Blackpool Health Determinants Research Collaboration

Blackpool will be a trusted and recognised international leader in co-produced, asset focussed research to support evidence-based community regeneration using a whole-systems approach. Our communities will have the opportunity to understand, inform, participate in and benefit from research. Connecting with local governments nationally and internationally to develop an approach to evidence-based practice that fits the needs of their communities. At a time of excitement and change in Blackpool, this bid represents a collective ambition to ensure that transformation is led by co-produced evidence-based decision-making and practice, with our community at the heart of our work. Having secured a Town Deal of £39.5 million to deliver regeneration in 2021, in early 2022 Blackpool was selected as the first pilot area for Levelling-up; our priority is ensuring this addresses the unacceptable health inequalities that Blackpool residents endure. For Blackpool Council, in collaboration with our local communities and partner organisations, to become a sustainably research active local authority, to embed a culture of evidence-based practice and co-produced research in line with local and organisational priorities and through this, to address the wider determinants of health that are producing stark health inequalities in Blackpool. Objectives: To work in equal partnership with our communities to co-design, co-deliver and co-disseminate research on health determinants. To develop an asset-based approach to research capacity development that builds upon individuals’ strengths, knowledge, connections and transferable skills, to support the process of knowledge creation and implementation across the council. To strengthen council processes to support research delivery, including creation of a joint research office with the NHS, strengthening commissioning procedures and development of a simplified process for analysing council-controlled data. To form a strong collaborative partnership with Lancaster University, NHS Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, Empowerment Blackpool and work within our Placed Based Partnership to identify priorities, lead wider collaborative research and support knowledge creation/implementation. To develop an active learning mechanism for sharing the HDRC model with others. All HDRC staff in post, partnership meetings established, capacity development initiated in Housing (12m); ‘Blackpool Model’ of capacity development and evidence-based practice published/disseminated, capacity development evaluated, sustainable capacity development underway, 5+ research funding applications submitted in partnership (48m). Impact/Dissemination: A co-produced dissemination strategy by month 9 (updated annually). Methods ensuring reach to audiences inc. Blackpool residents, Council staff and elected members, voluntary and health sectors, other local authorities, academics and policy makers (traditional and social media, website, blogs, videos, meetings) with a large annual learning event for public and practice. Blackpool residents involved in HDRC work and building trust, development of research funding applications and evidence-based decision making. Dissemination of the model to other regions with 2 day experiential workshops annually and a quarterly community of practice for LA research. Our context as the Levelling Up pilot area, working closely with government, allows HDRC work to impact directly on the 19 future Levelling Up areas.