Centre for Applied Research in Improvement and Innovation in Health and Social Care
We conduct transformational research that makes a difference to the ways that health and social care is delivered
Leader: Professor Jane Wills, Professor of Health Promotion, School of Health and Social Care
Our research is focused on improving the quality and effectiveness of the health and social care service users receive, to allow the population to lead happier, healthier lives.
Research is focused on three strategic areas:
Lived experience: promoting understanding of experiences of illness, health, disability and disadvantage across the life course through a user-centred, integrated programme of research, service evaluation and needs assessment and consultation.
Service delivery: focusing on the development and evaluation of novel approaches to service delivery, whether in disease prevention, health promotion or in care and clinical excellence. Complementary approaches to healthcare, in particular the study of Chinese medicine and self-help techniques, are part of integrative and person-centred care.
Professional and practice development: supporting innovation in health and social care roles and the ways we deliver education to the health and social care workforce at all levels.
We respond to the dynamic and ever changing policy and care environments through researching changes in practice, such as compassionate roles in nursing or new workforce roles e.g. Advanced Nursing Practice, Nursing Associate and Public Health practitioners.
Our members’ projects include Centre lead Prof. Jane Wills’ research on improving workplace health in the NHS, Dr Andrew Whittaker’s investigations into how practitioners assess risk and undertake decision-making and Professor Alison Leary’s research on the association between the incidence of patient falls and delegation of key aspects of care to unregistered nurses/healthcare support staff.
Our research is made relevant through the many joint appointments members hold with NHS Trusts and strong links with bodies and organisations, including Health Improvement Scotland, Health Education England, Public Health England, the British Polio Fellowship, the International Dementia Culture Collaborative and Kidney Research UK.