The Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences, working with NHS R&D North West has developed a series of seminars based on themed research “provocations.” This innovative collaboration seeks to bring HSS research to bear on the delivery of NHS healthcare, and to inspire new forms of cross-disciplinary collaboration. This series brings cutting edge research to a network of NHS practitioners, managers, and researchers, to explore practical impacts and policy potential.
The initiative emerged from conversations with individuals across the Faculty who already had some interest in health and care research, either directly or tangentially. It was clear that the opportunity for developing a space to enable collaboration, knowledge exchange and impact, as well as possible future collaboratives, would be really powerful.
Each seminar includes an academic explanation of the research area, followed by discussions of how these areas might apply to real-life clinical and patient-related interactions within the NHS, allowing participants to discover how the provocation might have relevance to their own professional practice. Subjects covered include racialised consciousness, formatting and delivery of public health messaging, and supporting dementia sufferers and carers through the Humanities, with important consideration given future research, as well as to the potential benefits to patient care.
In conjunction with the University’s Heseltine Institute, subjects covered are being developed into Policy Briefings, to better inform decision makers about our co-produced findings. The fruits of this collaboration have already been showcased at the online Health and Care EXPO North West 2022, a high-profile digital exhibition in partnership with HEE (NW), NIHR Clinical Research Network Greater Manchester, NIHR Clinical Research Network and North West Coast and NHS R&D North West.
