Filling the evidence gaps in local government Dr Helen Walter, Consultant Advisor, NIHR Tara Lamont – Deputy Director, NIHR Dissemination Centre FPH Annual Conference – 20th June 2017

Session overview Public Health Research in NIHR The Dissemination Centre Table top discussions on research in local government Summing Up

Good research will provide the ammunition to the front line

What is the NIHR? Funded by Dept. of Health to benefit health to benefit the UK economy Funds health and care research Applys research to practice Develops the research capacity of the UK

Public Health research in NIHR Public Health Research Programme £10m per year on non-NHS research School of Public Health Research 8 universities collaborating to research PH practice Other funding programmes

The Cambridgeshire Guided Busway increased active travel. Density of alcohol outlets is linked to alcohol consumption, hospital admissions and violence. Turning off street lights early does not lead to more accidents or crime.

Good research needs you… Decision Makers workshop – 5th Oct 2017, London Become a member of our Prioritisation Board https://www.nihr.ac.uk/about-us/advisory-group-opportunities/ Send us your ideas for research www.nihr.ac.uk/research-and-impact/research/suggest-an-idea-for-research/#form

Tara Lamont – Deputy Director, NIHR Dissemination Centre

NIHR Dissemination Centre Our aim is to put good research evidence at the heart of decision making in the NHS, public health and social care.

What we produce Signals Highlights Themed Reviews

NIHR Signals Accessible, actionable summaries explaining: The main message of the study Why the study was needed What the study did What the study found What the current guidance says on the issue What the implications are Features: Expert commentary Published abstract Definitions (where needed) Opportunity to comment

Public health content includes:

Primary audience - midwives Partnership with RCM NIHR Themed Reviews Primary audience - midwives Partnership with RCM 46 published NIHR studies – from smoking cessation trials to doulas in deprived areas >2000 downloads 46 published studies, 28 ongoing Smoking cessation, evidence on healthy eating and weight loss on mother and baby outcomes – plus environment, complex social needs (doula in deprived areas to incentives)

Building an influential community

Get involved Join our mailing list & receive regular Signals http://www.dc.nihr.ac.uk/email-sign-up Register as a rater http://www.dc.nihr.ac.uk/get-involved Read our outputs https://discover.dc.nihr.ac.uk/portal/home Follow us on Twitter @NIHR_DC

Table-top discussions

Table Questions (1) Think of a piece of research that you recently noticed and thought “Ooh – that will be useful at work.” Where did you notice it? Why did you notice it? What did you do with it?

Table Questions (2) Think of a time when your cabinet member / Leader asked you for some evidence and you thought “I don’t know the answer to that.” What was the issue? What would it have been useful to know? Was it a matter of not knowing the evidence or that there isn’t any evidence? What did you do?

Table Questions (3) Think of one of the things that your team has influenced or a programme that you run that has made you think “I wish I knew what the true outcomes of that are.” Is it being / could it be evaluated? Where did / would the evaluation funding coming from? How would you engage with academics to research it?

Key Points Tara Lamont – tara.lamont@nihr.ac.uk Helen Walters – helen.walters@nihr.ac.uk

John Middleton – President of FPH Summing up John Middleton – President of FPH