How NIHR ARCs rose to the challenge of COVID-19
A national publication highlighting how National Institute for Health and Care Research Applied Research Collaborations (NIHR ARCs) rose to the challenge of COVID-19 launched pn Thursday 23rd March, the third anniversary of the first UK lockdown.
Vital work from across the ARCs in response to the pandemic is showcased in NIHR ARCs: Supporting the fight against COVID-19 (PDF), including ARC Grester Manchester projects.
The publication brings together case studies demonstrating how ARCs pivoted their research programmes in response to the pandemic. It showcases work across a range of themes including children and young people, care homes, equality and diversity, end of life care and workforce planning.
Three projects from ARC Greater Mancheste are included in this new publication:
- Informing public policy on health data sharing through Citizens’ Juries (on page 11)
- COVID-19: Health and Care Inequalities in the North of England (on page 18)
- Exploring Inequalities and Community Experiences of the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme in Greater Manchester (on page 39)
Bringing these projects together shows how ARCs were able to pivot their research in response to the pandemic, thanks to their funding from NIHR. ARCs’ expertise in data modelling, multiple long-term conditions, mental health and social care, alongside their ability to build and sustain collaborations placed them in a unique position to support the COVID-19 effort.
The publication was led by NIHR ARC East Midlands, with communications support from NIHR ARC West. In the foreword, the ARC Directors write:
“In 2020, we made rapid changes to our research programmes across the ARCs, to inform policy and practice, improve health and care, and deliver national-level impact in this rapidly changing landscape.
“Our expertise in data modelling, multiple long-term conditions, mental health and social care alongside our ability to build and sustain collaborations across the NHS, social care, the voluntary sector and industry, has placed us in a unique position. We have been able to contribute to the efforts to understand the virus and its impact on communities, locally, nationally and globally.
“This publication outlines our response as ARCs, both collectively and individually, to this challenge. It showcases the part we have played in supporting the health and care sector and patients, public and communities. We are proud of our part in lending our expertise to understanding the disease and assisting the global effort to contain it, improving outcomes and saving lives.”
Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR and the Department of Health and Social Care’s Chief Scientific Advisor, said:
“This impressive report sets out how that effort was provided, extending across many different themes, specialisms, and areas of the country. It illustrates how researchers, working together to tackle a common cause, can have such an important impact for patients and the public.”
Download NIHR ARCs: Supporting the fight against COVID-19 (PDF).
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