We recently hosted our annual event for our communities and partner organisations to celebrate the impact of ARC East of England's research across the region. We welcomed around 130 people at this hybrid event, including researchers, health and social care professionals, voluntary sector organisations, and members of the public.
Professor Wendy Wills, Director, presents the impact of the NIHR ARC East of England
Earlier this summer, we hosted the NIHR ARC East of England’s Celebrating Research and Shaping Our Future Together in Norwich. This event showcased the diversity of our research, including our engagement with marginalised communities and the ways that we have supported our local health and social care systems. We also held two panel discussions to gather views on the future of the ARC East of England.
Showcasing ARC East of England’s impact across the region
Professor Wendy Wills, Director of NIHR ARC East of England, welcomed everyone to the event. Dr. Claire Thompson (Theme Lead for the Prevention and Early Detection in Health and Social Care theme) chaired the first session, which included five presentations. Dr. Laura Abbott and a member of the lived experience team presented the Lost Mothers project, which explores the emotional and physical impact of the mandatory separation of newborn babies and mothers in the criminal justice system. This was led by Dr. Angus Holford, who shared the effect of the Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) scheme on children's bodyweight and the correlation between UFSM and childhood obesity. Professor Daksha Trivedi presented her findings on South Asian women’s experiences of breast cancer care with the aim of improving outcomes for this community. Professor Kathryn Almack led the fourth presentation and shared how her work is tackling inequalities within LGBT+ communities, including an innovative play that highlights LGBT+ experiences in care homes. Finally, Dr. Louise Lafortune emphasised the critical role of high-quality data in identifying and monitoring health inequalities.
The second session, chaired by Dr. Adam Wagner (Theme Lead for Health Economics and Prioritisation), evidenced how our research has supported our regional health and care services. Dr. Corinna Hackmann and Sarah Rae presented the MINDS Study, which aims to improve the outcomes and experiences of people who are discharged from mental health hospitals. We also learnt how Dr. Tim Clarke's project is enhancing the collaboration between the health and education systems to increase access to parent-led cognitive behavioural therapy for children with anxiety in Norfolk and Waveney. Dr. Guy Peyer led the third presentation about the Compassionate Communities project, which addresses the demand on community care settings to respond to the increase in the number of people dying. Lastly, Professor Kristy Sanderson shared how the CATNAPS project is supporting the ambulance workforce to help fight fatigue.
The MINDS project team presenting their research
Gathering diverse views to shape ARC East of England’s future
Presentations were followed by two panel discussions. The discussions built on last year’s public consultation, which aimed to gain insights to inform future ARC planning. Professor Wendy Wills, Director of NIHR ARC East of England chaired the first panel and Simon Denegri, Executive Director at the Academy of Medical Sciences and Chair of ARC East of England’s Expert Advisory Group chaired the second panel. The topics were:
- What assets and barriers exist for ARC East of England’s aim to align with Integrated Care Systems across the region in improving health and care services, experiences and outcomes? with panellists Tracy Dowling, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB); Dr. Sanhita Chakrabarti, Deputy Medical Director at Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes ICB; Dr. Philippa Brice, Head of Research and Development at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICB; Dr. Phillip Smith, Head of Research and Innovation at Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB; Dr. Caroline Angus, Director at Integrated Care Academy; and lastly, Dr. Clara Yates, Associate Director of Research and Innovation at NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB.
- How can we share and apply our findings for shared learning and informed decision-making to improve health and care services, experiences and outcomes? with panellists Dr. Sarah Robinson, Implementation Lead at NIHR ARC East of England and Director of Delivery at Health Innovation East; Marie-Lyse Numuhoza, Co-chair of NIHR ARC East of England Public, Community, Involvement, Engagement and Participation Coordinating Group; Geoff Brown, Chief Executive at Healthwatch Hertfordshire; Tim Fox, Senior Engagement Officer at Community 360; and academics with experience in knowledge mobilisation, including Professor Debi Bhattacharya, Professor Matt Fossey and Dr. Elizabeth Such.
The initial panel emphasised the pivotal role of the ARC in fostering collaborations and implementing evidence-based research strategies among the ICBs to enhance service delivery and outcomes for patients. All panellists agreed on the necessity of collaborative efforts to identify research priority areas with tangible real-world impact. The second panel emphasised the importance of sharing progress and new findings throughout a research project, not just once it is concluded. The panel also discussed methods to effectively translate research into practical applications and communicate them to the communities affected by the research.
Panel discussion on knowledge mobilisation
Reflecting on the event, Professor Wendy Wills stated:
“The event demonstrated the importance of collective efforts in tackling regional health and social care challenges. It highlighted the power of early and ongoing collaboration and communication between researchers, practitioners, community members, ICS s, service providers and policymakers to ensure that our research focuses on areas of greatest need and informs decision-making and practice.”
Professor Wendy Wills, Director at NIHR ARC East of England
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