Applications for 2022 SCRiPT Cohort have now closed.
About The SCRiPT Study (Social Care Research in Practice Teams)
The University of Hertfordshire in collaboration with the University of East Anglia has been awarded funding of almost £1 million by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) to build research capacity in adult social care services across Hertfordshire and Norfolk. Over one million adults in the UK receive personal and practical care and assistance from social care for a wide range of reasons, including critical support for age-related issues, health conditions, and disabilities. In partnership with Hertfordshire County Council and Norfolk County Council, the researchers will establish four new Social Care Research in Practice Teams (RiPTs). The team members will receive funding to enhance their research skills and confidence, and to design and implement new research projects to advance social care in the region. Part of their research training will be through the successful and well-established ARC EoE Fellowship programme, led by Christine Hill. The team is also working with the NIHR Clinical Research Network Eastern in developing other parts of the training programme.
The user-led organisation, Shaping Our Lives, will support the RiPTs to ensure experts by experience are involved in the projects and the resulting research is inclusive and relevant for local users of social care services. The overall aim is to evaluate if the RiPT model can mobilise research learning and promote the undertaking of research that reflects the priorities and challenges of the populations social care serve.
One of six similar schemes across England funded by the NIHR, the project also provides more opportunities for collaboration between social care practitioners in Hertfordshire and Norfolk. Participants will benefit from opportunities to share skills and best practices with colleagues from a range of areas of social care.
“We are delighted to receive this funding that will enable us to significantly raise the profile of research within the field of adult social care. It is fantastic to have investment from the NIHR and backing from senior figures in Hertfordshire and Norfolk County Councils.”
Professor Kathryn Almack, University of Hertfordshire
Kathryn Almack is Professor of Health, Young People and Family Lives and project lead at the University of Hertfordshire
Questions? Contact script@herts.ac.uk for more information
The project partners are University of Hertfordshire (lead), University of East Anglia, Kings College London, Hertfordshire County Council, Norfolk County Council, NIHR Applied Research Collaboration East of England, Shaping our Lives.
