The research undertaken by Professor Davies embraces both the clinical use of medicines as well as designing and testing approaches to developing the capability of clinicians. 

Currently, Professor Davies is engaged in a programme of work to develop and evaluate the impact of a medication-risk stratification tool for use in the elderly; a multi-centre programme working with colleagues at Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust and Brighton and Sussex Medical School. This work builds on a previous programme which identified a range of factors known to cause adverse drug reactions in the elderly. Professor Davies is also collaborating with colleagues at the Thrombosis Centre, King's College Hospital Foundation Trust, exploring the use of anticoagulants in key patient groups. 

In addition he has undertaken research exploring aspects of medicines adherence and the design of educational packages to support those working with patients with diabetes, to identify and resolve barriers to adherence. In addition he was part of a team who designed and validated the first consultation framework to focus on medicines (the MRCF - medicines-related consultantion framework), which has recently been adopted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society to support the development of consultation skills for pharmacists.

He is also a founder member of CoDEG (the Competency Development and Evaluation Group; www.codeg.org) a collaborative of specialist NHS practitioners and academics drawn from the two London Schools of Pharmacy. CoDEG designed and tested two pharmacist development frameworks (the GLF {general level} and ACLF {advanced level}) as a direct response to the Clinical Governance agenda within the NHS.

The ACLF has been formally recognized by the Department of Health, in the policy document “Guidance for the Development of Consultant Pharmacist Posts” (DH March 2005) and has international application as demonstrated by adoption in Australia by the Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia (SHPA) as well as in Singapore and Croatia. Both frameworks form the basis for those recommended by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Faculty, to recognise (and develop) its membership.

Professor Davies has published over 150 peer reviewed papers and abstracts, supervised 11 research degrees and examined 13 research thesis in the Uk and overseas.

He has held visiting professor status at Zagreb University (Croatia), is currently a visiting Professor at UCL School of Pharmacy, is a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and a Honorary Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Pharmacy.

Adverse drug reactions and medication problems in the elderly. Medication adherence and the relationship with consultation skills.