NHS Sussex and the Sussex Health and Care Research Partnership at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, have launched the first research strategy for Sussex, which sets out our collective ambitions for health and care research for the next five years.
The strategy has been developed collaboratively with health and care professionals from across all the health and care organisations in Sussex, public health and the local authorities, and with input from our university partners, voluntary sector partners and the wider public and communities.
This approach seeks to enhance patient care, address local health and priorities, and foster a culture of continuous improvement across Sussex. The strategy will do this by:
- Addressing local and national health and care priorities: by working on research priorities which look to tackle health challenges specific to Sussex, while aligning with broader national research goals.
- Enhancing quality of care: by integrating evidence-based research into daily practices, the strategy aims to improve the quality and outcomes of health and care services for people who live in Sussex.
- Expanding research scope: efforts will be made to increase the volume and diversity of research conducted locally, extending into primary care and community health settings.
- Promoting equity and inclusion: a significant focus is placed on reducing disparities in research participation and ensuring that innovations benefit all segments of the population.
- Supporting the research workforce: To build capacity, the strategy outlines initiatives to support healthcare professionals in engaging with research. This includes training, streamlined processes for research approvals, and the development of a diverse and skilled research workforce.
The strategy sees the NHS in Sussex strengthening ties with local universities, research organisations, and community groups, and the forming of the Sussex Health and Care Research Partnership serves as a central hub to coordinate research activities, share resources, and align strategies across the Integrated Care System (ICS).
James Ramsay, Chief Medical Officer at NHS Sussex, said:
The research strategy is an important piece of our shared work to improve the healthcare of people who live in Sussex.
The strategy focuses on research that helps the population of Sussex to live healthier lives, have access to the best possible services and treatments when they need them, and maximises the social, and economic benefits research offers to our health and care system and region.
Richard McManus, Dean at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, said:
Brighton and Sussex Medical School have been extremely pleased to be one of the key founding members of this partnership.
We think that that the only way that one can do really good research is collaboratively so working together with partners in the NHS and social care is fundamental.
What we’re aiming to do in terms of our research is to improve both quality and quantity of life so, as a member of the public, I would hope that you’d be able to look back in five or ten years time and say this health and research partnership has led to increases in research in Sussex and those increases have directly led to improvements in health.
Read the full research strategy or watch the video below, where we explain how the strategy will help improve the health of people in Sussex.