Representatives from De Montfort University and Public
Health provided the commission with an overview of how research benefits the
communities of Leicester and addressed health inequalities. It was noted that:
- Health research entails
systematic collection or analysis of data with the intent to develop
generalisable knowledge to understand health challenges and mount an
improved response to them.
- To be generalisable,
research had to be completed in a population that would allow researchers
to understand the wider population.
- A quote from the World
Health Organisation (WHO) was shared with the commission, “Research is
indispensable for resolving Public Health challenges”.
- Although it was important
for research to be generalisable, it was known that both research
populations and researchers did not currently reflect what they should.
- Research applications from
ethnic minority researchers were less likely to be successful. People from
ethnic minority groups were under-represented on funding committees.
- Applications from female
researchers decline with higher career stages.
- Uk geographies with the
highest burden of disease had the lowest number of individuals taking part
in research.
- There had never been a UK
based cohort study that specifically looked at the health of black women.
- In April 2023, Leicester
City Council entered a research bid to become an
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Determinants
Research Collaboration (HDRC).
- The ambition was to become
a research active organisation and to collaborate with academic and
voluntary and community sector partners to evidence base the high quality
work that was happening in Leicester City.
- The bid received backing
from the City Mayor, Director of Public Health, the two Leicester
Universities and colleagues from the voluntary and community sector
organisations.
- Unfortunately the HDRC bid
was unsuccessful, however the ambition remained. The judging panel were
complimentary about the bid and were keen to work with Leicester.
Subsequently two bits of funding were awarded for a Local Authority
Research Practitioner and Public Health Engagement Lead.
- De Montfort University is
one of only two Universities that are a hub for Strategic Development
Goals. De Montfort was given the Strategic Development Goal 11 which
focuses on sustainable cities and communities.
- De Montfort University was
in the process of developing a master’s in Public Health.
- The Universities working
together to look through the lens of health inequalities and to contribute
to tackling local research priorities that are overseen by the Local
Authorities, in Leicester this includes:
o
Civic Universities Partnership - Health,
Wellbeing and Sport theme.
o
University of Leicester – Centre for Ethnic
Health Research, Leicester Diabetes Centre.
o
De Montfort – Stephen Lawrence Centre, Centre
for Primary care Research
o
Health and Wellbeing in Society, Global Health.
o
Ambition to the national leaders in research
related to community.
As part of discussions the Chair invited members to make
comments and it was noted that:
·
The research was not just about residents of
Leicester being subjects in research, but ensuring there was more diversity in
research. The research needed to apply to a diverse community.
·
Talking to communities and having an informed
agenda was very important for research.
·
Work needed to be done to ensure researchers
were more robust in terms of policies that sit around the allocation of
resources for research.
·
Work around inequity, inequalities and disparity
were often down the list in terms of research.
Agreed:
1.
The Commission noted the report.