Torfaen Health Determinants Research Unit

Vision

Our vision is to create a culture of curiosity by putting people, data and intelligence at the centre of decision making. Whilst we will understand the life-course of the citizen and how health inequalities impact on their outcomes, we will translate this into evidence-based interventions for the increased benefit of the people of Torfaen.

Background

Torfaen (population 92,453) is a post-Industrial area in Wales suffering from generations of economic decline. It has an ageing population and some of the most deprived communities in Wales with high concentrations of distinct types of often interconnecting deprivation. We are a strategic partner in the Gwent Public Service Board which has become the first Marmot region in Wales.

Our recent Marmot report with its set of indicators has called for a system change to improve health inequity in the region. Identifying a limit to data available, a need to use linked and shared datasets, advocating strong leadership, robust partnership and co-creation at the heart involving communities and the Third Sector.

Aim and objectives

Our overarching aim is to reduce health inequalities in Torfaen. We will achieve this through creating a research-active and evidence-based culture in our council where conducting research and evaluation forms the basis of decision making. At its centre will be our citizens and communities and what matters to them.

We will improve our data quality through developing an efficient data linkage and governance system. This accessible resource with other forms of data will be used by our community of research, evaluation, and innovation to build robust evidence. Collaborations and Partnerships

The council and partners want to ensure that we use strengths-based principles to underpin our research and evaluation which is co-created and co-designed with our communities, across disciplines, organisations and sectors. Our five workstreams will be co-led by our partners University of South Wales, Public Health Wales, and Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.

Whilst also building on our existing voluntary sector for example the Integrated Well-being Networks, Torfaen Voluntary Alliance networks, Citizens Advice Bureau, TCBC Citizens Panel, Torfaen Youth Alliance, and Housing Association Tenants Groups. Timelines and Milestones

The programme has two phases. Years 1-3, the development phase in which the HDRC will develop the infrastructure and capability required for TCBC to be research active and evidence based – including data capability, linkage and sharing, research training and capacity building, PPIE, decision making tools and evaluation. Years 4-5 will focus on delivering impactful research that influences decision-making and resource investment as well as supporting Welsh local authorities in their ambitions to become research active and make evidence-based decisions.

Impact and Dissemination

Torfaen HDRC will be an exemplar in Wales for its high quality research and robust evaluation. Sharing this learning beyond Torfaen, Wales and internationally. We believe that by creating and sustaining our HDRC, and working alongside our communities, we can conduct research and work on improving the way we understand and build the evidence base.

This will enable us to gain further grant income, design effective interventions, and test them out with certainty that the impact on outcomes is monitored and evaluated.