In this section

National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaboration, North East North Cumbria

In 2019 the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) awarded funding for an Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) in the North East and North Cumbria (NENC). ARCs aim to tackle the key issues facing health and social care systems and which cause health and care inequality.  The funding allows researchers to focus on the biggest health and social issues locally and to develop solutions that reflect the needs and views of local people. The ARC’s vision for the North East and North Cumbria is to achieve ‘better, fairer health and care at all ages and in all places.’

The Institute of Health at University of Cumbria is an active partner of the ARC NENC, and received specific funding for:

 

More details can be found on the tabs below.

Our NIHR ARC NENC Senior Research Fellow is Dr Elaine Bidmead and is based at our Fusehill Street Campus in Carlisle. 

Attached to the ARC NENC’s Inequalities and Marginalised Communities theme, Elaine undertakes qualitative research in health and social inequality. Elaine is currently working on scoping health and social inequalities in North Cumbria, and other collaborative projects relating to health and social inequalities in the NENC - please see recent projects for more information.

Elaine has a particular interest in involving and engaging communities and user-groups as partners in the research and development process, and in working closely with VCSE organisations.

The ARC NENC has funded three PhD studentships:

David McPartlan’s recently completed PhD critically explored the efficacy of a whole school mental health strategy, in a comprehensive academy in England.

Lydia Pell is exploring trauma Informed Arts Based Practices with Children, Young People and Families in North Cumbria

Adam Webb is exploring Non-representational Theory in Evaluation in North Cumbria.

Research Support Service Hub delivered by Newcastle University and Partners

The RSS hub brings expertise in the design, development and delivery of health and care research. The hub’s vision is to support research with a new way of working, integrating research development, design and delivery in health care, in public health, and in social care, responding to changing needs and priorities. Capacity building is a key component: providing timely opportunities for colleagues to acquire relevant research skills, to inspire and enable future research and leaders in research methods.

For more information please visit the Research Support Service Hub

 

  1. ARC NENC Senior Research Fellow

Poverty Proofing Healthcare Settings

By talking to parents and Voluntary Community Social Enterprise sector (VCSE) staff this study aimed to understand what things make it difficult for families living on low incomes to attend appointments at their GP surgery, hospital, dentist and other places where healthcare is provided. We wanted to understand this so that we can help to make it easier for people on low incomes to get the healthcare they need.

Bidmead E, Hayes L, Mazzoli-Smith L, Wildman J, Rankin J, Leggott E, et al. (2024) Poverty proofing healthcare: A qualitative study of barriers to accessing healthcare for low-income families with children in northern England. PLoS ONE 19(4): e0292983. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0292983

Universal credit through the eyes of Children and Young People

Researchers from Cumbria, Newcastle, and Northumbria Universities, alongside Children North East, Investing in Children and the North East Child Poverty Commission, have undertaken three studies to understand children and young people’s views on Universal Credit.

Study one: A rapid review of children and young people's views of poverty and welfare, funded by Research England's Policy Support Fund

Bidmead, E., El Zerbi, C., Cheetham, M., & Frost, S. (2023). A rapid review of children and young people's views of poverty and welfare in the context of Universal Credit. Children & Society, 00, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/chso.12728.   

Study two: Young people’s views on Universal Credit in North East England using creative methods (ages 12-16), funded by Newcastle University QR Policy Support Fund

Young people’s views on universal credit in North East England, how might these influence policy?

Study three: Understanding Children’s views on Universal Credit using creative methods (ages 5-11), funded by NIHR Clinical Research Network NENC, Targeting health needs award - ongoing.

Adaptation, innovation and resilience among VCSE organisations during COVID-19

The Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector played a vital role during COVID-19 in supporting the health and wellbeing of people who are marginalised or experiencing multiple complex needs, this qualitative study examined how they responded to the challenges faced.

Scott, S., McGowan, V., Wildman, J., Bidmead, E., Hartley, J., Mathews, C., James, B., Sullivan, C., Bambra, C. and Sowden (2024) “I’ll meet you at our bench”: adaptation, innovation and resilience among VCSE organisations who supported marginalised and minoritised communities during the Covid-19 pandemic in Northern England – a qualitative focus group study. BMC Health Services Research 24, 7 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-023-10435-5.

Health and Social Inequalities Review

During 2020-2022 a scoping review was undertaken to map health and social inequalities in North Cumbria and to identify what the issues were, who they affected and in which ways.  Two case studies were also undertaken focussing on Maryport.

 

2. Open Grant Funded Research Projects  

Experts by Experience: Youth Perspectives on Health and Wellbeing – a participatory youth research project

Led by Professor Kaz Stuart, this project aimed to improve health and care services for young people across NENC and was a partnership between the University of Cumbria, Northumbria University, William Howard School and Carlisle Youth Zone. Between January and July 2020 we supported 35 young people to become confident and capable young researchers, inquiring into health and wellbeing issues important to them. The young people undertook research projects of their choice supported by the research team. We hoped the project would lead to more youth informed and young person friendly health and wellbeing policy and practice across NENC, enabling young people to experience better health and wellbeing. Simultaneously the research team researched the process of youth participatory research enabling more youth led research and co-production to happen regionally and nationally.

William Howard School:

Carlisle Youth Zone:

Young people from Carlisle Youth Zone spent a week researching young people’s health. They have produced the following film to share their experiences and learning:  

An Exploration of Therapeutic Horticulture and Agriculture as Supports for Vulnerable Young People’s Wellbeing

This 15 month research project was a partnership between the University of Cumbria, Susan’s Farm, The Children’s Foundation, and Newcastle University.  It aimed to improve health and care services for young people across the north east and north Cumbria by providing a model of therapeutic horticulture and therapeutic agriculture for children and young people who are marginalised. Please read the Findings from the study.

3. ARC Mental Health work stream

Tom Grimwood and Vicki Goodwin (HASKE) with Every Life Matters and CNTW NHS FT

Research shows some groups are more vulnerable to suicide, particularly those with debt/welfare issues and/or long term mental/physical health conditions; such issues also create complexities in targeting prevention training effectively

The research aimed to understand these complexities within a locality and re-examine who the formal and informal ‘gatekeepers’ are for accessing and informing certain groups, and to evaluate the efficacy of current training provision to improve and ensure effectiveness in reaching target groups.

4. PhD Studies

McPartlan, David (2023) Young researchers in schools: a participative action research study into the efficacy of a whole school mental health strategy. Doctoral thesis, University of Cumbria. https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/7274/

For general enquiries about the NIHR ARC NENC at the University of Cumbria please contact elaine.bidmead@cumbria.ac.uk

Edit Page