Developing a robust research infrastructure underpinned by culture change to build local knowledge about health determinants and reduce health inequalities: a collaboration between Surrey County Council and University of Surrey

Vision: This is an application for a two-tier Local Authority (LA) Surrey County Council, in collaboration with a District and Borough council (D&B), University of Surrey (UoS) and local communities to focus on the unique aspects of improving capacity, capability culture and attitudes to research into health determinants and health inequalities in a complex system. The vision is to embed a culture of research practice at the heart of the host organisation’s policy making which is relevant to the partner Reigate and Banstead Borough Council (RBBC).

HDRC infrastructure will drive a co-produced research agenda on tackling health inequalities and enable the implementation of evidence-informed interventions and policy making.

Background: Over 1.1 million people live in Surrey, comprising 11 Ds&Bs . Currently, there is a 10-year gap between the wards with the highest and lowest life expectancies for males and 14-years in females in Surrey in 2020. Our Health and Wellbeing Strategy sets out how we can work closely with our partners to address root causes of poor health.

To achieve this, we need to know how best to prioritise our activity on that matters most to residents and have impactful benefits. Research and innovation will be key in achieving this.

Aims and objectives: To create a robust Research and Governance infrastructure underpinned by public involvement and collaboration across all disciplines. Objectives: build research skills and capacity to enable sustainable growth of evidence-based interventions and policies; implement culture change measures to ensure research is translated into policy and practice; co-produce research with residents; establish strong collaborations to facilitate spreading of new innovations.

Key deliverables: A research champion programme for LA staff (16 across 5-years), peer researcher training scheme (24 over 5-years), community of practice to share experience, research training resources, establishing career pathway development to enable researchers across LA and academic institutions to work cross and maintain a sustainable research culture relevant to the local population, a central repository and website (providing access to the latest local evidence research/ training opportunities), engagement events, publications (primary research in peer reviewed journals, briefing reports, short films), a research and evaluation guidance and toolkit, a research and governance (R&G) strategy, impact evaluation of the programme.

Collaborations: RBBC, UoS, Surrey and Sussex ARC KSS, local third sector organisations, KSS Clinical Research Network (CRN), Academic health Science Network (AHSN) KSS

Timeline: Year 1: Research and governance strategy developed and disseminated, training materials delivered, ethics process in place, first public events held, first cohort of research champions and peer (public) researchers trained, Year 2: data sharing agreed, joint data sharing fully operational. Year 3- 4: R&G strategy fully implemented, Year 5: evaluation of HDRC completed. Publications of research, briefing will be ongoing throughout the programme.

Impact and dissemination: Increase in confidence and application of research in local context, increase in the number of collaborations, success in securing additional research funding, strengthen the voice of community and public, establish a consistent application of research practice, improvement in service effectiveness to tackle Health inequalities.