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Sarah Byford

Professor Sarah Byford

Professor of Health Economics

  • Head of Department, Health Service & Population Research
  • Deputy Chair, King's College London Research Degrees Exam Board

Research interests

  • Economics

Biography

Sarah Byford is Professor of Health Economics and  Head of Department, Health Service & Population Research at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience at King's College London. 

Sarah is a health economist who joined King’s College London in 2000, having worked previously at the Centre for Health Economics, University of York, and the Health Economics Research Group, Brunel University. 

Sarah is based in the King’s Health Economics research group, which is part of the Health Service & Population Research Department at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience.  

Sarah is an expert in mental health economics and has a particular interest in the economic evaluation of services for children and adolescents, including young people with depression, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, autism and those at risk of or with first episode psychosis. In addition, Sarah has expertise in the economic evaluation of adult services, including depression, addiction, domestic abuse and perinatal mental health services. 

Research Interests 

  • Mental health economics 
  • Economic evaluation of mental health services 
  • Economic evaluation of child and adolescent mental health services 

Teaching

  • Health economics
  • Economic evaluation
  • Critical appraisal of health economic evidence

Expertise and Public Engagement

  • NHS England Perinatal Mental Health Economics Group member, part of the Perinatal Research Priorities Group 
  • Advisory group member for the Violence and Abuse: Opportunities for Change ESRC Mental Health Network, King’s College London 
  • Advisory group member for the Emerging Minds: Action for Child Mental Health ESRC Mental Health Network, University of Reading 
  • NHS England Adult Eating Disorders Expert Reference Group member 
  • NICE Centre for Guidelines Expert Adviser 
  • British Journal of Psychiatry International Editorial Board member 
  • Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Editorial Board member 

    Research

    iStock-KHE 1800
    King's Health Economics

    King's Health Economics, led by Professor Sarah Byford (Director), and Dr Barbara Barrett (Deputy Director), consists of a team of health economists with expertise in designing and conducting high quality economic evaluations of healthcare programmes and policies that contribute to healthcare policy and practice in the UK and abroad. 

    alcohol and military
    Alcohol Dependence and Adherence to Medications (ADAM)

    Alcohol dependence causes considerable physical and mental health problems;

    Project status: Ongoing

    iStock-887303144
    DISCOVER research group

    The DISCOVER research group is investigating effective and accessible forms for adolescent mental health interventions.

    Secondary school
    Brief Educational workshops in Secondary Schools Trial (BESST)

    A clinical trial designed to understand whether the DISCOVER workshop programme can positively impact the mental health of 16-18-year-old sixth-form students.

    Project status: Ongoing

    sparkle logo
    Supporting Parents And Kids Through Lockdown Experiences (SPARKLE) Trial

    A randomised control trial evaluating whether a digital public health parenting intervention can help parents to manage their children’s behaviour problems.

    Project status: Ongoing

    4 children with muddy boots - by ben wicks
    Multi-Agency Child Safeguarding (MACS) Evaluation

    This project will provide evidence about what makes Local Safeguarding Children Partnerships (LSCPs) effective.

    Project status: Starting

    EDCRN
    Eating Disorders Clinical Research Network

    Eating Disorders Clinical Research Network is a UK-wide NHS research network spanning child and adult eating disorder services.

    Project status: Ongoing

    News

    New NIHR Research Support Service established at King's College London

    The National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded £6.8 million to King’s College London to establish a new Research Support Service that...

    NIHR Research Support

    Schools-based mindfulness programme improves school culture and reduces teacher burnout

    New research investigates the effectiveness of a standardised schools-based mindfulness training programme.

    Teacher standing at the front of a class

    New research investigates the effectiveness of perinatal mental health services

    Researchers at King’s College London investigated the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and service satisfaction of a range of specialist perinatal...

    C0091669-Newborn_baby_s_grip_reflex-SPL

    Events

    22JulOpen Science Summer School (1)

    Open Research Summer School

    Join us at the Open Research Summer School for a deep dive into the world of research.

    Please note: this event has passed.

    Features

    Maudsley Debates - 51st to 60th

    The Maudsley Debates take place three times a year at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN). Topics generally focus on issues that...

    Maudsley Debates 2 1903x558

      Research

      iStock-KHE 1800
      King's Health Economics

      King's Health Economics, led by Professor Sarah Byford (Director), and Dr Barbara Barrett (Deputy Director), consists of a team of health economists with expertise in designing and conducting high quality economic evaluations of healthcare programmes and policies that contribute to healthcare policy and practice in the UK and abroad. 

      alcohol and military
      Alcohol Dependence and Adherence to Medications (ADAM)

      Alcohol dependence causes considerable physical and mental health problems;

      Project status: Ongoing

      iStock-887303144
      DISCOVER research group

      The DISCOVER research group is investigating effective and accessible forms for adolescent mental health interventions.

      Secondary school
      Brief Educational workshops in Secondary Schools Trial (BESST)

      A clinical trial designed to understand whether the DISCOVER workshop programme can positively impact the mental health of 16-18-year-old sixth-form students.

      Project status: Ongoing

      sparkle logo
      Supporting Parents And Kids Through Lockdown Experiences (SPARKLE) Trial

      A randomised control trial evaluating whether a digital public health parenting intervention can help parents to manage their children’s behaviour problems.

      Project status: Ongoing

      4 children with muddy boots - by ben wicks
      Multi-Agency Child Safeguarding (MACS) Evaluation

      This project will provide evidence about what makes Local Safeguarding Children Partnerships (LSCPs) effective.

      Project status: Starting

      EDCRN
      Eating Disorders Clinical Research Network

      Eating Disorders Clinical Research Network is a UK-wide NHS research network spanning child and adult eating disorder services.

      Project status: Ongoing

      News

      New NIHR Research Support Service established at King's College London

      The National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded £6.8 million to King’s College London to establish a new Research Support Service that...

      NIHR Research Support

      Schools-based mindfulness programme improves school culture and reduces teacher burnout

      New research investigates the effectiveness of a standardised schools-based mindfulness training programme.

      Teacher standing at the front of a class

      New research investigates the effectiveness of perinatal mental health services

      Researchers at King’s College London investigated the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and service satisfaction of a range of specialist perinatal...

      C0091669-Newborn_baby_s_grip_reflex-SPL

      Events

      22JulOpen Science Summer School (1)

      Open Research Summer School

      Join us at the Open Research Summer School for a deep dive into the world of research.

      Please note: this event has passed.

      Features

      Maudsley Debates - 51st to 60th

      The Maudsley Debates take place three times a year at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN). Topics generally focus on issues that...

      Maudsley Debates 2 1903x558