Dr Wendy Masterton

Senior Lecturer

Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology Stirling

Dr Wendy Masterton

Contact details

About me

Lecturer in Criminology (specialising in Substance Use), part of the Salvation Army Centre for Addiction Services and Research and the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research. My PhD was development of a realist-informed intervention framework for greenspace programmes for improving mental health and supporting people with problem drug and alcohol use. My research interests include substance use, harm reduction, mental health, and the health benefits of greenspace and greenspace interventions

mental health, substance use, realist methods, and health benefits of greenspace.

Research projects (4)

Why is immersion in nature so powerful, and how might it be incorporated into substance use treatment/support in Scotland? A co-produced documentary film
PI: Dr Wendy Masterton
Funded by: Society for the Study of Addiction
–

Intervention development and acceptability/feasibility study of a greenspace programme for mental health and problem substance use
PI: Dr Wendy Masterton
Funded by: Chief Scientist Office
–

Edinburgh Drug Consumption Room feasibility study
PI: Dr James Nicholls
Funded by: City of Edinburgh Council
–

Learning lessons from rapid changes to a UK homeless service in response to Covid-19.
PI: Professor Tessa Parkes
Funded by: The Salvation Army
–

Outputs (26)

Article

The implementation of safer drug consumption facilities in Scotland: a mixed methods needs assessment and feasibility study for the city of Edinburgh

Nicholls J, Masterton W, Falzon D, McAuley A, Carver H, Skivington K, Dumbrell J, Perkins A, Steele S, Trayner K & Parkes T (2025) The implementation of safer drug consumption facilities in Scotland: a mixed methods needs assessment and feasibility study for the city of Edinburgh. Harm Reduction Journal, 22, Art. No.: 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01144-1

Book Chapter

Greenspace programmes for mental health

Masterton W (2024) Greenspace programmes for mental health. In: Boyd CP, Boyle LE, Bell SL, Hogstrom E, Evans J, Paul A & Foley R (eds.) Routledge Handbook on Spaces of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Taylor & Francis (Routledge). https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003345725

Article

A qualitative exploration of the relevance of training provision in planning for implementation of managed alcohol programs within a third sector setting

Masterton W, Carver H, Booth H, McCulloch P, Ball L, Mitchell L, Murdoch H, Pauly B & Parkes T (2024) A qualitative exploration of the relevance of training provision in planning for implementation of managed alcohol programs within a third sector setting. Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687637.2024.2311835

Article

Planning and implementing community-based drug checking services in Scotland: a qualitative exploration using the consolidated framework for implementation research

Falzon D, Carver H, Masterton W, Wallace B, Sumnall H, Measham F, Craik V, Gittins R, Aston EV, Watson K, Hunter C, Priyadarshi S & Parkes T (2024) Planning and implementing community-based drug checking services in Scotland: a qualitative exploration using the consolidated framework for implementation research. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 19, Art. No.: 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-023-00590-7

Article

“It would really support the wider harm reduction agenda across the board”: A qualitative study of the potential impacts of drug checking service delivery in Scotland

Falzon D, Parkes T, Carver H, Masterton W, Wallace B, Craik V, Measham F, Sumnall H, Gittins R, Hunter C, Watson K, Mooney JD & Aston EV (2023) “It would really support the wider harm reduction agenda across the board”: A qualitative study of the potential impacts of drug checking service delivery in Scotland. Ray M (Editor) PLOS ONE, 18 (12), Art. No.: e0292812. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292812

Article

'It’s not going to be a one size fits all': a qualitative exploration of the potential utility of three drug checking service models in Scotland

Carver H, Falzon D, Masterton W, Wallace B, Aston EV, Measham F, Hunter C, Sumnall H, Gittins R, Raeburn F, Craik V, Priyadarshi S, Rothney L, Weir K & Parkes T (2023) 'It’s not going to be a one size fits all': a qualitative exploration of the potential utility of three drug checking service models in Scotland. Harm Reduction Journal, 20, Art. No.: 94. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-023-00830-w

Article

The Potential for Managed Alcohol Programmes in Scotland during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Key Areas for Implementation Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research

Carver H, Parkes T, Masterton W, Booth H, Ball L, Murdoch H, Falzon D & Pauly BM (2022) The Potential for Managed Alcohol Programmes in Scotland during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Exploration of Key Areas for Implementation Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (22), Art. No.: 15207. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192215207

Review

A Realist Review of How Community-Based Drug Checking Services Could Be Designed and Implemented to Promote Engagement of People Who Use Drugs

Masterton W, Falzon D, Burton G, Carver H, Wallace B, Aston EV, Sumnall H, Measham F, Gittins R, Craik V, Schofield J, Little S & Parkes T (2022) A Realist Review of How Community-Based Drug Checking Services Could Be Designed and Implemented to Promote Engagement of People Who Use Drugs. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (19), Art. No.: 11960. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911960

Article

'They already operated like it was a crisis, because it always has been a crisis': a qualitative exploration of the response of one homeless service in Scotland to the COVID-19 pandemic

Parkes T, Carver H, Masterton W, Falzon D, Dumbrell J, Grant S & Wilson I (2021) 'They already operated like it was a crisis, because it always has been a crisis': a qualitative exploration of the response of one homeless service in Scotland to the COVID-19 pandemic. Harm Reduction Journal, 18, Art. No.: 26. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-021-00472-w

Article

Exploring the Potential of Implementing Managed Alcohol Programmes to Reduce Risk of COVID-19 Infection and Transmission, and Wider Harms, for People Experiencing Alcohol Dependency and Homelessness in Scotland

Parkes T, Carver H, Masterton W, Booth H, Ball L, Murdoch H, Falzon D, Pauly BM & Matheson C (2021) Exploring the Potential of Implementing Managed Alcohol Programmes to Reduce Risk of COVID-19 Infection and Transmission, and Wider Harms, for People Experiencing Alcohol Dependency and Homelessness in Scotland. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (23), Art. No.: 12523. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph182312523

Article

"You know, we can change the services to suit the circumstances of what is happening in the world": a rapid case study of the COVID-19 response across city centre homelessness and health services in Edinburgh, Scotland

Parkes T, Carver H, Masterton W, Falzon D, Dumbrell J, Grant S & Wilson I (2021) "You know, we can change the services to suit the circumstances of what is happening in the world": a rapid case study of the COVID-19 response across city centre homelessness and health services in Edinburgh, Scotland. Harm Reduction Journal, 18, Art. No.: 64. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-021-00508-1

Project Report

Managed alcohol programmes: Scoping the potential of a novel intervention to help prevent infection (COVID-19) for people experiencing alcohol dependency and homelessness - Clients

Parkes T, Carver H, Matheson C, Pauly B, McCulloch P, Browne T, Masterton W & Booth H (2021) Managed alcohol programmes: Scoping the potential of a novel intervention to help prevent infection (COVID-19) for people experiencing alcohol dependency and homelessness - Clients [COVID-19 MAPs Study Briefing - Clients]. Chief Scientist Office. University of Stirling.

Project Report

Managed alcohol programmes: Scoping the potential of a novel intervention to help prevent infection (COVID-19) for people experiencing alcohol dependency and homelessness - Staff

Parkes T, Carver H, Matheson C, Pauly B, McCulloch P, Browne T, Masterton W & Booth H (2021) Managed alcohol programmes: Scoping the potential of a novel intervention to help prevent infection (COVID-19) for people experiencing alcohol dependency and homelessness - Staff [COVID-19 MAPs Study Briefing - Staff]. Chief Scientist Office. University of Stirling.

Research programmes

Research centres/groups