Impact Review 2025/26: Research inclusion

The BNSSG diverse Research Engagement Network, formed in 2023, promotes inclusive health research and trust-building between researchers and racially minoritised communities in our region. The work of our Network is about creating the conditions (and trust) for greater involvement in health and care research. Here are highlights from 2025/26.

Network expansion

The Network has expanded to more than 330 members. This growth indicates how we are strengthening connections between researchers and racially minoritised communities for meaningful engagement. Monthly meetings continue to foster inclusion and trust in research. Governance has been strengthened through the development of a collaborative Coordination Group, to provide strategic direction and oversee activities.

Community-led research

The Network funds time for community input before research begins, and offers training and collaboration opportunities so members can lead and influence high-quality studies.

Since the Network began, six trusted, community-embedded Health Ambassadors have supported more than 100 research studies to increase participation from underserved communities and enable peoples from those communities to be involved in the research development pipeline.

Caafi Health and Nilaari – both Black -led voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector organisations – have managed this work to date. The Coordination Group now aims to increase the number of community organisations or individuals supported by Network funding through a small grants programme, which launched in June 2026.

Public engagement events

The Network delivered or took part in 50 public facing events in 2025/26, reaching more than 500 people in neighbourhoods and contributing to a better understanding of local health needs. These included regular initiatives such as ‘Community Health MOT’ days, as well as the local launch of the NIHR Improving Black Health Outcomes Bioresource, which is on track to exceed its recruitment target.

Bristol Health Partners continues to promote community-led events via its webpages.

Institutional impact

After Network members co-delivered a two day ‘Inclusive Research’ training programme for Bristol Medical School, the Network has since been invited to run an engagement session called ‘Working with, not on: strengthening research through community partnership’, as part of the University of Bristol’s first ever Research Culture Week in June 2026.

Influencing beyond our region

Researchers based anywhere in the world can now download the Bristol Protected Characteristics Questionnaire – a tool developed by Bristol Health Partners to collect data on the diversity of participants in health research. The Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board Research Team has adopted the questionnaire for all research studies it funds.

Network members have also co-produced nationally available resources to improve patient information leaflets for clinical trials: see the MAPLE project.

“As an early career researcher, the Research Engagement Network is by far the most inspiring and impactful group which I have had the privilege of being part of and has completely transformed the way I think about research. I was thinking about leaving academia until I found the Network, but it has given me hope for how we can imagine and create a more positive research culture in future and has made me much more determined to find ways to contribute to important research which matters to the communities we all belong to.”
Naomi, Haematology Specialist Trainee, Wellcome Trust-funded Clinical Academic PhD Fellow

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