Cheers for 20 years! Celebrating NIHR health research in our region

This year is the 20th anniversary of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).

On Tuesday 22 September, around 130 people representing 80 organisations came along to Bristol Beacon’s beautiful Lantern Hall to shine a light on two decades of outstanding health and care research here in the South West Central region, and those who make it happen.

Welcome and keynote

Professor Kyla Thomas, Network Director and Dr Stephen McGlynn, Operations Director, NIHR South West Central Regional Research Delivery Network welcomed guests and introduced keynote speaker Dr Gail Marzetti, Director of Science, Research and Evidence, Department of Health and Social Care and the NIHR’s Deputy CEO.

Gail spoke about the huge contribution made by the NIHR to the health and wealth of the country in the last 20 years and the collaborative spirit in our region that helps makes our research so exceptional.

Speakers then showcased breakthroughs enabled by NIHR infrastructure and funding, bringing to life the NIHR’s four I’s: impact, investment, innovation and inclusion.

Impact

• Evidence-based eczema: Professor Matthew Ridd, NIHR Research Professor, GP & Professor of Primary Health Care, University of Bristol
• Opt-out emergency department testing for Blood Borne Viruses: Dr Tom May, Research Fellow, NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Evaluation and Behavioural Science, University of Bristol

Investment

• The Protect and CAP trials – delivering evidence about prostate cancer treatment and screening: Professor Jenny Donovan, Professor of Social Medicine, University of Bristol
• Investment in Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and how that enables us to invest in wider care research: Paul Roy, Associate Director for Research, Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB

Innovation

• Connecting domestic abuse survivor safety and perpetrator change: innovation in practice and research: Dr Helen Cramer, Senior Research Fellow and Dr Karen Morgan, Research Fellow, University of Bristol
• The AERATOR Study – Rewriting global safety rules to restore NHS services during COVID-19: Professor James Dodd, Professor of Respiratory Medicine, University of Bristol

Inclusion

• Bridging Gaps – Improving access to healthcare for women who have experienced trauma: Dr Michelle Farr, Senior Research Fellow, NIHR ARC South West, University of Bristol; Dr Lucy Potter, Academic GP; and Bridging Gaps lived experience team members
• Tackling Inequality – GPs at the Deep End: Dr Beth Winn, GP at Charlotte Keel Medical Practice and GPs at the Deep End Co-Lead
• Where research meets community – Improving Black Health Outcomes BioResource: Dr Jasmine Chingono, GP, Lawrence Hill Health Centre; Kurtney Gordon, Senior Research Nurse, NIHR Bristol Clinical Research Facility and Mohamed Abdi Sayaqle, Bristol Youth Connect.

Speaking up for public involvement

To close the event, a panel of public partners reflected on their routes into research, the impact it has had on them and their hopes for the future of meaningful public involvement.  Huge thanks to Sharron Smith, Soumeya Bouacida and Taj Sandhu for taking part, and to Primrose Granville for chairing.

Showcasing our network

Over lunch, guests browsed stalls representing the Centre for Academic Primary Care at the University of Bristol, the NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, Health Innovation West of England and Bristol Health Partners, and engaged with posters from Bright Research Centre, Accessible Results, PReCePT, Common Ambition Bristol, Autism in the Somali Community, Health Ambassadors – communities & health research and Continuity of Care.

Oliver Watson, Joint COO, Bristol Health Partners said:

“Joining colleagues and partners to celebrate 20 years of NIHR was uplifting and galvanising. NIHR has fuelled and forged positive collaborations and projects that have made health and wellbeing better in our region, including through our partnership’s Health Integration Teams.

“Securing the future of this vital investment will rely on making research ever more inclusive and impactful to address the questions that matter to communities’ needs and ambitions. As our public partners said so powerfully – communities are ready for researchers, let’s make sure researchers are ready for communities.”

Thanks

Thank you to everyone from across our region’s NIHR infrastructure who presented or exhibited, and those behind the scenes who helped make the celebration such a success.