Graham Johnson is a consultant in emergency medicine and paediatric emergency medicine at the Royal Derby Hospital, an Honorary Associate Professor in the University of Nottingham School of Medicine, and co-leads Research in Emergency Medicine Derby (REMEDY). He has experience leading and delivering research across adult and paediatric emergency care, including as Chief Investigator and Principal Investigator for NIHR and other competitively funded studies.
Graham is an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow at Loughborough University, undertaking a PhD focused on communication in emergency care. His academic background brings together clinical medicine, applied health research and social science. He also supports the development of research within emergency medicine through multidisciplinary collaboration and the supervision of student research.
Graham’s doctoral research examines how bad news is communicated in emergency departments, including discussions of serious or life-limiting diagnoses, transitions to end-of-life care, and notification of death.
He is particularly interested in how clinicians, patients and relatives navigate these conversations when they are unplanned, time-critical and occur between people who may not previously have met. The research combines evidence synthesis, analysis of video-recorded emergency department encounters using conversation analysis, and qualitative interviews with emergency clinicians. By examining both real-world practice and clinicians’ experiences, it aims to understand how these difficult conversations are accomplished and to inform educational resources grounded in empirical evidence.
Beyond his doctoral work, Graham’s research interests include clinical trials, renal colic and analgesia, and the recovery and resuscitation of commercial divers. Some of his research also uses humour and unusual questions to explore overlooked aspects of clinical practice and as a vehicle for teaching (and learning) research methods.
Projects have examined whether saying the word “quiet” affects clinical activity, the Toxicology of George's marvellous medicine and what constitutes "excessive" consumption of free drinks in an academic library. Although light-hearted in presentation, these studies address practical issues including safety in the home, sustainability, and workplace wellbeing.
Graham’s teaching is focused on adult and paediatric emergency medicine. He teaches medical students, advanced clinical practitioners, and doctors throughout postgraduate training, from Foundation Year 1 to higher specialty trainees in emergency medicine and paediatrics. He also contributes to a fortnightly regional paediatric emergency medicine journal club, supporting critical appraisal and evidence-informed practice. His principal clinical teaching interests include head injuries, minor and major trauma, pulmonary embolism, and paediatric emergency medicine.
Outside work, Graham is kept busy by his three sons. He enjoys reading, keeping fit and camping, and helps with local Scout activities whenever he can.