Bradford Health Determinants Research Collaboration
In 2022/23, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) announced a multimillion-pound investment for a series of local government partnerships, boosting local authorities’ capacity and capability to conduct high-quality research to tackle health inequalities.
The 13 pioneering Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs) provide new research funding to embed a culture of evidence-based decision-making within local government.
Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Bradford is part of the Health Determinants Research Collaborations | NIHR and hosted by Bradford City Council, in collaboration with our partners, Bradford Institute of Health research, Bradford University, Leeds University and University of York.
Vision
Bradford Council to be a local authority leader in generating and using research to support decision making and democratic accountability. We will transform our understanding of what works best for who so that we make better and more cost-effective decisions, improve services and improve the health of all our citizens and communities.
Aim and objectives
Our aim is to:
Sustainably transform the council so it becomes evidence-led and data driven at all levels of decision-making to improve the wider determinants of health and reduce health inequalities
We will achieve this in partnership by:
- transforming the culture and capability of our people
- working with and for the communities and citizens of Bradford
- creating the infrastructure and capacity for collaborative health determinants research
- generating, mobilising and translating data and evidence for decision-makers
- developing a shared research agenda with communities, partners, stakeholders and elected members
In the future:
- we will be the local authority leader in generating and using data and evidence to support decision-making and democratic accountability
- we will have a culture where staff are evidence-led
- council decisions will be taken following formal consideration of evidence
- we will routinely co-develop research with system-wide partners
- we will routinely co-produce research with citizens and communities
- we will be able demonstrate all interventions are evidence-informed
- we will have an effective research function
- we will collaboratively set the research priorities for the District working with partners, communities and citizens
- it will be normal practice for us to share learning and knowledge within the council, with partners and other local authorities
- it will be normal practice for us to evaluate all interventions to a high standard
- we will have a great career offer for data analysts/scientists and all staff for using data and evidence
- there will be a porous interface between the council and academic partners
- this is a lasting change that will business-as-usual
What do we mean by evidence?
Evidence is defined as the information that is used to make a decision or recommendation. However, it differs from other types of information, such as opinion or anecdotes, because it collated using a structured approach involving research questions, involves high quality data collection and analysis and is governed by standards.