Title: The Yorkshire & Humber Palliative Care Research Network: Addressing Inequalities Across All Ages
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: Background:_x000D_ _x000D_ Yorkshire and the Humber is the largest region in the UK (pop. > 6 million). It included districts with some of the worst health outcomes in England. It is ethnically diverse and has some of the most socio-economically deprived wards in England. Recruitment into palliative and end of life care studies is very uneven, with high recruitment around existing academic centres (Leeds, Sheffield, Hull), but little or no activity elsewhere - especially in more socioeconomically deprived and/or ethnically diverse populations (Kirklees, Rotherham, Barnsley, Bradford, Doncaster, North and North-East Lincolnshire, coastal Yorkshire._x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ Our aim:_x000D_ _x000D_ We will address inequalities in palliative and end of life care research across the region and among all ages, by working with a range of partners in those areas which are new to research and/or have less often recruited people into palliative care studies. _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ How we will do this:_x000D_ _x000D_ We will do this by first developing a Y&H Palliative Care Research Network together with a range of health, social care and ambulance professionals, local councils, patient/public partners and community groups. Then we will develop four initiatives:_x000D_ _x000D_ 1. A ‘buddying’ system, so that people/places engaged with research can directly help those people/places new to research to learn and share experiences._x000D_ _x000D_ 2. ‘Linking Pin’ partnerships, which will pair a health, social care or ambulance professional with a researcher, to share and learn about research. _x000D_ _x000D_ 3. The opportunity for up to 10 individual health, social care or ambulance professionals to bid for some money to free up some of their time for research training and involvement in research studies._x000D_ _x000D_ 4. One to one research mentoring to help those professionals who want to develop their research skills and experience further._x000D_ _x000D_ Secondly, we will develop up to five bids for further funding, working with those in the ‘buddying system’ and ‘Linking Pin’ partnerships so they can apply for a research project in partnership with researchers._x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ What we will deliver:_x000D_ _x000D_ In this whole project, we will deliver:_x000D_ _x000D_ • An established Y&H Palliative Care Research Network _x000D_ _x000D_ • Wider public, patient, and practitioner engagement in research_x000D_ _x000D_ • At least three high quality submitted bids for research projects, each including a professional new to this and three new recruiting sites_x000D_ _x000D_ • Mentorship to help inidividuals become research active and to apply for a research project, for at least four professionals_x000D_ _x000D_ • Training and resources focusing on the challenges relating to palliative research (with the potential for this to be offered nationally as online self-directed learning) _x000D_ _x000D_ • Improved ways to connect with patients/carers and professionals about research ideas and developing projects, as well as how to ensure evidence gets into practice_x000D_ _x000D_ • A Network conference towards project end to share the findings / lessons learnt

Lay abstract: Background: _x000D_ _x000D_ Yorkshire and the Humber (Y&H) is the largest UK region (pop. > 6 million). It included districts with some of the worst health outcomes in England, is ethnically diverse, and has some of the most socio-economically deprived wards in England. Recruitment into palliative and end of life care studies is very uneven, with high recruitment around existing academic centres (Leeds, Sheffield, Hull), but little or no activity elsewhere - especially in more socioeconomically deprived and/or ethnically diverse populations (Kirklees, Rotherham, Barnsley, Bradford, Doncaster, North and North-East Lincolnshire, coastal Yorkshire)._x000D_ _x000D_ Aim and objectives:_x000D_ _x000D_ To address inequalities in palliative and end of life care research across Y&H and among all ages, through: i) increasing research capacity in research naive areas, and ii) delivering wider engagement in research, more diverse recruitment into palliative care studies, and thus better evidence to improve care. _x000D_ _x000D_ Methods:_x000D_ _x000D_ Workpackage 1: We will develop and implement a Y&H Palliative Care Research Network with health, social care, local council, ambulance service, and Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement partners. We will deliver four specific initiatives:_x000D_ 1. A practitioner-practitioner ‘buddying’ system, where research active sites/teams are partnered with research naive sites/teams to share and build research expertise. _x000D_ 2. Practitioner-researcher ‘Linking Pin’ partnerships, which pair individual practitioners with a senior researcher, for mutual exchange and support across shared research-related objectives. _x000D_ 3. Resources for practitioner backfill for one weekly programmed activity (or equivalent) over 3-6 months, available to up to 10 practitioners from a palliative, primary care, community care, ambulance, or social care background. _x000D_ 4. Dedicated practitioner and early career researcher mentorship. _x000D_ _x000D_ Workpackage 2: We propose five bids for Part 2 of this call, bringing the collaborative partnership of the Y&H Palliative Care Research Network into reality in terms of spreading research engagement, delivery, and expertise across the region._x000D_ _x000D_ Timelines for delivery:_x000D_ _x000D_ Months 1-6: Establishing and developing the Network_x000D_ Months 3-18: Delivering the four initiatives, training resources and bursaries, up to 5 new bids_x000D_ _x000D_ Anticipated impact, outputs, and dissemination:_x000D_ _x000D_ • An established Y&H Palliative Care Research Network to support, sustain and develop palliative and end of life care research_x000D_ • Wider public, patient, and practitioner engagement in research, as evidenced by increased recruitment in areas of previously low or no recruitment; and engagement in research activity for the 10-12 practitioners engaged as ‘Linking pins’_x000D_ • Grants: at least three high quality submitted bids, each including practitioners as first-time co-leads or co-applicants and at least three research-naïve sites._x000D_ • Capacity building; mentorship to becoming research active and to be co-lead/co-applicant for at least four practitioners, plus personal Fellowship applications for at least two practitioners_x000D_ • A suite of tailored CPD training and resources focusing on the issues/challenges relating to palliative research (with the potential to be offered nationally as online self-directed learning) _x000D_ • Improved cycle of co-developed research focusing on evidence needs of practitioners/patients/carers_x000D_ • Network conference towards project end to disseminate findings / lessons learn

Research activity codes: 5.9 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (TREATMENT DEVELOPMENT);6.9 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (TREATMENT EVALUATION);7.4 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (DISEASE MANAGEMENT);8.5 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (HEALTH SERVICES)
Health categories: GENERIC HEALTH RELEVANCE