move to a care home may be difficult for some people with dementia and their carers. This study explored the factors involved.
Project status: Completed
The other keyworkers in care homes: Implications of including domestic staff in social care workforce strategies and practices relating to COVID-19 recovery
Housekeeping staff in care homes – cleaners, those working in kitchens, laundries, maintenance – are often forgotten but are the backbone of many care homes.
Project status: Completed
News
Staff experience in the NHS: Navigating challenges and change together
Unit researchers attended the NHS Employers Conference

Unit overseas nurse recruitment work presented to high level inquiry
The APPG inquiry is examining global health workforce migration

The Unit Away Day and a look back at 2025
Staff gathered to discuss Unit strategy

Care Work launches new Community of Practice
The project is welcoming participants. First online meeting: 18 November

At the Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum
Fifty-three people attended the latest Forum meeting
Dementia Community Research Network Engagement Event
The event included presentations by King's researchers

Recognizing the contribution of older people's day centres to prevention agendas
New article by Kritika Samsi and Katharine Orellana

Roundtable on widening participation and apprenticeships
Report and call for research participants

King's co-leads £5m investment into social care workforce research
New research partnership: ‘Care Work’ project

AI in Social Care Summit
Olivia Luijnenburg and Kritika Samsi were in Oxford

Events
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum October 2025
Dementia Training for the Social Care Workforce. Thriving in Residential Care
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum June 2025
The CHAPPI project. About ENRICH.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum February 2025
‘Better Care Moves’. Making mealtimes better for people living with dementia.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum March 2024
Flu vaccination rates amongst care home staff. The work families undertake during care journeys. Falls prevention.
Please note: this event has passed.

Supporting unpaid carers in the NHS and social care
A half-day conference at King's College London & online
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum September 2023
Pharmacists in care homes. The public health response to COVID-19 in care homes.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum June 2023
Mealtimes. Virtual International Care Homes Trials Archive.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum March 2023
Transfers from care homes.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum September 2022
Two Covid studies: Social distancing and isolation. Supporting ancillary workers.
Please note: this event has passed.
Margaret Butterworth Care Home Forum June 2022
Personal Interventions in Care Homes.
Please note: this event has passed.