ARC East of England and ARC Wessex jointly hosted the Cross-ARC Care Home Network Event on Friday 10th March 2023 at Friends House, Euston Road, London.
This event was attended by around 70 delegates including: researchers across the ARCs, NIHR commissioning, Department of Health and Social Care, Local Authorities and Care Home Colleagues who were brought together to enable constructive and insightful discussions about the future of care home research.
At this collaboration event, members met and discussed research ideas with the intention of developing research proposals and grant submissions collaboratively.
Professor Claire Goodman, ARC East of England and Cross-ARC Care Home Lead welcomed everyone to the event followed by chairs: Professor Jackie Bridges, ARC Wessex and Liz Jones, National Care Forum. Prior to the event, delegates had been given a copy of a scoping exercise: Care Home Research Across the Applied Research Collaborations that identified 68 care home projects across the 15 ARCs.
Inside the delegate packs for the day
The morning session saw a number of presentations with the theme of Building Capacity in Care Home Research:
- The Vivaldi Study: Building a research infrastructure with care home partners: Professor Laura Shallcross, University College London, and Zoe Fry, Outstanding Society.
- Innovative Partnerships and resources for research with care home staff and residents: Professor Ann-Marie Towers, ARC Kent, Surrey and Sussex, Dr Guy Peryer, ARC East of England, Dr Jo Day, ARC South West Penninsula, Dr Anne Killett, ARC East of England, Professor Karen Spilsbury, ARC Yorkshire & Humber.
- Falls in Care Homes Implementation Study (FINCH Imp): Professor Pip Logan, ARC East Midlands.
The morning presentations were followed by a brief Q&A. Next, Dr Lisa Douet from NIHR Research Design Service gave a short summary on the HTA Social Care Prioritisation Committee and then the delegates split into breakout groups by topic. Prior to the event, attendees selected a topic area that aligned to their interests with the intention of stimulating discussions to future-proof care home research and the ageing population. Breakout topics included: Partnership in care: care homes working with social care and primary care; Staff education and training in care homes; Dementia care in care homes; end of life care in care homes; workforce; Quality of Life and quality improvement; Implementation.
The afternoon session had the theme of Fifteen Years of Care Home Research; Achievements and Future Challenges with Chair, Professor Julienne Meyer, welcoming the delegates. The presentations included:
- Care home leadership in research: Anita Astle MBE, Wren Hall.
- From Trials to quality improvement: Professor Adam Gordon, NIHR ARC East Midlands.
- Frailty and end of life care: Professor Caroline Nicholson, ARC Kent Sussex & Surrey.
- Dignity in care: Professor Jackie Bridges, ARC Wessex.
- Addressing the needs of the care home workforce: Professor Karen Spilsbury, ARC Yorkshire and Humber.
The afternoon presentations were followed by Panel & Audience Discussion: 'What does good look like in care home research and implementation?' This was chaired by Dr Katherine Froggatt. The Panel for this included: Professor Carl Thompson (ARC Yorkshire and Humber, University of Leeds), Professor Cathy Pope (Academic and family carer, NIHR Oxford and Thames Valley ARC), Tom Owen (Director of My Home Life England), Professor Annette Boaz (The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine).
The event showcased the growth in care home research and increasing sophistication in how we do research with and for care homes. It also demonstrated how the ARC network has enabled new collaborations and shared learning for the benefit of those living and working in care homes.
Prof. Claire Goodman, ARC East of England
Prof. Adam Gordon presenting his work on quality improvement research.
Read and download the presentations from the event:
- The Vivaldi Study: Building a research infrastructure with care home partners: Prof. Laura Shallcross, UCL, and Zoe Fry, Outstanding Society
- Innovative Partnerships and resources for research with care home staff and residents: Prof. Ann Marie Towers, ARC Kent, Surrey and Sussex, Dr Guy Peryer, ARC East of England, Dr Jo Day, ARC South West Penninsula, Dr Anne Killett, ARC East of England, Prof. Karen Spilsbury, ARC Yorkshire & Humber.
- Falls in Care Homes Implementation Study (FINCH Imp): Prof. Pip Logan, ARC East Midlands.
- Care home leadership in research: Anita Astle MBE, Wren Hall.
- From Trials to quality improvement: Prof. Adam Gordon, NIHR ARC East Midlands
- Frailty and end of life care: Prof. Caroline Nicholson, ARC Kent Sussex & Surrey
- Dignity in care: Prof. Jackie Bridges, ARC Wessex
- Addressing the needs of the care home workforce: Prof. Karen Spilsbury, ARC Yorkshire and Humber