Gateshead health research collaborative celebrates its first anniversary
Gateshead Council's Health Determinants Research Collaborative (HDRC) is celebrating its first year of developing research capabilities to help tackle health inequalities in the area.
Last year, the government announced that Gateshead was one of the first 10 local authorities in the country to receive funding as part of a £50m investment by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The funding has enabled Gateshead to develop a Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) with Newcastle University, which has equipped the council with the skills, expertise and capacity to plan and deliver research that will ultimately help residents to live healthier and more fulfilling lives over five years.
In its first year, Gateshead HDRC has built a team of researchers and developed cross council collaborative research teams, which include academic partners and voluntary and community sector organisations. In partnership, the team are working on a multitude of research projects with services across the council, all of which align to the council's health and wellbeing priorities. These include:
- Evaluation of Gateshead Council's Warm Spaces initiative
- Research and evaluation in support of Gateshead Council's Active Travel project, as part of the government's Gear Change plan (opens new window)
- Research and evaluation of Gateshead's Frailty, Strength and Balance intervention approach with Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust
- Domestic Abuse research to improving safety of children in education and enhance health outcomes.
In addition to these projects, Gateshead HDRC intends to build on its capacity with interested colleagues from across the council, who are supported to get involved with funded training and skills building. This includes funded short placements through the NIHR Local Authority Academic Fellowship Programme, which offers individuals based within local authority settings to develop as health and/or social care researchers whilst retaining their existing employment and salary.
As well as council employees, residents and community groups will be able to help Gateshead HDRC to identify how best to tackle inequalities through people lead research that will go on to influence and create change in our area, aligning with the council's overall vision to make Gateshead a place for its residents to thrive.
Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health at Gateshead Council, said: "We're proud of the developments Gateshead HDRC has made in its first year of the five-year programme.
"We now have an outstanding team of researchers recruited to implement and deliver Gateshead HDRC in partnership with Newcastle University, with the support of our wider community and voluntary organisations.
"Through Gateshead HDRC, we want our residents to have the opportunity to take part in the life-changing projects that will have a real impact on our Gateshead communities - including research into vital early prevention work to improve health outcomes for young people and the benefits of social prescribing and active travel in Gateshead.
"Everyone in Gateshead can get involved with Gateshead HDRC - it's not just for those from a public health or academic backgrounds. If you want to take part, we strongly encourage you to get in touch to be part of these life-changing research projects."
To find out more To find out more about the research and to take part, contact hdrc@gateshead.gov.uk.
Gateshead Council's Health Determinants Research Collaborative (HDRC) is celebrating its first year of developing research capabilities to help tackle health inequalities in the area.
Last year, the government announced that Gateshead was one of the first 10 local authorities in the country to receive funding as part of a £50m investment by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
The funding has enabled Gateshead to develop a Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) with Newcastle University, which has equipped the council with the skills, expertise and capacity to plan and deliver research that will ultimately help residents to live healthier and more fulfilling lives over five years.
In its first year, Gateshead HDRC has built a team of researchers and developed cross council collaborative research teams, which include academic partners and voluntary and community sector organisations. In partnership, the team are working on a multitude of research projects with services across the council, all of which align to the council's health and wellbeing priorities. These include:
- Evaluation of Gateshead Council's Warm Spaces initiative
- Research and evaluation in support of Gateshead Council's Active Travel project, as part of the government's Gear Change plan (opens new window)
- Research and evaluation of Gateshead's Frailty, Strength and Balance intervention approach with Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust
- Domestic Abuse research to improving safety of children in education and enhance health outcomes.
In addition to these projects, Gateshead HDRC intends to build on its capacity with interested colleagues from across the council, who are supported to get involved with funded training and skills building. This includes funded short placements through the NIHR Local Authority Academic Fellowship Programme, which offers individuals based within local authority settings to develop as health and/or social care researchers whilst retaining their existing employment and salary.
As well as council employees, residents and community groups will be able to help Gateshead HDRC to identify how best to tackle inequalities through people lead research that will go on to influence and create change in our area, aligning with the council's overall vision to make Gateshead a place for its residents to thrive.
Alice Wiseman, Director of Public Health at Gateshead Council, said: "We're proud of the developments Gateshead HDRC has made in its first year of the five-year programme.
"We now have an outstanding team of researchers recruited to implement and deliver Gateshead HDRC in partnership with Newcastle University, with the support of our wider community and voluntary organisations.
"Through Gateshead HDRC, we want our residents to have the opportunity to take part in the life-changing projects that will have a real impact on our Gateshead communities - including research into vital early prevention work to improve health outcomes for young people and the benefits of social prescribing and active travel in Gateshead.
"Everyone in Gateshead can get involved with Gateshead HDRC - it's not just for those from a public health or academic backgrounds. If you want to take part, we strongly encourage you to get in touch to be part of these life-changing research projects."
To find out more To find out more about the research and to take part, contact hdrc@gateshead.gov.uk.
