Health research and innovation conference to be held in Luton

NHS workers and academic researchers will join forces for a conference on tackling inequalities through research and innovation at the University of Bedfordshire in Luton on Monday 13 May.

The University of Bedfordshire and Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board have created the Integrated Care in Action conference as part of their dynamic collaboration involving researchers, commissioners, health and social care professionals.

Focus areas for the event include demonstrating the value of research and innovation on integrated care implementation, and making an impact for service users.

Together, the organisations have developed a programme of research, covering four central priorities:

• Workforce: to address gaps in the workforce and look at how to the NHS can improve health and wellbeing as an anchor institution by recruiting locally and retaining staff;
• Ageing well: to support the local population (especially in areas where there are health inequalities) to age well, and to improve care pathways for frailer patients;
• Safeguarding: to increase multi-agency work to safeguard children and vulnerable adults in areas where exploitation may arise;
• Strengthening research capacity: to increase capacity in research, teaching and learning via interdisciplinary and multi-agency collaborations which support communities in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes.

The keynote speech will be given by Professor David Croisdale-Appleby OBE, chair of the Royal College of Physicians, who will speak on “Research in healthcare and social care in the context of integration: transdisciplinarity in research and why the answer is not as simple as 42”.

Professor Croisdale-Appleby is a leading expert on health and social care, an academic and a career polymath. He has postgraduate degrees in no fewer than five academic disciplines and holds professorships in seven distinct academic departments, spanning medicine, science, social science, and the humanities.  In 2009 he was awarded an OBE for his work for social justice, and most recently was appointed as the new chair of Healthwatch England, the independent champion for people who use health and social care.

Other panellists and presenters include:

• Professor Nasreen Ali, principal research fellow at the University of Bedfordshire;
• Professor Rebecca Bunting, vice-chancellor of the University of Bedfordshire;
• Sally Cartwright, Director of Public Health at Luton Borough Council;
• Rev Lloyd Denny, a local pastor who chaired a review of health inequalities in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes;
• Dr Rima Makarem, chair of Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board;
• Gary Martin, Service Improvement Lead at Bedfordshire Hospitals Trust.

Dr Rima Makarem said:

“We have a strong and developing relationship with our academic colleagues at the university.  Together, we have set out a number of projects which will make a difference to local people who experience health inequalities. 

“At the event we will also be announcing the first three recipients of grants from the research fund which we have jointly established to support projects which aim to reduce health inequalities in our area.  I cannot wait to see them deliver on their ambitions.”

Professor Yannis Pappas, professor of public health and integrated care at the University of Bedfordshire and director of the Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board Research and Innovation Hub, said:

“This is the research and innovation event of the year in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes.  Delegates will have the opportunity to hear about the latest developments in tackling inequalities in health and social care, and to engage in a dialogue with leaders in research, commissioning and practice.  Eminent figures such as Professor Croisdale-Appleby OBE and Reverend Denny join a stellar list of speakers from academia, NHS and social care.”