Our highlights in 2019-20

Our partnership and our Health Integration Teams (HITs) have a lot to be proud of in terms of our 2019-20 achievements. Below is a selection of highlights over the last year.

Enabling new research funding

• More than £2.8m total research funding secured by HITs
• Supported or enabled successful large-scale regional funding bids worth £26m, including:
  • Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) West
  • Medical Research Council (MRC) funding to tackle root causes of unhealthy planning, economics and decision-making
  • Centre for Doctoral Training in Digital Health and Care

System change and pathway redesign

• £261,046 invested in service changes involving our HITs
• 5 HITs – Stroke, Chronic Pain, Dementia, Bristol Bones and Joints and Sexual Health Improvement Programme – have worked closely with the Healthier Together Sustainability and Transformation Partnership on pathway redesign
• Drug and Alcohol HIT work has led to ‘low dead space’ syringes being phased into Bristol’s needle and syringe programme

Embedding patient and public involvement (PPI)

• Developed and delivered a digital health training programme for patient and public (PPI) contributors
• Stroke HIT’s aphasia group created accessible resources with help from speech therapists and communications staff from Healthier Together
• 19 patient and service user-led events attended by more than 670 people
• More than 35 patient and public contributors on HIT leadership teams

Communicating and engaging

• More than 100 clinicians from across the South West attended an education day hosted by the MOVE HIT
• The Supporting Healthy Neighbourhoods (SHINE) HIT updated the Bedminster Toilet Map (free local toilet facilities)
• The Active Ageing (APPHLE) HIT helped organise ‘NO LIMITS’, a photo exhibition of active older people held on Bristol’s College Green
• More than 125 people attended the 2019 HIT conference from organisations across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire

Enabling city-wide work

• Bristol Immunisation Group (BIG) HIT supported MMR uptake in GP surgeries and schools
• The MOVE HIT, in partnership with Parkinson’s UK, increased exercise opportunities in Bristol for people with Parkinson’s
• More than 400 people attended six events and workshops within our Using Data Better strategic programme
• Over 8,000 older people took part in activity initiatives such as Walk Fest Bristol and across 19 ‘age friendly’ activity hubs across Bristol
• Population health analytics collaborations fostered by academic partners and the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
• Three HITs – Dementia, APPHLE and Improving Care in Self-Harm (STITCH)- received £30,000 from Bristol hospitals charity, Above & Beyond, to carry out their work in local communities

Influencing beyond our city

• Bristol Health Partners is now one of only eight Academic Health Science Centres (AHSCs) in England
• Thanks to SHIP HIT, Bristol is now part of the international initiative of Fast Track Cities for AIDS treatment
• SHIP HIT has been contributing to the international discussion around anti-microbial resistance (AMR) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) through key conferences
• Eating Disorders HIT’s evidence on improving training for doctors informed MP’s recommendations on NHS treatment for young people with eating disorders
• The DistrACT support app for people who self-harm, supported by the STITCH HIT, won a BMA Patient Information Award for Wellbeing
• The SHINE HIT contributes to international journal, Cities & Health, on child friendly cities
• Our PPI Digital Training Programme has been rolled out in Oxford and Liverpool
• 2 journal papers accepted on pilot services supporting long-term users of opioids:
  • The research was referenced in Public Health England’s evidence review
  • The findings were used in Gloucestershire Council’s drug and alcohol needs assessment