Title: NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Kent, Surrey and Sussex
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: The KSS region is characterised by medium sized hospitals in small to medium sized urban centres and with an extensive network of community services covering what is a predominantly rural area. Despite general affluence, it contains some of the most socially deprived wards in England located in our coastal towns across. Over the five years ARCKSS will improve the quality, quantity, relevance and appropriate use of applied health and social care research, with a particular focus on coastal deprivation where early life indicators of physical and mental health are particularly poor. The KSS region faces complex challenges for health and social care services with significant population growth while resources for service provision will remain constrained. Alongside an above average number of looked after children and young people with emotional and mental health needs, our aging population with growth in the number of >65s some four times greater than among <65s and faster the England more generally will place significant demands on our local health and social care services. GP Practices in South East Kent already have the second highest ratio of older people per GP in England. As a result, greater demands are being placed on our primary and community health and social care services who are increasingly supporting more frail people with complex health needs. The KSS region also faces significant challenges in terms of sustainability with extensive and lengthy vacancies in key positions within primary and secondary care and competition for recruitment for care staff resulting in a knock-on effect on the quality of care and public confidence in local services. These challenges have focused partnership working between Sustainability and Transformation Programmes (STP), researchers, and NHS and social care agencies to develop the ARCKSS, and with public involvement, identify our key themes enabling the ARC to support relevant STP work streams: Social care Starting Well: Early detection and Intervention of Mental Health Problems in Children and Adolescents Primary and Community Health Services Living Well with Dementia These themes also reflect national NHS priorities. We will underpin our core themes with cross-cutting themes to ensure delivery is supported effectively: Co-Production Public Health Digital Innovation Health and Social Care Economics A key goal of the KSS ARC will be to support local service transformation and develop effective out of hospital care for people living in this Region and nationally (see figure 2). Our objectives will be to deliver research that embodies the principles of co-production of knowledge, and application of high quality methodological research approaches to meet the needs of our local population and key national needs combined with an emphasis on timely and relevant knowledge transfer. Our member organisations and partners are committed to a vision of delivering sustainable and cost-effective improvements to achieve/deliver patient and health system benefits through targeted research with the core themes that supports children and young people at the start of life and ensures that people can live well for longer. We will focus on supporting our region s STPs to ensure that developing service models are patient centred, sustainable and directly support service evolution. By providing co-ordination, support, infrastructure and deliberative action, it will enable the NHS regionally and nationally to go further and faster in terms of quality and safety, leveraging the system to deliver the clinical and cost-effective services that meet the needs of those we serve. The ARCKSS will provide an immediate transformation of research across the region through greater collaboration between HEIs and service organisations. Our goals are aligned with the KSS AHSN, Health Education KSS, the KSS CRN and the three STP areas of Surrey Heartlands, West Surrey and Sussex and Kent and Medway. ARCKSS supports key HEKSS strategies relating to primary care, dementia and young people and AHSN strategies of living well for longer and embedding implementation in health and social care practice and delivery, building on existing initiatives such as the AHSN living lab initiative. The ARC will provide leadership within Kent, Surrey and Sussex for conducting and implementing applied research, supporting our partner organisations and the AHSN in its mission to increase the spread and diffusion of well evidenced innovations in the NHS &ndash; working together in a shared role of translating learning and evidence into practice. Over the five years of the ARC we expect to meet the following key objectives and milestones: By the end of year one: Establish KSS ARC governance and management systems and agree working relationships with key partners Appoint staff to core and research theme activities Hold launch event to raise awareness and strengthen commitment to the ARC Develop systems for refining research plans and priorities within the research themes, including identification, coordination and implementation planning for existing research Agree work plans with STPs for capacity development and implementation activities Finalise research plans and ARC measures with STPs and members Establish, test and finalise research support systems &ndash; e.g. research governance, ethics procedures and systems Establish our public partnership processes and systems Undertake and disseminate initial evidence synthesis projects across themes Develop feedback mechanisms and evaluation processes for the ARC to be completed by ARC members By the end of year three: Develop regional training, development and support processes and structure Establish implementation systems and processes by embedding ARC activity in existing communities of practice, ambassadorial schemes, clinical academies etc. Recruit ARC funded research studentships and associated HEI studentships Launch researcher mentorship and development programme Have established research programmes in each theme &ndash; both core activity and initial projects agreed for funding from unallocated funds Assessing feedback from service providers on changes implemented Embed feedback loop into research programme By the end of year five: Embed the research process in local providers and local communities Evaluate what s been established and sustain that which has been successful Key success criteria: Ability of ARC to secure NHS resource commitments (from year 2 onwards) Evidence of application of ARC research in practice Attraction of new research funding in ARC research theme areas Increased capacity in applied research Established provider/community-based implementation hubs and support

Lay abstract: The Kent, Surrey and Sussex Applied Research Collaboration (ARCKSS) will bring together NHS Trusts, local authorities, seven universities, communities and other partners within the south east of England. Our aim is to improve the quality of life of people in need of and receiving health and social care services and their families. We will do this by improving the quality, quantity and relevance of research. When our research findings show potential for improving the quality of treatment and person-centred care, then we will work together to ensure that recommendations are implemented effectively and quickly. We need to meet particular challenges in our region. Despite general affluence we have: Some of the most socially deprived wards in England, mainly located in our coastal towns with high GP/patient ratios and GP practice closures Higher than average children in care, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, and young people with self-harm and emotional problems A higher proportion of older people whose numbers are growing faster than average in England The highest concentration of people with dementia in the UK We will therefore focus our research in four core themes: Social Care Starting well: Early detection and Intervention of Mental Health Problems in Children and Adolescents Primary and Community Health Services Living Well with Dementia Each core theme will bring together KSS researchers and work in partnership with health and care organisations, local communities and other partners. To support their work, we have developed four cross-cutting themes: Co-production &ndash;all our research is co-designed with local communities Public Health: Supporting Wellbeing across the Lifespan &ndash; we have a focus on prevention Digital Innovation &ndash; we harness its potential for a sustainable health system Health and Social Care Economics &ndash; ensuring value for money We conducted a public survey across KSS to identify research priorities which helped shape our core themes. Local PPI groups helped develop our ARC structure and how we would co-produce our research. Theme leads also worked with public partners to shape plans. Once established, our focus will be involving diverse communities. The Co-production theme will support this including co-production training. Our public involvement strategy is based on INVOLVE s six national standards. Our regional &ldquo;One NIHR&rdquo; public forum will provide opportunities for public involvement in any aspect of research. The ARC Executive will have two public members and be supported by a ARCKSS Service User and Public Advisory Council, comprising Forum members, and other key stakeholders such as Healthwatch, and NHS Trust patient groups. In addition, two public members will work with each theme, to facilitate research reflecting local communities needs. Members of our Public Forum will work with our Dissemination Lead to make sure that information targeted at the public is in a format accessible for diverse communities. We will use a variety of ways to disseminate our work including: Community Forums Talking Heads films and social media One-stop digital portal Collaborative meetings with local health and care organisations and service users National dissemination through other ARCs

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