Recruitment launched to lead exciting £4.8m health research project

Cumberland Council is receiving the funding invested by National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to set up its new NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC).

There is a network of NIHR HDRCs across the nation. They enable local authorities to become more research-active, embedding a culture of evidence-based decision making in their activities.    

The NIHR Cumberland HDRC went live on 1 January 2024 with University of Cumbria as Cumberland Council’s primary academic partner.

The money will go towards the creation of a new research team which will work with partners in the voluntary sector. Its work will largely focus on some of the more deprived local communities across the new local authority area. The first roles are a Research and Innovation Manager who will lead the scheme, supported by two research officers.

Embedded in the council, the team will be closely associated with University of Cumbria’s Institute of Health, which has a long-standing reputation for the education of allied health professionals and research including tackling health inequalities.

By boosting research, NIHR HDRC partners will gain a better understanding of the health issues and inequalities in the area so that the council and decision-makers can develop strategies on how best to tackle them to improve the health and wellbeing of its residents.  

Boosting research capacity in coastal and rural communities is a key part of NIHR’s work with under-served communities and was highlighted in a recent Chief Medical Officer’s report.   

Professor Brian Webster-Henderson, Deputy Vice Chancellor at the university, said: “We hold shared ambitions with Cumberland Council of addressing some of the unique challenges and health inequalities that face our region.

“Along with our established work in education of future and current health care professionals and our establishment of the Pears Cumbria School of Medicine with Imperial College London, this new NIHR collaboration will allow our university academics, researchers and council teams to build upon and expand their current expertise and excellence. Through the real-world research they will do in and for our communities, together we will gain a much better understanding of the health issues across the area - important research which will shape and improve lives for generations to come.”

Councillor Lisa Brown, deputy leader of Cumberland Council with responsibility for Adults and Community Health, said: "This is a really exciting time for the council as we embark on this evidence-led approach to tackling many of the health issues in our area.

“As a new council we have put tackling health inequalities central to what we do and we now have a real opportunity working with our partners such as the University of Cumbria, to think differently and help shape our communities for the better. Therefore, I'd encourage anyone with an interest in these posts to find out more and apply and be part of this exciting new project." 

The closing date for applications to these first three leading roles is 26 March 2024.

Full information about the NIHR Cumberland HDRC and the newly-created roles available can be found at https://www.cumberland.gov.uk/health-and-social-care/public-health/health-determinants-research-collaborative.

ENDS