The National Institute for Health and Care Research has made a significant investment in local government research capacity recently, through the establishment of 30 Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs) across the UK – each receiving £5m over five years.
These HDRCs are designed to enable greater evidence-informed decision-making, ensuring that local government resources are targeted effectively to improve residents’ health and tackle deep-seated health inequalities.
In Newcastle, the HDRC is instrumental in advancing our city’s commitment to health, wellbeing and equality, underpinning our ambition to become a Marmot City.
The HDRC’s work aligns seamlessly with our political priorities, focusing on the wider determinants of health, and ensuring that our policies and practices are grounded in robust research and evidence.
Central to this is the council’s commitment to ‘Health equity in all policies’ – placing health and the reduction of health inequalities at the forefront of decision-making across all services. This approach ensures that improving health outcomes becomes everyone’s responsibility and is embedded within the council’s strategic aims and priorities.
Collaboration between the council, Newcastle University and other key partners has fostered a culture of innovation and excellence, reflected in the many initiatives and projects led by the HDRC.
A flagship achievement is HDRC Newcastle’s leadership in developing the council’s first Evidence and Data Strategy.
Co-produced with more than 130 staff – from frontline workers to senior leaders – the strategy ensures that evidence-informed decision-making is embedded across all services.
The strategy is now being woven into corporate processes, including medium-term planning, and is shaping how the council prioritises, funds and evaluates its work.
This is helping to shift organisational culture, making evidence central to how decisions are made and services are delivered – ultimately supporting better outcomes for residents.
The HDRC’s influence on council business is a significant achievement, with departments regularly seeking HDRC’s expertise and incorporating insights into business case submissions.
The establishment of Areas of Research Interest across directorates, including children’s and families, and adult social care, has been pivotal in linking research with decision-making. This ensures that our policies are not only evidence-based, but also tailored to the unique needs of our communities.
Examples of this include a HDRC-led deep dive into Newcastle’s high levels of school non-attendance, where recommendations were shaped by existing council data, as well as new insights gathered directly from children and families. In response, we are developing a ‘Single child view’ – linking data across services to uncover inequalities, support early intervention and improve system-wide impact.
Another project is exploring access to perinatal care among ethnic minority women, with findings shaping a co-produced event connecting service commissioners and providers with those directly affected, to improve maternity services.
The HDRC’s commitment to addressing health inequalities is further demonstrated through the development of sustainable data tools and bespoke analytical resources. These empower council practitioners to make data-driven decisions that address social vulnerabilities and promote equity in service delivery.
As we continue our journey towards becoming a Marmot City, the HDRC’s role in embedding health equity into policy-making cannot be overstated. The work of the HDRC supports our vision of a fairer, healthier Newcastle, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
- To find out more about the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s health determinants research collaborations, please visit the NIHR website.