Health Determinants Research Collaboration North Yorkshire (HDRC NY)

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Who are we?

We are one of 30 Health Determinants Research Collaborations across the UK funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). They aim to boost research capacity and capability within local government to embed a culture of evidence-based decision making to reduce health inequalities.

The five year funding is enabling North Yorkshire Council staff to work in partnership with Hull York Medical School, the University of Hull and the University of York, to boost our research capacity and skills. This will help us use research to identify and address issues affecting the health of the people of North Yorkshire.

Why is a Health Determinants Research Collaboration important for North Yorkshire?

While the general population of North Yorkshire is in good health overall, the county includes diverse areas and communities and incorporates urban, rural and coastal districts. This means residents face differing and varied health challenges, depending on where they live.

The most recent English Indices of Deprivation report shows that one in 17 of North Yorkshire residents live in areas that are among the 20 per cent most deprived nationally.

Some communities live shorter lives and have fewer years of good health, due in the main to factors outside their control. However, one of the best ways to understand and improve these differences is through research.

Research shows us that education, income, housing, and access to transportation play a significant role in an individual’s overall health.

This collaboration will help us better identify the local social, economic and environmental factors that influence the health and wellbeing of our residents, and help the council, with our partners, to shape policies and interventions that promote health equity.

What is our vision?

To embed a strong research culture across North Yorkshire Council, that generates robust evidence to inform strategy and influence decision-making. We want to ensure that we create the foundations of understanding, to then develop more efficient use of resources to tackle health inequalities and improve health outcomes for people in North Yorkshire.

Our objectives are:

• Objective 1 – Culture change
  Fostering and delivering a council-wide culture that is curious and creative in how it utilises research and seeks evidence-based approaches to inform decision-making. 
   
• Objective 2 – Capacity and capability
  Building the confidence and competence of North Yorkshire Council staff to utilise, engage and excel in research activity, with support from academic research expertise and resource.
   
• Objective 3 – Collaborations and co-production
  Creating and developing collaborative research partnerships both internally and externally, including public engagement to prioritise, co-design and co-produce our research, ensuring diversity of voice.
   
• Objective 4 – Champions of excellent research
  Becoming catalysts for change driven by strong, committed and highly motivated leadership, to embed research into strategy and policy development.
   
• Objective 5 – Communication
  Developing and delivering high-quality processes to facilitate knowledge exchange, effective dissemination, and impact of research outputs to a range of audiences locally, regionally and nationally.

Our priority research areas are:

• equitable access and outcomes in Preventive Services
• improved health and wellbeing of coastal and rural communities
• good work: securing better outcomes for workers and business
• good quality, affordable and sustainable housing 
• climate change and health

With a focus on under-researched groups including:

• military families and veterans
• women’s health and wellbeing 
• gypsy, roma and traveller communities 

How to find out more

Enquiries: email HDRC@northyorks.gov.uk

To find out more about our plans visit the National Institute for Health and Care Research Award page: North Yorkshire Health Determinants Research Collaboration - NIHR Funding and Awards.

Learn more about Health Determinants Research Collaborations | NIHR.