1. Centre for Health Research at the Management School
Declan French

2. What is CHaRMS ?
All disciplines at Queen’s Management School, Belfast – economics, management, human resources, marketing, finance, actuaries.
Three main themes: (1) health (2) employee wellbeing (3) population science.
Brings together academics, students, business leaders, and policymakers
university, government, the private sector, policy institutions, and elsewhere.
15 from within QMS
* Health
This group has expertise in healthcare quality management and patient safety ; the impact of early life conditions on later life health; understanding the impact of financial stress on health; economic and social impacts of economic and social impacts of substance use; mortality modelling; residential segregation in Northern Ireland and mental health; health insurance and the use of technology in incentivising physical activity; the evolution of new business models in response to resource constraints; interventions using the arts to realize particular health and wellbeing goals; non-communicable diseases in developing countries; healthcare management in developing countries ; identification and analysis of health risks.
* Employee wellbeing
Research interests include program evaluation and welfare reform; disability, unemployment and inactivity; the impact of human resource management practices and job characteristics on employee well-being and performance; the effects of demographic change and workforce ageing on public (government) policy; individual decision-making processes regarding work-retirement transitions; exploring attitudes to work disability through vignettes ; occupational health and safety.
* Population Science
The Population Science group focuses on measuring differences in population health, wellbeing, and development, and establishing the causal determinants of these disparities. Topics include establishing the prevalence of ill-health or health conditions, identifying and evaluating policies to improve maternal/child health, the bi-directional relationship between health and development, fertility choice and its consequences, and the historical origins of heterogeneity in welfare outcomes.

3. Aims
New knowledge, build research capacity, and engage external partners in the area of health.
Policy-relevant areas in NI and elsewhere
the impact of welfare reform, optimal design and management of the health sector, incentivising ‘positive’ health behaviours, causal determinants and effects of the different components of wellbeing, coping with demographic change, delivering healthcare services, the economic return on health investments, and optimal policies in the field of maternal and child health.
Methodological best practice
Attract grant funding, postgraduate studentships, and excellent internationally- recognised publications. Network internationally. Professional development of researchers working in the areas of health and wellbeing.
Point of contact
Provide insights from social, behavioural, and management science into policy- relevant questions in health and wellbeing.

4. Today What we do Potential new research data sources
Website & events
Health
Employee Well-being
Population
Potential new research data sources
Northern Ireland Cohort for Longitudinal Study of Ageing NICOLA
Administrative Data Research Centre for Northern Ireland (ADRC-NI)
Policy-relevant research
Anne Kilgallen, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Dept of Health (NI)
Dr Janice Bailie, Assistant Director, HSC R&D Division, Public Health Agency
* Launch – handout flyer
* Handout list of seminars

5. What else are we doing? Short-term (within 1st year)
Organise monthly seminars – invited speakers
Events – Health Economics Association Ireland meeting, 8th Irish Economics and Psychology conference
Establish a web presence with working papers
Organise annual workshop
Encourage masters dissertations in these areas

6. What's next ?
Foster linkages with key stakeholders in NI, RoI, the UK and internationally.
Courses and workshops run by the Centre focused on health and wellbeing
Develop courses within QMS whose focus is on the areas of health and wellbeing, evidence-based policy, and relevant methodological skills
Organise and host research and sector-specific international conferences.
Support visitors & visiting professors coming to work on research projects. (Masterclasses ?)
Establish bilateral exchange schemes for our early career researchers to work in leading institutions overseas
Foster linkages with research groups elsewhere in the university e.g. Centre of Excellence for Public Health, Disability Research Network, Gibson Institute for Land, Food and Environment.
Foster linkages with key stakeholders in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, the UK and internationally.
Facilitate the development of research ideas and projects.
Facilitate the development of research grant applications.
Provide a forum for interdisciplinary discussion.
Provide a basis for increasing PhD activity and graduate training in this area.
Coordinate research projects among Centre members.
Support research collaboration through providing seed funding for research proposals or research applications.
Support visitors coming to work on research projects.
If demand is sufficient, organise and run training courses for external policy community on areas of expertise within QMS
Implement regular dissemination activities and keep policy-makers up to date with the Centre’s research
Longer-term
Provide QMS input to taught modules elsewhere in the university
Develop courses within QMS whose focus is on the areas of health and wellbeing, evidence-based policy, and relevant methodological skills
Develop joint programmes with other faculties where management science input adds value e.g. MSc in Translational Medicine & Business Planning, MSc in Healthcare Management, MSc in Health and Behaviour
Provide a structure to ensure that Centre members have access to the best opportunities for professional development relevant to their areas of expertise (for example through training, mentorship, and dissemination activities)
Identify opportunities to establish workshops and training events for Centre members aimed at addressing key skill and knowledge gaps (open to national and international audiences)
Organise and host research and sector-specific international conferences.
Provide training and support through the appointment and engagement of internationally- recognised Visiting Professors.
Establish bilateral exchange schemes for our early career researchers to work in leading institutions overseas (e.g. Harvard or Melbourne) and for their early career researchers to spend time at our Centre.
Support the mentoring of academics (particularly young academics) in developing robust research agendas in this area.
Appoint an external advisory committee comprising members from Northern Ireland and abroad, with a non-academic representation