[ad_1]
People are set to benefit from a £50 million research boost to help tackle health inequalities in the region and improve health outcomes across the country.
The major investment, overseen by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), will enable 13 local authorities to establish pioneering Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs) with practitioners and academics to address knowledge gaps in local areas.
This will enable new high-quality research on environmental challenges that impact human health – facilitating research to better understand and promote interventions on childhood obesity, covid recovery, mental wellbeing and substance abuse.
Local authorities up and down the UK – from Plymouth and London to Newcastle and Aberdeen – are being funded to ensure health inequalities across the board are met.
This is a key part of the Government’s Patient Plan, supporting people to stay well and in the community, easing the pressure on health and care services and ensuring people get the care they need when they need it.
Health Minister Robert Jenrick said:
The outbreak has shone a light on the health crisis across the country – we are determined to improve the health of the nation.
This funding will drive progress in addressing local health challenges, particularly in areas and communities affected by health conditions such as obesity, substance abuse and poor mental health.
Everyone should be able to live a long and healthy life, regardless of their background or where they live, and this new research will help us achieve that ambition.”
This is the first time that funding for health inequalities research has been given to local authorities to lead innovative projects in their communities, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to raising the bar.
Each collaboration is established as a partnership between universities and local government, using the world-leading experience and skills of the academic community. This supports the development of better data and evidence to inform environmental decisions to improve people’s health and reduce the gap in healthy life expectancy between rich and poor.
The funding will help stimulate economic growth across the country – especially in the most underserved areas – by creating new jobs in research, as well as identifying local solutions to key challenges facing our society, such as obesity and poverty. Mental health.
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR, said:
Millions of people living in Britain’s towns, cities and regions face even stronger public health challenges during the Covid pandemic. Thanks to the NIHR, this much-needed research funding provides the basis for building the capacity and capacity of local authorities to carry out high-quality research.
Personally, I am always amazed at how people who work in local government have the added benefit of knowing their local environment and communities. This investment will equip them to shape a sustainable culture of research that will help local populations take greater action in the fight against health inequities.”
Professor Brian Ferguson, Director of the NIHR’s Public Health Research Programme, said:
Many people living in communities across the country are experiencing major health issues that impact their health. Our newly launched HDRCs serve as nationally recognized centers of excellence, providing local government with breathing space to facilitate further research and enhance capacity to address these challenges.
This is a very important step in one of the NIHR’s main aims to help local government develop research that improves health and well-being. By focusing on health issues such as jobs, housing, education and the physical environment, the areas we support have the greatest potential to make a lasting impact on health inequalities and widespread deprivation.
Professor Jim McManus, President of the UK Association of Public Health Directors, said:
We know that health inequality is one of the major barriers facing society the length and breadth of the country, particularly disadvantaged groups and areas.
HDRCs help drive a culture of research in local government, making it easier to research and evaluate what is being done based on the local knowledge that officials have to make a difference for local people.
In addition to research funding, health and social care workers will be better prepared to tackle health issues from today with the publication of a new e-learning resource developed by the Office for Health Improvement and Diversity (OHDI) and Health Education England (HEE).
The free-access module provides bite-sized education on what health inequities are and the actions and interventions that frontline workers, leaders and commissioners can take to address them in their day-to-day work.
It will help give consumers a deeper understanding of health inequalities and how they can be addressed, reducing costs for the NHS and improving quality of life, benefiting the wider economy.
Background information
- The HDRCs commenced on 1 October 2022 and three of the 13 are undergoing further development to enable HDRC status by 1 October 2023.
- This funding comes from existing funding streams for research.
- Funded HDRCs:
- Tower Hamlets Council
- Newcastle City Council
- Doncaster Council
- Aberdeen City Council
- City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council
- Plymouth City Council
- Gateshead Council
- Blackpool Council
- Coventry City Council
- Middlesbrough Council and Redcar and Cleveland Council **
- London Borough of Lambeth
- Medway Council**
- Islington Council **
- ** These three areas are receiving Development Award funding in 2022/23 with a view to becoming full HDRCs in 2023/24.
- Health disparities and health disorders resources complement the 30+ existing modules in all health programs, covering a variety of public health issues including cardiovascular disease prevention, childhood obesity, and air pollution.
- For more information and to access the latest information in the All Our Health suite, please select the Health Disparities and Health Inequalities session on the All Our Health eLearning page or visit GOV.UK.
[ad_2]
Source link
