More than 35 healthcare professionals from across the Black Country Integrated Care System (ICS) attended a research event in June, highlighting the importance that quality research plays in providing new and better treatment and care for local people.
Hosted by Dr Ananta Dave, Chief Medical Officer for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), the event was an opportunity to explore how the health and wellbeing of people living in the Black Country can be improved through research and how, as a system, we can work collaboratively to achieve this.
Attendees also heard from several speakers from a range of health and care settings, including the NIHR Clinical Research Network and the Voluntary, Community and Social sector, on the difference health and social research can make to people’s lives.
Throughout the day, a series of table discussions were hosted, enabling attendees to discuss how to engage stakeholders in research, the role it plays in achieving ICS priorities and share ideas for the future as well as best practice.
Dr David Shukla, Head of Research for the NHS Black Country ICB, said: “It was great to see so many representatives in attendance, this has been a very successful event in bringing partners together to discuss and shape the future of research in the ICB, and has demonstrated how system level research strategy can effectively benefit our Black Country population.”
Dr Ananta Dave said: “It was brilliant to see so many colleagues from across the system attend our research event and come together to highlight the important role that research plays in improving quality and safety of care for everyone.
“As a system, it is important that our planning and research strategy includes and represents all of the local communities that we serve, and it is something that we will continue to build on moving forwards.”
