Title: Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Team: PHIRST LiLaC
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: Aim: Local authorities have an important role in improving the health of the residents they serve. This is because many services and initiatives they run, such as housing, transport and education can affect people’s health. Local Authorities, however, do not always have the evidence they need to make the best decisions about how to invest their resources to improve the health and wellbeing of local people. _x000D_ _x000D_ To tackle this problem, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has set up Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies teams (PHIRST) around the UK to undertake research with local authorities. These teams provide information about how a local authority service or initiative is delivered and the impact it has on local people. This involves a type of research known as evaluation. _x000D_ _x000D_ Approach taken: Through our PHRST researchers from Liverpool and Lancaster universities will work with members of the public and local authority staff as partners to deliver these evaluations. For each evaluation, our researchers will first work with the local authority and public advisers to make sure the research meets their needs. We will consider how well the initiative addresses differences in health between different social groups (e.g., age, ethnicity or gender). We will check that the right data are available to do the work properly. _x000D_ _x000D_ Then, if it is agreed with NIHR that the evaluation should go ahead, a project team will be brought together involving the participating local authority, researchers and representatives from communities where the initiative is being delivered. The project team will write a plan for the evaluation and then deliver the research on time and within the agreed budget. _x000D_ _x000D_ The team will use a variety of approaches such as: interviewing members of the public and professionals to gather their views; and analysing data from services and organisations to understand how well interventions are working, whether they are good value for money, and whether they are available to all people fairly. We can involve people and organisations from our extensive networks who have specialist knowledge as required. _x000D_ _x000D_ Public involvement: _x000D_ We believe that everyone has the right to have a voice in research affecting their lives. A central group of public advisers will be involved in our team’s decision making and as members of its steering group. They will work with researchers to make sure that high quality involvement happens throughout our work. Members of the public living, studying or working in neighbourhoods or settings where the research takes place, will also be involved in local evaluations as members of the project team or as community researchers. _x000D_ _x000D_ Dissemination: _x000D_ Our evaluations will provide clear information for local decision makers to act upon. We will present and share the research with communities, organisations, groups and individuals working nationally or in other areas who may find the evidence helpful. The research will be shared on social media and websites, as well as written up as reports. These materials will be prepared jointly with the public and practitioners to make them as relevant as possible.

Lay abstract: LiLaC comprises researchers from Liverpool and Lancaster universities, collaborating with Directors of Public Health and members of the public, ready to deliver a Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Team (PHIRST). We develop and evaluate public health policies/interventions and participate extensively in responsive evaluation schemes supporting local government. This includes NIHR School for Public Health Research’s (SPHR) Public Health Practice Evaluation Scheme (PHPES), the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) (formerly CLAHRC) NW Coast partner priority programme, and rapid responses to Covid-19, including two national pilots embedded in local government. Our inter-disciplinary approach combines state-of-the art quasi-experimental methods, utilising our unique data platforms (e.g. www.cipha.nhs.uk, https://pldr.org ), with in-depth qualitative approaches to assess the health inequality impacts of natural experiments and illuminate pathways to impact. Our approach to evaluation is underpinned by co-production and public involvement, with health equity embedded throughout the research process. _x000D_ _x000D_ Each of our PHIRST evaluations will follow a structured process co-produced with local authorities and the public. _x000D_ _x000D_ First, an evaluability assessment will: review current evidence to determine the need for evaluation; develop actionable research questions; assess potential public health and inequalities impacts and consider practicalities such as data access/quality. This stage will define the next steps with the local authority, public advisers and PHR secretariat. _x000D_ _x000D_ Second, a project evaluation group will be established to develop the research protocol and oversee the evaluation. A LiLaC researcher will lead this group and integrate inputs from our extensive research networks with representatives from the participating local authority. Members of the public will also be involved in the project team, recruited where possible from settings and localities where the local authority intervention is delivered. The research methods applied could include combinations of process, outcome and economic evaluation utilising experimental, quasi-experimental, observational and qualitative methods, depending on the overall evaluation purpose, time and resource constraints. Where feasible, local people will be trained as community researchers and academic researchers will be embedded within local government to contribute to the research. _x000D_ _x000D_ Third, our evaluation delivery process will enable us to adapt research to local needs in collaboration with local partners, whilst producing robust findings. Learning will be rapidly applied as it emerges to improve local and national delivery. Our expertise in knowledge mobilisation will ensure that actionable recommendations are tailored for relevant audiences, delivered through appropriate channels and networks for maximum impact. People with lived experience and practitioners will be involved in developing outputs to ensure these reflect the concerns and priorities of these groups. _x000D_ _x000D_ Finally, we will maximise opportunities for local government research capacity building during the study timeframe and beyond, within the budget available, proactively linking local authority partners to other resources within our ARC and SPHR networks.

Research activity codes: 8.4 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGIES (HEALTH SERVICES)
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE