Sandwell Council is building a permanent research team inside local government to turn evidence into action on the health problems that shorten lives in one of England’s most deprived boroughs. Life expectancy in Sandwell is two to three years below the national average, and the pandemic, austerity, and climate change have widened that gap. The council already uses evidence in public health decisions, but the rest of its services lack the capacity to do the same. This project embeds research skills, data infrastructure, and evaluation systems across the entire council so that decisions about housing, transport, green spaces, and social services are tested and improved like medical treatments would be. If the collaboration succeeds, Sandwell residents should see better-targeted services and slower growth in health inequalities. The council will be able to show which investments actually work, saving money and improving outcomes. The partnership with the University of Birmingham and local voluntary groups also creates a model that other deprived local authorities could adopt—turning a council into a research-active organisation that learns from its own communities rather than relying on generic national guidance.
View original technical description
HDRC VISION To undertake evidence-informed, robustly evaluated activities that reflect the needs and values of our diverse local communities. The Sandwell HDRC will align with a borough-wide Levelling Up Programme to improve the wider determinants of health. BACKGROUND Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) is the 12th most deprived local authority in England and life expectancy is 2-3 years shorter than the national average. Inequalities have been deepened by the pandemic, austerity and climate change, yet Sandwell’s superdiverse communities, industrial heritage and green spaces are key assets. A research needs analysis in 2021 found a strong culture of evidence-based decision making in the Public Health directorate, but less so across the wider Council. Existing structures and collaborations show commitment and potential to be more research active and evidence-informed, but limited capacity to take this forward. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The HDRC aims to transform SMBC’s research culture and infrastructure to: *Make the best use of empirical evidence to inform decision-making and investment *Robustly evaluate services to ensure quality, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness *Facilitate research activity with partner organisations and local residents *Effectively disseminate research outputs for wider influence This will be achieved by: *Strengthening research and development capacity, resources and infrastructure *Embedding a strong research culture for evidence-informed decision-making *Developing robust systems and partnerships for cultural and knowledge exchange *Creating a community-led research culture KEY DELIVERABLES HDRC objectives will be delivered via four parallel workstreams: *Build capacity and infrastructure through workforce development and training; data science infrastructure for information sharing and evaluation; and research governance structures and processes *Embed research culture and evidence-informed practice by supporting translation of evidence into practice; embedding needs assessment and evaluation; and increasing use of evidence in decision-making *Strengthen systems and partnerships through academic collaborations for research and learning; structures and processes for wider system partnerships; and effective information sharing *Promote community participation through expanding PPIE structures, and widening engagement and representation in research COLLABORATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS The HDRC will be a core partnership between SMBC, University of Birmingham and the voluntary sector, supported by wider collaboration and engagement. Partnership with Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations and Sandwell Consortium will ensure that local residents and community groups are represented and involved. TIMELINE AND MILESTONES The HDRC has a 5-year phased approach. Year 1: programme establishment and planning, setting baselines and training Year 2: full programme commencement Year 3: dissemination, review and growth, including first publications Year 4: review and consolidate learning Year 5: sustainability through designing and implementing an ongoing programme of activity IMPACT AND DISSEMINATION Strengthening evidence-informed decision-making and investment will improve health outcomes for Sandwell residents and reduce health inequalities. HDRC updates and outputs will be shared via local, regional and national forums and events; peer reviewed journals; and the Sandwell Trends website.
Plain English summaries and category classifications on this site are generated by AI and may not perfectly reflect the original research.
Is something wrong? Let us know